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Ergonomics and Human Factors

Human Factors and Ergonomics Design put people first.

Our work provides a structured, scientific and evidence-based approach. Using human factors in the design process provides insight into how different people will use or interact with the design solution. It builds interiors to meet peoples’ needs rather than forcing them to adapt.

Ergonomics design principles help us to adapt to the people that use facilities and public spaces every day. We consider the small details that can add up to an improved customer experience, money saved, and staff released from time-consuming trouble-shooting tasks. Convenience and ease of use creates a better perception of services that will keep people coming back.

Human Factors Design

There are four human factors that are intrinsic to the customer experience. Physical, cognitive, emotional and cultural. Our design processes take all of these into account when adapting key interfaces, products and equipment to the people who use them daily. When conducting initial research, we include real users, taking into account their feedback and perspectives.

This design principle yields the most results, as it promotes efficiency and seamless flow into every aspect, from the smallest detail to the bigger picture. Industries we work with to implement human factors design include rail, aviation, healthcare and larger retail spaces.

Ergonomics Design

Human-friendly design based on ergonomics design principles causes systems and processes to run smoothly and efficiently with minimal stress and frustration for both customers and staff. This is useful for spaces with high footfall, such as transport hubs.

Designed well, wayfinding signage and key touchpoints keep people moving in the right direction. The goal is simply to use and look at, but the in-depth research and insight work we complete for each project is what makes ergonomics design so effective.

Thinking Articles on Human Factors & Ergonomics

Human factors and ergonomics are revolutionising the way design is used in so many industries. In our thinking articles, we take an in-depth look at related topics and the latest industry innovations.

To find out more please contact our Head of Human Factors, Martin Freer (E: martin.freer@mimagroup.com)

Highlight Case Study – Human Factors & Ergonomics

Liverpool John Lennon Airport

The Airport security screening process is an essential and important guard to safe travel. However, it is recognised that this mandatory checkpoint often creates a low point in customer satisfaction at airports. Liverpool John Lennon Airport saw this as an opportunity to review their existing arrangement and inject some design thinking in a bid to improve the passenger experience. LJLA invited Mima to tackle the design challenge.

£250,000

Estimated passenger spend increase as a result of Mima's work

Liverpool John Lennon Airport saw a 15% increase in security throughput. This improved efficiency, unlocked passenger airside dwell time by 1-2 minutes, pushing up commercial sales, estimated to equate to an additional passenger spend of £250,000 per annum.

People – Human Factors & Ergonomics

Martin Freer
Head of Human Factors

With 30 years of experience in transport, digital human modelling and control systems, Martin is a Mima Director and is Head of Human Factors. He runs our team answering complex human-related problems for our clients.

Chris Avis
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Chris is a Chartered Ergonomist with a varied level of experience across several industries including Transport, Nuclear and Defence. He has a strong focus on Anthropometry, Human Modelling, Human Machine Interface, Human Computer Interaction and User Centred Design. To Chris, the User’s needs are key to successful design.

Lisa Baker
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Lisa is a Chartered Ergonomist with over 10 years of experience across various industries, including: Medical, Transport and Consumer. Lisa specialises in bridging human factors and design research to create innovative and inclusive products and services, grounded in evidence.

Nicola Hayden-Smith
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Nikki is an ergonomist with seven years of experience providing consultancy to safety critical industries, especially rail. She has worked on projects such as Thameslink and Crossrail. Previous work includes workload and workspace assessments, training needs analyses and system design.

Karen Jackson
Senior Human Factors Consultant

Karen is an experienced Human Factors Consultant who has provided consults across multiple domains and environments, including rail, road & air transportation; medical; and security. She applies her wide experience of multiple HF methods to real world problems to deliver efficient, effective human-centred solutions.

Laura Jones
Senior Human Factors Consultant

Graduate of Loughborough University in MSc Ergonomics (Human Factors) with a background in Psychology. Laura has experience working in healthcare ergonomics and within Mima has been involved in multiple projects including control room design and rail, leading testing and analysis.

Suganth Kumar
Senior Human Factors Consultant

Suganth is an ergonomist with deep experience in the rail domain. His specialisms include the application of physical ergonomics and human error analysis methods based on standards and industry good practice with a view of minimising musculoskeletal injury and human error. He has worked on rolling stock projects such as Crossrail, London Overground and Greater Anglia.

Luke Murgatroyd
Human Factors Consultant

Luke graduated from Loughborough University with a BSc Ergonomics & Human Factors Design and is experienced in automotive design and engineering, as well as UX design and research methodologies. Luke has a strong interest in the future of transport, immersive design and applying Human Factors knowledge to solving real-world problems.

Adam Parkes
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Adam has extensive experience providing user centered design insight to complex and challenging design programmes in airports, transport hubs and public buildings. Adam gets to the heart of the user experience and understands how the design can meet their needs to be effective, efficient and inherently intuitive.

Francesca Podmore
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Fran is an experienced human factors engineer with a portfolio of projects across rail, aviation, energy and government sectors. She has led a number of major projects including our work on the command centre for the ITER fusion reactor. She brings experience across a range of human factors methods including UX design, risk assessment and user trials organisation.

Dr Eylem Thron
Principal Human Factors Consultant

Eylem is a Chartered Ergonomist with a PhD in Engineering and MSc in Human Factors, who has over 10 years experience across aerospace, defence and rail. Her focus is on user-centred design and accessibility and has worked on such high-profile projects as Crossrail and Thameslink.

See our full team