Paradigm Shift in Smartphone Designing Using Hand Anthropometry

Abstract

Smartphones have become a necessity for each one of us in today’s world. We spend a large part of our time interacting with smartphones. Users need to perform different tasks on smartphones and each task requires different sizes of them. An individual should opt for the correct size for a great user experience and adeptness. Also, there is an increasing incongruity between screen size of smartphones and hand size of users as the screen become larger day-by-day. As per International Ergonomics Association, “Advanced technology could contribute in making the lives of the consumers a lot more exciting and deft. In this process of adopting technology and callous business expectations, risks related to human factors get ignored. Obtuseness towards these risks can lead to inimical sub sequential effects on manufacturers, suppliers and service enterprises” (IEA). That is why, it is important to consider human factors while designing mobile phones. This paper focuses on the relationship between different device characteristics like screen size, position and size of buttons and hand anthropometry and their effect on user adeptness in general.

This study provides a basis for manufacturers and designers to apply ergonomics and human related factors to designing of smartphones and improving user experience for their brands.

Keywords: Ergonomics, Hand Anthropometry, Smartphones, Screen Size, User Adeptness, User Experience