Course

Online Success Strategies

Taking a class online is quite different from sitting in a classroom. Without the dedicated class time and in-person interactions, it can be difficult to focus on the material and assignments. Below are useful Online Success Strategies to use when taking an online course for the first time, or to review even if you've taken online courses before. 

1.       Making Time  

a.       Set aside a specific study time each week, and make this a time that you honor and commit to every week. 

2.       Your Learning Space 

a.       Have a dedicated study space with reliable internet. Maybe this is your home, or a relative’s home. It could be a public space, such as a café. Whatever it is, make it work for you, and try to minimize distractions. This will be your “classroom.” 

3.       Thinking About Your Goals 

a.       Develop your study goals. What do you want to get from your course? Maybe you want to improve your classroom, or receive a promotion with your new skills.

4.       Whatever this goal is, write it down and focus on it during your course. 

5.       Assignments and Deadlines 

a.        When you receive the syllabus, look over each module and make note of all assignments. Use a calendar, either a paper one or online, to chart out your assignments and set deadlines for yourself.

6.       For some questions, you may clarify it through your research instructor.

Discussion Tips for MOOCs

This course will include a number of discussions to allow you to engage with each other and with course content. You are encouraged to be active in discussions, even if they are optional. Statistics show that learners get more out of their online courses if they actively participate in discussions.

If you have participated in online courses before, you may find that discussions can be a bit different in a MOOC, due to the high number of participants. Below are some tips for getting the most out of discussions in a MOOC:

1.      Set aside dedicated time in your schedule to engage in course discussions.

2.      Begin by introducing yourself and asking a question about the topic being discussed. Try to post a question that is specific, rather than one that is too vague. 

3.      Read the posts above yours before you post, to make sure your question has not already been asked and answered by other participants.

4.      Keep your posts short and concise. It's best to address just one main idea or point per post.

5.      Support your statements with evidence, and check that they are accurate before posting.

6.      Only post a comment if you believe it will add value to the conversation.

7.      Don't be afraid to disagree with other participants' comments, but always be respectful and explain why you disagree.

8.      Be open to other people's views. You may encounter fellow participants with very different perspectives, and this is an opportunity to broaden your horizons.

9.      If someone asks you a question or responds to your post, respond to them promptly. Give positive feedback, if appropriate, and offer assistance if you have useful information.

10.  Consider your phrasing when making a post or responding to someone. Written comments can be interpreted differently by different people, so be careful to make your post polite and respectful. 

11.  When you provide feedback, make it thoughtful, and engaging. Don’t simply say “Yes, I agree” or “No, I disagree”; try to write more in response, so others can understand your thoughts and be inspired to contribute their own. 

12.  If you post a comment that refers to what another classmate said, quote that classmate to bring context to your thoughts. This will help others understand your point, and keep them from having to look for the original statement. 

13.  Don’t cross-post (posting the same comment in multiple forums), or copy someone else’s comments. Your work should be yours alone, and should be original to you.  

14.  Stay on topic, and don’t post irrelevant thoughts, discussions, or photos. These can be disruptive to your classmates.

NO TO PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the use of ideas, information, or words that you read without giving credit to the source. Most of the time, plagiarism is unintentional, but even if you don't mean to take credit for other people's work, you still have to be careful to give credit to any resource you use when writing or creating material, even in an online discussion. 

You will get the most out of discussions with your peers if you write up your responses based on your own personal experiences and opinions. Since your peers will be responding to you, including uncredited information from an outside source may take the discussion off topic. 

Citing Sources 

Giving credit, or citing a source, means that you show whose ideas you used in your writing. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab (2016), “When citing, provide the author’s name when you first introduce your quote, summary or paraphrase of his or her text (e.g., ‘Harris writes,’ ‘According to Rodriguez’).” 

Here is an example of an in-text citation: Learner-centered instruction fosters autonomous learning and a sense of ownership over the learning experience, resulting in higher participation and more collaboration between participants (Brown, 2007, p. 52). 

According to Harmer (2007, p. 51), Task-Based Learning (TBL) “is a natural extension of communicative language teaching. In TBL, the emphasis is on the task rather than the language”. 

What type of information needs a citation?
 You must cite the source of any information that is not common knowledge. An example of common knowledge is that the sky is blue. So, if you want to include any specific information that you learned while reading or studying, you must cite the source of that information. This rule applies to quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing other sources in discussions and assignments.


The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State (accessed on June 01, 2020)

Research is an undertaking that will do many things for many industries who want to commit to innovations and discoveries. The overall process of strategy, organization, concept generation, product and marketing plan creation and evaluation, and commercialization of a new product (Product Development Asia Pacific, 2019)

Research, in general, is a very valuable undertaking but also a potentially confusing subject to hurdle. Based on the student’s accounts, research can be burdensome if the general template is not established for the many possible types of product development studies. Because product development can take different directions and different methods, it can be perplexing for students to follow the template that is not as open to new forms of innovations.

On the part of the research instructors, the manual is a direct guide to refer uncertainties in methodology or promising studies that might require additional treatment of other research designs. The contention is to align with a template that will accommodate breakthroughs from untapped concepts in product development which may need extended attention in the process of doing research.

