[Tfug] Panel installation height?

[Zack Williams]

> Now, I have to mount these "control panels".  So, I'm faced
> with two issues driving the mounting height:  high enough so
> their contents are comfortably visible to "average users"
> yet not so high that interacting (touch) with the panel
> becomes tedious/tiring (shoulder loading).
>
> So, how do I figure out the right height?  Years ago, I had a
> (very expensive) book on "human factors engineering" but can't
> seem to find it -- when I *need* it!  Any other guidelines I
> can consult?  Personal experiences?

Two ideas:

1. When Palm was developing their first PDA's, they supposedly counted
the number of touches to do certain tasks, and worked to reduce this
number as much as possible.  Reducing the total amount of time you
have to hold your arm and manipulate the interface is a win both from
an efficiency and ergonomics.

2.  You might make your first deployment easily adjustable, so you can
try it at different heights and figure out what works best.  Maybe
putting the device on a stand or pole where it can be slid up and down
would help you find the right combination of viewing angle/height/etc.

- Zack