Salespeople (selling dryers, cell phones, recliners, or jewelry) in 25 stores were asked to recommend products they believed to be easy to use. They were also asked which products or features were most likely to be helpful to customers with specific physical, cognitive, or sensory limitations. There was little consensus across salespeople selling the same product. There were surprising omissions and some examples of incorrect claims. Further, salespeople largely ignored (or were unaware of) design features that enhance sensory and cognitive usability. The majority of claims dealt with product features that purportedly reduce physical strain.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ButtersL. M. (1998). Consumer product evaluation: Which method is best? A guide to human factors at Consumers' Association. In StantonN., ed., Human Factors in Consumer Products (pp. 159–174). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd.
2.
NayakU. S. L. (1995). Elders-led design. Ergonomics in Design, 3, 8–13.
3.
StephensE. C.CarswellC. M.DallaireJ. (2000). The use of older adults in preference panels: Evidence from the Kentucky Interface Preference Inventory, Cognitive Ergonomics, 4, 179–190.