By understanding the needs and wants of the institution and industries, product research determines the difference between product success and failure—both at launch and throughout the product life cycle. At its core, product research helps uncover unmet product needs, identifies product feature development opportunities, and identifies awareness and preferences around a particular product (Qualtrics, 2020).

As part of the ZCSPC’s mission to provide services through technological studies, there is a need to facilitate the ease of conducting research on product development. This manual is a tool to liberate the brainchild of every student in the technological courses. These learners are potential human resources who can deliver the goods for innovative products which can be of high utilitarian value to the institution and other important industries.

Writing the Research Introduction

        Product development study is a research undertaking that highlights the breakthrough of an innovation through its features and utilitarian value. For product development studies, an introduction should be clear in terms of the following major parts:

i.             Gaps/Problems

This part of the introduction should be able to clearly express the problems that the researchers want to resolve. The problems should be specific and may come from community needs, lacking characteristics of an existing tool, or entirely addressing a technological solution. The researcher will have to explain why there is a need to fill in the gap or solve this problem.

 

ii.            Back-up information

Back-up information will expound the discussion of the researchers as to what they want to address for their studies. In this part, the researchers will include a basic understanding of what they are going to research. For example, if they want to enhance a solar energy practice, they have to explain in brief what solar energy is and its other important terms or jargon. The reason for the explanation is to make the reader or potentially interested parties understand the gaps of study.

The researcher can use related research by another successful author to arrive at a more understandable description of the study. The related research should be able to clarify the description of the research and clearly lay-out how its research direction and methods used can help in the conduct of the study. Make sure to cite the references of the related studies.

iii.          Demonstrate the Purpose or Plan of Action

The last part of the introduction will tackle about what the researcher expects to achieve after the study. This part is express by explaining that what do you intend to achieve or what will happen if you fill in the gap.

 

Note: The introduction should be written to around 3-4 pages. Most of the time, a well-written introduction is polished right before doing the conclusion and recommendation.

Example of Introduction: Design of Modern Minimalist Dining Table Inspired by British Military Uniform (Selimin, 2018)

In Malaysia, increasing of citizen population has led to the high demand for housing, especially on the low-cost types. Most of the low-cost houses have small space areas with limited outdoor and indoor spaces that need the right selection and decoration idea. Thus, minimalist is among the most popular selection of interior designs for this type of house. Minimalism design was reported as one of the most significant and influential movements of the 20th century (Anonymous, 2016). Minimalist home designs creates and cultivate a feeling of emotional harmony through sharp, clean lines, simple primary colors, and efficient use of space that serves both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the home (Tan, 2015). The selection and arrangement of furniture in a space is strongly influenced by the functional needs and creativity of the users (Zulkiflin and Mohammad, 2012). The dining table is one type of furniture that has high demand from the users.

The dining room is a room used for eating meals (Merriam-Webster, 2018). It is a room for consuming food or area arranged for dining. Dining room located in the indoor room where people have their meals, or a room where meals are served. For most of people, the dining room is importance where, it is the place for entertain guests and serve family meals. Thus, it is important to get the suitable design of dining room. For instance, small dining room in apartment or flat need to consider on the limited space compared with double-storey house, condominium or bungalow, with more space for dining room.

Dining furniture is not limited to table or chair, but it includes kitchen, dining room set, dining room chairs, sideboards and barstools. Dining table is a table, especially one seating several persons, where meals are served and eaten, especially the major or more formal meals (Dictionary, 2018). The dining table is the central element around in home which everyone gathers for family meals. It comes in a wide variety of materials and styles, from wooden table classic styles to more modern glass and metal tables. Size for dining table depends on number of seating that can be fit. Usually set table is double, four, six or more chairs depend on the size and design of dining table. The best selection when pairing this dining set furniture can give the harmony dimension and styles in dining room. The design for limited dining room usually becomes room that overlooked the layout and aesthetics. Thinking about dining room furniture arrangement does not only mean calculating dimensions, it also means evaluating the available space (Gomez-Zerpa, 2017).

 

Meanwhile, minimalist concept is the simplicity of style in artwork, design, interior design, or literature, achieved by using the fewest and barest essentials or elements to maximum effect (Wijaya, 2017). Minimalism aims for simplicity and objectivity. Minimalist design is a design at its most basic, removing forms and elements, such as colors, shapes and textures that are not needed for a design to function (Preechavutinant, 2015). The theory of minimalism with respect to architecture is about achieving better design through simplicity – simplicity of form, space, materiality, detail, and color. The unofficial mission statement for minimalist design, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe famously said “Less is more” to describe his aesthetic sense of having every element serve multiple purposes both visually and functionally. Buckminster Fuller later reworked the phrase to “Doing more with less” and then Dieter Rams changed it to “Less but better” (Wijaya, 2017).

Minimalist design was influenced by certain things that came before it. The roots of minimalism can be traced to a three key periods namely De Stijl art movement, architects like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and traditional Japanese design. Japanese culture is infused with Zen and simplicity. The traditional Japanese design, infused with culture and Zen (Anonymous, 2016). Minimal design and architecture roots in the works of De Stijl, its rectangular forms and primary colors, as well as the designs by the pioneer of modern architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Anonymous, 2016) that more focus on using modern materials like steel and plates of glass, having a minimal structural framework, and also including lots of open space. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to design a modern minimalist dining table that suitable for apartment residential especially with limited space of dining room.

