Ergonomics of Design Part 1

"Good design is a renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need, and beauty to produce something that the world didn’t know it was missing," said Paulo Antonelli. One tool that is a product of good design and has been an icon of long-lasting ingenuity is the Swiss Army Knife. The Swiss Army Knife, made by both Victorinox and Wenger, has been a product that has stayed with constant users and fans not because of its shiny surface, or trendy look, but because it is a tool that satisfies certain ergonomic needs. The five areas of ergonomic design to be analyzed in the Swiss Army Knife include Safety, Comfort, Ease of Use, Performance, and Aesthetics.

Safety, one of the first key features of ergonomic design, is especially pertinent in the Swiss Army Knife. The fact that a weapon always must take safety into careful consideration is an important issue, as the user knows that safety will not be all encompassing without leaving the weapon being impotent. The user wants the assurance that when handling a weapon, if used properly, he will not be harmed and, when used correctly, only the direction that he intends to attack will receive the attack only when he intends to attack. In the case of the swiss army knife, he wants it to cut what he intends to cut, and what he does not intend to cut, he does not want it to cut. The swiss army knife has been based on very practical solutions to ergonomically and efficiently incorporating safety into the design. By keeping all of the tools facing towards the inner spine of the tool, the only way to cut with the knife is to withdraw the blade via a spring system pull method. This system of safety keeps the sharp edge of the knife facing inwards, leaving the owner and everyone safe until it is intended to be used. Because the entire outside of the swiss army knife is a smooth and simple bar shape, the user is safe from any sharp edges or corners and the tool is as safe as a rounded rock being kept in your pocket, with sharp potential ready for the user's need.

Image taken from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/3/3e/20090906082704!Swiss_Army_Knife_Wenger_Closed_20050627.jpg

Comfort, one of the second key features of ergonomic design, asks whether users physically are satisfied in using the device. The swiss army knife if a simple rounded bar, with indented pull slits for comfortably extracting the knives and other tools. The Mountaineer Swiss Army Knife is just under 3 1/2 inches (91 mm) and weighs only 3.85 oz, super light and compact for the multiple survival tools it carries. When lifting and using the knife, the weights is evenly distributed throughout the whole piece of metal, achieving a perfect balance for holding and using. When one of the tools is opened out, the balance does not change, and the center of weight is not shifted by much, leaving the Swiss Army Knife very comfortable and well designed.