International HCI-Standards for the Workplace and the Work Environment

Abstract

ISO 9241 “Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminal (VDTs)” is a series of 17 standards which deals with various aspects of working with computers. Its parts 5 and 6 contain provisions on the design and organization of the workplace and the work environment. In contrast to technical standards, ISO 9241-5 and -6 do not specify the technical characteristics of the equipment needed to satisfy their guidelines associated with the work station and the work environment. The provisions are first formulated as guiding principles which constitute the basic goals of these standards. Part 5 contains requirements derived from the basic principles but no technical features for furniture. This standard does not try to find an optimum posture for all users or uses, but rules applicable in different work environments to flexible postures. Part 6 deals with all relevant environmental factors from lighting to magnetic fields. Both standards can be applied in a given work context following the concept of usability.