 

Example of Introduction (design and method-focused): Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen 2000)

 

Concerns related to energy and environment are prevalent today. Such concerns sometimes become opportunities in that they lead to new inventions and innovations, often developed through engineering design. In this case study, the engineering design of a particular new product is described, which addresses both energy and environmental concerns by increasing the efficiency with which energy resources are utilized in buildings. Increased efficiency permits reduced use of energy resources and emissions of wastes.

The new product considered here is an enhanced ceiling fan. Conventional ceiling fans have the potential to increase energy efficiency, but the enhancements described in this case study increase the device’s efficiency further, thereby permitting greater gains. The focus of this case study is on modifying the blade design.

This case study focuses on an enhanced ceiling fan for residential buildings, but extensions to versions applicable in industrial and commercial settings are also discussed. 

The case study outlines the development of the enhanced ceiling fan and describes the engineering design steps followed. Additionally, the non-technical design factors considered, which affected the resulting design, are outlined. These include business forces, customer expectations, manufacturing, reliability, economics, marketability and aesthetics. Health and safety issues and environmental ramifications are highlighted where relevant, showing how they integrate into the overall engineering design process. Finally, a description is provided of the final product and its commercial success. Given the number of factors to be considered, a concurrent engineering design approach is used, in which multiple design issues are addressed simultaneously.

 The design process is divided into three main sections:

                       i.        preliminary technical design, where initial concepts are investigated and a basic design evolves,

                     ii.        secondary technical design, where other critical issues like health and safety, environment, efficiency, and codes and standards are considered and the design is modified correspondingly, and

                    iii.        consideration of other design factors like liability, human factors, aesthetics, customer expectations and marketability, manufacturing and materials, controls and economics, and finalization of the design.

Much of the material presented in this case study is drawn from the main technical report on the development of the ceiling fan and the ensuing patent, as well as several media reports on the enhanced ceiling fan and personal communications with one of the principal developers.It is noted that many good general references exist on product design and engineering design, so these topics are not reviewed extensively here. Further, some design activities have been reported directly involving ceiling fans and indirectly considering ceiling fans in the larger context of building design.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The purpose of the literature review is to improve the understanding of the research that is being undertaken. This part aims to demonstrate the knowledge of the many resources on hand from the authors and other authors.

The Literature review is not an essay or research paper. It is not a part which will say your method or conclusion. Because writing this part requires the organization of your major and secondary concepts, it is important to know the framework of your study. The framework will serve as your guide on how a researcher can organize the concepts to be discussed in the study. In general, the researcher may organize the concepts and include the only the works of other authors.

 

a.   Major works and Major concepts

The researcher should be able to identify the major concepts of the study. In the same level of importance is identifying the major works of authors supporting the discussion for the major concepts.

b.   Secondary works supporting the major concepts

The secondary works are resources coming from other authors with related studies. Its use is to support the major concepts of the study. They may be identified by placing them as subtopics of the major concepts.

c.   Comparative literature

In the literature review, the researcher will have to discuss through comparing the related studies. This may come through analyzing the findings of one author to another, on whether they agree or disagree. In this discussion, the author will express how the concepts can help in the direction of his study.

d.   Review

The purpose why it is called a literature review is to basically review the concepts and the related works from other resources. Review is done in order to clearly understand the study, as well as, this is also for the service of the readers who should be updated and clarified with the study.

e.   Relationships

 The major concepts should be discussed with the major works and supported by the secondary works. In this level, there should be an established relationship with the major works and secondary works to demonstrate the discussion of the major concepts.

To fully discuss the major concepts, the researcher has to discuss the relationship of the major concepts to tie up the connection to the conduct of the study. Relationships can be discuss based on the direction of the study as discussing the effects, impacts, creating a new design, or why the related studies are needed to explain a concept.

 

f.    Purpose

After the considering the major works and secondary works for the discussion of the important concepts and after clearly demonstrating the relationships of the concepts and the flow of the study through the different resources, the researcher will now have to assess the value of the literature review and explicitly express what is the importance of the related literature to the study and how it can help in the investigation or probing of the research.

 

Example of Literature Review: Ergonomic Aspects of Knob Design Hang (2015)

General types of knobs

With today’s highly developed technological devices, user interface design has improved dramatically to the extent of enabling even common designs such as knobs to be used in both simple and complex tasks (Schutte and Eklund 2005). Knobs have been widely used in adjustment applications, such as the precise adjusting application of a microscope in a laboratory (Sillanpaa, Nyberg, and Laippala 2003).

A knob is a subclass of rotary control which can involve continuous control knobs, selector knobs, ganged knobs and jog shuttles (Kwahk and Han 2002). Knobs (namely selector knobs and jog shuttles) usually have certain properties such as grids, legends and number of positions (Kwahk and Han 2002; Keogh, Morrison, and Barrett 2007).

