Human Factors in the Design of Effective Product Warnings

Abstract

Warning messages for product use are important for the safety of the user and to fulfill the legal duty to warn on the part of the manufacturer. A number of issues related to the design of such warnings have been neglected by human factors specialists. The studies that have been done have been primarily for private companies or in conjunction with litigation after an accident has occurred. Thus, little is available in the open literature.

This paper points out some related behavioral work which has been published and outlines the problems associated with designing effective product warnings. Suggestions are made for further research.