Book details of 'Iso and ANSI Ergonomic Standards for Computer Products: A Guide to Implementation and Compliance'

Title	Iso and ANSI Ergonomic Standards for Computer Products: A Guide to Implementation and Compliance
Author(s)	Wanda J. Smith
ISBN	013151119X
Language	English
Published	January 1996
Publisher	Prentice Hall

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Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
There is something quixotic about a book that starts out by saying how much fun computer standards committees can be. Standards are necessary in all technical fields, and the more technical the more necessary. But anyone who says that the ponderous, frustrating and meticulous work of standards committees can be fun is either a fifth generation bureaucrat or passionately dedicated to betterment of working conditions for her fellow men. * In the case of Smith, I would vote for the latter. Ergonomics (or human factors, as we dinosaurs were taught to call it) is a very complex field, and one in which purely technical answers do not always work. It is additionally frustrating in that ergonomic considerations are almost invariably last on anyone's list. (Particularly in view of the fact that the most conservative assumptions and simplest calculations invariably show that ergonomics, far from costing, always return their investment many times over. But I digress.) Smith has admirably blended technical and regulatory accuracy with practicality of information. The entire book is a most readable treasure trove of human factors information. (And irony. The almost universal move to black-on-white text by "user-friendly" systems such as the Mac, Windows and X runs counter to the fact that in many ways white-on-black is more readable.) As a software reviewer I was delighted to find sections on screen design and program flow. The centerpiece of the book, from the non-expert's view, must be chapter eight, which provides over seventy pages of usability checklists, ranging from the most basic to highly specialized. Aside from users and reviewers, this book is an absolute must for anyone working in systems development. Amidst the clamour of marketeers and managers for features and completion, there is always the danger of losing sight of what is really important. This is a handy tool not only for design ideas, but for staying on track as well. * If you are *that* concerned about gender neutral language, you, too, are a fifth generation bureaucrat. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996
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