Knob design can be generally grouped into two categories. One category involves the technical aspects of the design, which include the knob’s mechanical or electrical details, while another involves the ergonomics considerations, which include the knob’s aesthetic appearance, usability and comfortability (Schutte and Eklund 2005; Keogh, Morrison, and Barrett 2007). Schutte and Eklund (2005) also believe that users may select knobs based on factors such as the attractiveness (in terms of design/appearance), durability, safety, operability and comfortability.

A door lock consists of three basic mechanisms, which include the main body, the lever and the door knob (Tsai, Hsiao, and Hung 2006). Door knobs are designed to allow the user to twist and open (or close) the door (Lobb and Woods 2012).

Knobs are also used in kitchen electrical appliances (as control knobs of cookers for example) (Pinto et al. 2000). The rotating control knobs on ovens are used to control temperature and timing (Chen and Jackovin 2004).   

Knobs are also used on treadmills for controlling the resistance of the treadmill belt (Ciriello et al. 2010). The resistance, which is controlled by turning the knob, increases with a clockwise rotation and decreases with a counterclockwise rotation (Ciriello et al. 2010; Mathiowetz et al. 1985). Gearshift knobs are knobs available in cars and manipulated by drivers (Schutte and Schuder 1997).

A gearshift knob is perhaps one of the most obvious interior parts that would easily catch the visual attention of customers (You et al. 2006). Knobs are also used extensively in electric train control panels (Stevenson et al. 2000). Stevenson et al. (2000) believe that a spherical knob can allow the electric train driver to assume a more comfortable hand position while driving the train.

Since knobs are designed for precise control as stated by Schutte and Eklund (2005), knobs are also used in precision medical devices such as the endoscope (Browne and O’Sullivan 2012). Levin et al. (2000) mention that the accurate and handy characteristics of knobs make them suitable to be used as volume adjustment controls on radios and other types of stereos.

A washing machine is equipped with dial knobs for simple and efficient function controlling (Ha et al. 2009). Functions like wash mode, dry mode, wash time and water level can be selected using the control knob (Ha et al. 2009). The tactile sensation of the control knob for washing machines was studied by Kleiss (2008), who investigated the preferred sensation of the users when turning the knob.

Knobs are also used in the shower for water temperature control. According to Green and Kemp (2002), it appears that when a handle is attached on a knob, the turning operation for the knob becomes easier. Gas valve control knobs are invented for the convenience of the users who adjust the gas flow rate without directly accessing the gas valve (Harris and Miller 1985). Harris and Miller (1985) believe that it would be safer and more ergonomic for users to control the knob rather than the gas valve since users can easily adapt to the use of the knob’s turning operation. Gas valve control knobs are economically produced and easily obtainable (Harris and Miller 1985).

Other types of commonly available knobs include circular knobs, ridge knobs, butterfly nuts and tap knobs (Peebles and Norris 2003). Knobs for furniture are designed for handling purposes and fixture appearance (Matijevic 2008). Screw knobs are used to join/ connect objects together with an adjustable screw mechanism (Shih and Ou 2005; Keogh, Morrison, and Barrett 2007; Shivers, Mirka, and Kaber 2002) and were frequently used in the intravenous stand designed by Jost and Tseng (1990), who designed the pole to be adjustable according to the patient’s height.

Various types of knobs are used on the control panel of aircrafts (Stanton et al. 2009). The design of knobs in an aircraft is important as it can potentially evade the occurrence of human errors (Stanton et al. 2009). The use of knobs can be found on consumer electronics products as well, such as telecommunication devices and home appliances (Kwahk and Han 2002). These knobs are considered as the interface components of consumer devices, and their usability has become an important factor to gaining acceptance in the market (Kwahk and Han 2002).

Knobs are used for height adjustment in office chairs as well (Groenesteijn et al. 2009). The difficulty of height adjustment in office chairs using knobs has also been investigated by some researchers, as this factor is one of the design considerations that improves the ergonomics and comfort of chairs (Groenesteijn et al. 2009).

Ergonomics factors

Today, knobs do not only act as input control devices, but are also ergonomically designed to adapt with the user’s convenience. Knobs, which are designed ergonomically, can prevent accidents from happening, improve working efficiency and avoid muscle injuries. The following subsections present several ergonomics factors considered in knob designs and other research pertaining to knobs.

Human perception and hand activities. Different types of knob manipulation have been studied in relation to actions that involve pushing, pulling and turning (Browne and O’Sullivan 2012). However, improper handling and excessive repetition in knob manipulation can cause injury to the hands (Browne and O’Sullivan 2012).

Certain factors, such as finger push strength, pinch-pull strength, hand grip strength, opening strength, wrist-twisting strength and push-pull strength, are often considered so as to conform to the ergonomics aspects of the design (Ng et al. 2014; Peebles and Norris 2003). Peebles and Norris (2003) discovered that turning torque can be increased by adding knurls or ridges on the object since the grip is improved (knobs or lids).

Studies have also found that knurling has no effect on torque when the object’s diameter is smaller than 86 mm (Peebles and Norris 2003; Nagashima and Konz 1986; Imrhan 88 Y.H. Tan et al. Imrhan and Jenkins (1999) state that knurled handle torques are larger than smooth handle torques by approximately 1.15 times.

