Ergonomics of Design Part 2

Another key aspect to successful ergonomic design is the ease of use of the product. Is it designed simply and easily not requiring intuitive thinking? The Swiss Army Knife is very simple, and stowed safely, looks like a small metal bar with rounded edges. All the external edges are not sharp for the safety of the user, and the knife has many easy-pull tabs that are installed in each of the tools to make it easier to use one of the tools. Also the spring action that allows the knife to be opened and held open and closed quickly makes the tools very easy to use and facilitates the force of opening the knife. The weight distribution and form of the knife allows the knife to easily fit in the palm of the hand, and one can reposition it very easily when needing to extract one of the tools. When using the tool, the knife's handle comfortably extends just a half inch beyond the edge of the palm, secured in place by the first finger and the thumb, and supported by the other fingers of the hand it is held in.

The performance, or productivity, of the Swiss Army Knife is another aspect of the ergonomics of the tool to be discussed. The Swiss Army Knife's performance is based on the sharpness of the knives, as well as the durability of the whole product, and the ease at which they perform exceptionally at the task at hand. The knives are all sharp enough to slice skin easily, and do not dull much over time. The scissors, and other tools are also sharp enough for most small cutting needs, and of course, common sense would dictate that the Swiss Army Knife scissor shouldn't be used for heavy duty cutting because it is a smaller scissor and therefore weight and force cannot be applied as easily to it to cut through heavy duty materials. Each tool of the Swiss Army Knife is durable enough to withstand moderate hand pressure applied to the sides, making it very sturdy and unlikely to break. This is a key component to successful knife design, not only because it makes the product unusable, but it also makes the knife dangerous, affecting the safety for the user as well.

The final category for effective ergonomic design is aesthetics. The Swiss Army Knife focused much of its energy on making the other four categories the best they can be for the product designed, however, they did not lack in this department when understanding the context of the target audience. The target audience for the Swiss Army Knife will be generally outdoor hunting-type men, or "utility men," of which both categories have a simple and classic aesthetic appeal, and an aesthetic appeal that includes function in its appeal. The Swiss Army Knife creates a classic look, one color (red) on both top and bottom sides, with a silver cross displayed within a shield, reminding one of not only the swiss, but of knights and gallantry (through the association of cross and shield with the Western Middle Ages). The rest of the Knife is the silver of stainless-steel, which gives it a utilitarian look that is classic, and not "over-polished" or "gimmicky." The aesthetic appeal of the Swiss Army Knife focuses on a classic, clean, utilitarian, survival look, yet doesn't exclude itself from different genders, races, and other audiences that will accept the great design of the Swiss Army Knife.

The ergonomics of design all complement each other in the Swiss Army Knife, which is why it has been a strong selling product for over a hundred years, and has become a staple associated with utility and survival.