Stereotype control behaviour is the relationship between the control movements made by users and their effects on the display based on the instincts of the users (Chan, Shum, and Poon 2002). According to Chan, Shum, and Poon (2002), a rotary control with a linear display is commonly used in many devices and equipment in the industry.

There are a few major stereotype principles that have been suggested for rotary control and linear display combinations, which include the Warrick’s principle, clockwisefor-right principle, clockwise-for-increase principle and the scale side principle (Chan, Shum, and Poon 2002). A short adjustment time, where the control and display interfaces become compatible with each other, should preferably be achieved (Chan, Shum, and Poon 2002). Figure 1 presents a pictorial idea of the different types of common knobs.

Ergonomic knobs

In industries, such as the automotive industry, ergonomists and functional designers have been working on improving control and display systems in order to minimise and prevent human error that often cause accidents to happen (Schutte and Eklund 2005; Kim et al. 2011; Ng et al. 2013e). It has been found that around 75% of all accidents are associated with human errors (Stanton et al. 2009). Researchers believe that the ergonomic design of the control interface can also reduce the stress and tiredness of drivers (Schutte and Eklund 2005).

Since the ergonomics properties of mechanical knobs are highly important in modern designs, many companies are putting up more effort in designing comfortable and userfriendly knobs (Ha et al. 2009). For instance, the dial knob of a washing machine is designed according to some design considerations like torque profile, aesthetical appearance, functionality, physical properties and sound effects (Ha et al. 2009).

The visual appearance and ergonomics aspects of a vehicle’s interior design are one of the main concerns of the customers (You et al. 2006). The material used in a knob therefore plays a crucial role, as customers tend to judge the quality of the knob by its appearance and tactile sensation (You et al. 2006; Ng et al. 2013f). Researchers have also found that the softness, shininess and surface texture of knobs are factors related with the appearance judgment of customers (You et al. 2006; Ryu et al. 2003; Tanoue, Ishizaka, and Nagamachi 1997).

Certain ergonomic control knobs are designed with force feedback features to provide torque resistance and physical sensation to the user (Levin et al. 2000). The force feedback features are controlled by integrated electrical motors and microprocessors that allow different kinds of tactile sensation to be programmed accordingly (Levin et al. 2000). Some control knobs are also designed with multiple degrees of freedom, which enable rotary, transverse and linear directional movements (Levin et al. 2000). The rotary movements allow knobs to be rotated about the rotating axis, while the transverse movements (perpendicular to the axis) and the linear movements allow the knobs to be pushed or pulled (Levin et al. 2000).

Normally, an index line or mark is indicated on a knob when the position of a rotary control knob is to be discerned (Kroemer, Kroemer, and Kroemer-Elbert 2001). In consideration of these factors, Harris and Miller (1985) designed a gas valve knob which includes an index mark and pointer for safety and ease of identification, so as to display the angular displacement of the gas valve knobs to the user.

Since there can be multiple knobs of different functions available on a control panel, knobs need to be shape-coded for safety purposes and in order to reduce operational errors (Burgess-Limerick et al. 2010). Researchers have discovered that 5% of coal mine accidents were caused by control activation errors on bolting machines (Burgess-Limerick et al. 2010; Helander, Krohn, and Curtin 1983). Shape-coding can facilitate the identification of the knobs and allow them to be differentiated easily by operators according to shape, size, operation mode, labelling and colour (Kroemer, Kroemer, and Kroemer Elbert 2001; Ng et al. 2013c; Ng and Saptari 2012).

The ergonomic design of control knobs has been an emphasis of designers for many years (Kleiss 2008). According to researchers, in order to idealise the ergonomic design of a particular knob, the size and shape of the knob are crucial factors to be considered (Woodson, Tillman, and Tillman 1992; Kleiss 2008; Amaral et al. 2013).

Studies show that elderly individuals of 65 years and above can only exert a capacity of 75% of the strength and endurance that they were able to exert in their younger years (<30 years old) (Shaheen and Niemeier 2001; Haigh 1993). Lee and Su (2008) postulate that the difficulty of the adjustment of control knobs is determined by the size and tolerance of the knob. However, Kroemer, Kroemer, and Kroemer-Elbert (2001) opine that if the turning resistance is low and the knob can be easily operated, the size of the knob is inconsequential. On the other hand, if the space is constrained, the knobs are required to be small and with low turning resistance to allow the user to manipulate it easily (Kroemer, Kroemer, and Kroemer-Elbert 2001).

The function of a knob is often given more attention to rather than the sensory quality of the knob, as designers generally do not consider it to be a critical factor to improve for optimised performance (Kleiss 2008). It was found that about 58% of elderly people obtain some form of disability in control and sensation when manipulating knobs (Shaheen and Niemeier 2001). A secure sensation is often one of the factors that should be considered, especially in knob designs that emphasise on providing a smooth tactile experience to knob users (Kleiss 2008). Beside this, the compatibility of control knobs with display devices is highly important for the reduction in human error and response time (Chan, Shum, and Poon 2002). Kroemer,

Kroemer, and Kroemer-Elbert (2001) suggest that continuous knobs should be considered in machine design if little turning torque and fine adjustments are required. Kroemer, Kroemer, and Kroemer-Elbert (2001) however explain that the knob position should be set in such a way that it is not affected by vibration or involuntary movements. In reflection of the abovementioned considerations, Bull (1987) designed a control knob with a push–pull mechanism, where the control knob was required to be pushed or pulled in order to engage. This prevented inadvertent and accidental adjustments to the device.

In summary, the ergonomics considerations incorporated in knob designs are useful based on several aspects. Knobs with sensory feedback capabilities (such as haptic knobs) can aid users to perceive input levels and influence their usability and comfort when manipulating a device. For a functional knob design, the operating degrees of freedom (pushing, pulling and turning) need to be considered so that the knob is of good quality, reliable and user-friendly. The appearance and choice of materials for the knob are also important in order to provide a quality tactile experience for the users.

Knobs, which are attached to industrial equipment and machines, need to consider certain surface temperature changes that may be caused by the heat transferred from the machines. This forethought is important given that some knob surfaces may get too hot and uncomfortable for handling and operation, and even lead to injuries. The surface of these knobs requires the use of heat resistant materials to ensure the comfort and safety of the user.

Certain knob designs are highly beneficial to the users for shape-coding, indication, compatibility and positioning. Knobs, which are built with appropriate friction and torque requirements (such as knurled knobs), are much easier to be operated (Swanson, Matev, and Groot 1970; Ng et al. 2013d; Ng, Saptari, and Yeow 2012). Safety features such as push–pull locking mechanisms are also available on some knobs to prevent accidental activations of input controls. Apart from that, in order to accommodate more precise adjustments, a continuous knob design would be preferable.

Theoretical implications

The compilation of this literature review on knobs can be a good foundation for future research on knobs, pinch techniques and related studies on musculoskeletal disorders. The knowledge on knobs can also be a basis for developing theories in union with other biomechanical studies. This literature review can also serve as preliminary groundwork for designers and engineers to design and build creative and unique designs that utilise knobs.

As an example, researchers who conduct studies on the forearm posture can relate their research with the manipulation of knobs and invent new guidelines to allow more comfortable and user-friendly knob operations that potentially reduce the risks of workrelated injuries with inappropriate forearm postures. Beside this, a new avenue for future studies is also created through this literature review with the aim to encourage researchers from various disciplines to conduct more investigations on the research related to knobs.

Practical implications

With this anthology of various knob designs, an improved knob design can be developed by designers and engineers. The comfortability and working efficiency while manipulating knobs can be improved and optimised radically with the development of an ergonomic knob. These aspects improve their selling points and attract the attention of buyers who often look into the aesthetics and user-friendliness of a design. An ergonomic knob can also help reduce the occurrence of human errors with its convenience of use. This can potentially improve the safety level of the workplace. Lesser workplace accidents and errors will eventually lead to healthcare cost reduction, increased productivity and improved product quality. Workers will be able to experience an improved quality of life and higher job satisfaction with a safer working environment.

Directions for future research

For future research, it is proposed that an empirical study is carried out to investigate the user preference on knobs among manual workers. An empirical study will help researchers to directly understand the perspectives of manual workers and how they actually visualise the design of an ergonomic knob. More quantitative findings are also required in order to support the substantiations of this literature review.

Biomechanical instruments can also be used to collect strength data from manual workers who often use knobs while operating their equipment. For instance, force sensors can be attached to their fingers to measure the feedback of the pinch force when the worker operates a knob. Using statistical analyses, researchers can conduct hypothesis tests and identify the effects of certain knob designs on the biomechanical pinch force of a human hand.

Safety guidelines can also be developed from the results of observation research and statistical analyses. These guidelines will be useful for manual workers. With the correct understanding of knob designs, pinch force exertion, pinch posture and handling method, manual workers can execute their tasks safely and more efficiently. With these guidelines, the knowledge on knob-handling safety will eventually become a norm among industrial workers and motivate designers and ergonomists to design more user-friendly knobs.

Generally, this literature review provides a summary on the variation of knobs that are available in the industry and everyday life. It appears that knobs are used differently in various applications. Their shapes and designs serve a variety of purposes. This literature review suggests that the biomechanics of hand movements and natural consciousness of humans are major elements that contribute to the design of an ergonomic knob. Designers should develop an apperception on the importance of ergonomics considerations when designing knobs. The ergonomics considerations for an ergonomic knob can include the comfortability, usability and aesthetics of the design. Since hand-related musculoskeletal disorders are affected by commonly assumed working postures, it is essential for ergonomists, designers and engineers to consider the position of their knob designs in regards to the working posture and handling position of the equipment or apparatus.

Relevance to ergonomics theory

This literature review serves as a reference for designers to improve their designs such that inappropriate and less ergonomic working postures can be avoided. Considering ergonomics aspects in knob designs reduces human error and risks of workplace accidents. Ergonomics researchers can also use this literature review as a guideline for future hand-related designs and research.

 

METHODOLOGY

        Methods explore the nature of research design. They also describe the characteristics of design and development research. This part will provide a strategy for matching research questions and methodology.

       

3.1 Conceptual framework

        This part of research aims to give a visualization of the study for a clearer demonstration of the flow of the study in terms of the important aspects of research and its variables.

Conceptual design is the very first stage of the product design process, where drawings and other illustrations or models are used. It serves to provide a description of the proposed product, in terms of a set of integrated ideas and concepts about what it should do, behave and look like in a way that is understandable for users (Jensen, 2017).

Selimin (2018) illustrates in figure 1 the steps involved in product design process or Conceptual Framework.

 

Figure 1. Product design process.

 

The process start with define the problem which is identify and gather the information and translate it into a problem. In this study, the main focus or problem that the authors want to encounter is to design a modern minimalist dining room that can fit well in small or limited space of dining room especially for small apartment residential space. The information was gathered by collecting the information for all possible sources involved in approaches, ideation and possible solutions (decision-making). The ideation of this study was inspired by the British Military Uniforms. Therefore, there are few ideations were made from the interpretation of British Military uniform. Concept generation and evaluation ensure that the product can perform all of the major functions. This may be done by sketches, figure or diagram, mockup prototype models, or by a detailed written description of the concept.

Before Proceedings of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Bandung, Indonesia, March 6-8, 2018 proceed with mock up development, the ideations were evaluated based on the aesthetic, modernity, simplicity, practicability, and commercialization values. Embodiment design is a part of the whole design process, but in this phase of the process, the product concept gets concrete form and material, which includes certain manufacturing processes. The design is developed with the help of scale drawings, critically reviewed, and subjected to a technical and economic evaluation. Embodiment design is briefly classified into three sections; product architecture, configuration design, and parametric design. The primer task of detail design is to complete the detail drawing. Detail design is the phase where design is brought to the stage of complete engineering description of a tested and production product.

 

3.2 Research design

Product management methodology is a form of project management that deals specifically with managing the life cycle of a product from birth (or its idea phase) to distribution (or public release). This can also include managing recalling a product from distribution, in the event of product defects.

The traditional product management methodology used the waterfall method, where each event had to occur in a defined sequence: idea, analysis and design, product build, testing, and distribution. The agile method is more flexible and does not require one phase to be completed before another can be started. The agile method requires more communication between teams handling various portions of the product management.

Most product management teams blend these two major methodologies, allowing for the benefits of proper documentation before product development, while delivering a product to market sooner.

Graham (2018) suggest the following product development methods:

Customer Development Process

Customer Development is a four-step framework created by entrepreneur and business school Professor Steve Blank. The framework focuses on these four actions:

o   Discover and validate the appropriate market for your idea

o   Build the correct product features that solve your client’s needs

o   Test the right model and strategies for generating and converting customers

o   Deploy the right organisation and resources to scale the business.

The whole idea is to avoid investing all of your money based on pure assumptions. Instead, business owners should start using a business model canvas where all the relevant assumptions are listed. These assumptions are then validated step-by-step and turned into facts or pivots. The idea is to then reduce uncertainty and essentially invest more when you know more and be open for any changes as you move along the process.

Goal-Directed Interaction Design

How do you ensure that what you build is going to have the right user engagement? Software designer and programmer Alan Cooper introduced this process to make software more user friendly. Goal directed design is a process that involves understanding the personas, the users, as well as the domain. It places the goals of the user at the centre of the design process. When using this methodology, figure out how you can get your feature roadmap, what the important features are, and how do you ensure you get a good product. It’s also important to remember to design first and build second – that’s how you ensure you get more user-friendly software built around customer experience.

 

3.3 Project Design Blueprint

Project design is an early phase of the project where a project's key features, structure, criteria for success, and major deliverables are all planned out. The point is to develop one or more designs which can be used to achieve the desired project goals. Stakeholders can then choose the best design to use for the actual execution of the project. The project design phase might generate a variety of different outputs, including sketches, flowcharts, site trees, HTML screen designs, prototypes, photo impressions and more (wrike.com, 2020).

The presentation will be showcased in figures where all perspectives or angles of the overall blueprint will be shown.

 

3.4 Presentation Component Parts

This is a showcase of the design in subparts of the over-all design to display the details of the components of the entire project. This part will feature each of the component’s parts, measurements, and other specifications. The presentation will be showcased in each figure.

 

3.5 Cost of Supplies and Materials

All materials and supplies will be listed in a table with cost, measurement per item or unit, quantity needed, detailed description and other gauges under costing of required materials and supplies. The presentation will be showcased in each table or tables.

 

3.6 Tools and Equipment

In the process of doing the study from day zero to day of completion, all tools and equipment used should be accounted for to create a narrative of procedure. Included in this table are the name of tools and equipment including its uses and function, as well as its purpose in the study.

 

3.7 Construction Time Frame

This part of the study will identify the time allotment of each body of work. This is important to measure the expectation of completing the products as well as for future researchers of similar undertaking to consider the time need for the process to finish the product or machine. The time frame of each step or process will be showed in a table.

 

3.8 Process of Development

To make the processes and steps in creating or constructing the product, the flow of development shall be shown through a framework. The stages of the study from conceptualization, planning, designing the blueprint, construction, evaluating, testing, and other applicable stages or phases of body of work should be in the framework. This part will be numbered through a figure.

 

3.9 Design Reliability

        Design for reliability is a process which is performed during the design of the product so as to ensure that the product is able to perform to a required level of reliability. Traditionally, the reliability achieved is the outcome of a. the reliability that naturally accompanies with design required for the product. b. the reliability that come due to standard and historic practices followed by the design and manufacturing units (Engineering Study Materials, 2019)

a.   Key failure modes and failure rate of the product

b.   Key failure mechanisms that may be present in the service environment,

c.   Usable life of the product,

d.   Cost of maintenance required to maintain the inherent reliability

e.   Availability

 

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

The flow of development should be visualized in this part through pictures, illustrations, or any visual form.

 

4.1 Construction Procedures

The process in construction or creation of the products will be collected through a narrative in a sequential way. This narrative will be manifested through steps or through procedures. Each step will start from the preparation phase to the completion part with the use of illustrations, pictures or any applicable visuals placed in figures.

 

4.2 Try-out and Revisions

Part of the success of a project is to try the products for some purposes to raise the quality or at the minimum, to perform on its intended objectives. This part of the product development will show the attempts in constructing the product and what flaws and failures they have encountered in the process. The narrative of attempts will be shown through a table with the identified flaws or failures and what recommendations are offered to successfully hurdle the attempt in constructing.

MODELLING, SIMULATION, AND EVALUATION

There is a need to demonstrate the product in prototype and its features to ascertain the details and its function. There is also a need to test the different characteristics of the product or innovation to safeguard the users and the inventor.

 

5.1 Prototype Tests  

This is the prototype construction of the product to ascertain the details of the product right before it is constructed in its final form. In this part, the picture of the prototype will be presented on a figure.

Example of prototype testing discussion:

Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen, 2009)

A test lab was created with necessary instrumentation at the Florida Solar Energy Center in 1997 and used by Parker and his colleagues to compare the performance of the prototype airfoils with that of flat blades on three common commercial fans (see Figure 3). The performance characteristics and the measuring devices for them were as follows:

• air flow rate, which was measured with a hot-wire anemometer,

• power use, which was measured with a digital watt-hour meter, and

•fan shaft rotational speed, which was measured with an infrared tachometer.

 Air flow was examined for all the fans at several locations. Specifically, 12 measurements were taken starting at the axial center and then at intervals of 15 cm (6 inches) outward from the center. As the radii of all fans did not exceed 66 cm (26 inches), about half of the measurements were below the fan blades. The other measurements were beyond the reach of any fan and were taken to identify how far outside the sweep of a fan the flowing air extended.

 For four fans at high speed operation, Table 1 shows the measured air flow rate over the 1.8 m (6 ft) region comprising the measurement area, the motor power consumption and fan rotational speed. These relative performance data indicate that the enhanced ceiling-fan blade (FSEC/AeroVironment CF-1) shows clearly superior performance to other fans, which have flat blades. That is, the test results determined that the greatest air flows were achieved by one of the prototype fans and one commercial unit, but that the prototype fan did so while using about half the electrical power. 

 A secondary test was carried out for these two fans in which their blades were mounted on the same motor. The results of this test showed that, for the same electrical energy use, the aerodynamic fan blades achieved over twice the air flow rate of commercial fan blades. 

The results of these tests were encouraging and convinced the developers that it was worth advancing the design further. This involved incorporating many other facets of engineering design into the project.

 

5.2 Functional tests

This can be done as system test or product function test. For system or software test, functional testing reviews each aspect of a piece of a software to make sure it works (aka functions) correctly. Quite simply, functional testing looks at what software is supposed to do and makes sure it actually does that. So while functional testing looks at an application’s ability to execute, non-functional testing looks at its overall performance (e.g. by testing scalability, reliability, security, and compatibility) according to (qasymphony.com, 2019).

 

5.3 Endurance tests

Performance and endurance testing is a type of testing which determines a product’s performance, such as durability, speed, scalability, handling, and stability. The testing process includes manual and mechanical endurance tests designed to reveal faults and ensure your product is fit for market.
        Performance testing helps you identify performance problems early on in your product’s lifecycle. By initiating performance testing from the beginning of product development through to final deployment, you can avoid unnecessary delays and production costs. As test results are a key indicator of product quality, performance testing also helps you to win acceptance from increasingly demanding users or industry (TUDSUV.com, 2019).

For product development, the functional test simulates/emulates the real environment and forces switching operations that could otherwise only be done after installation. Voltages, currents and other measurement values are programmed and switching sequences are run in the exact same way, as it would happen in reality (weetech-usa.com, 2020).

5.4 Health and Safety

It was necessary to address numerous health and safety issues relating to the product development and their application by potential users, as well as to the basic product design (Rosen, 2009). This part should show that the product undergone validation from experts or tests.

Example of Health and Safety discussion:

Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen, 2009)

Beyond achieving room air comfort with reduced energy use, ceiling fans can significantly benefit health during very hot weather periods. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. states that excessive heat exposure led to the deaths of more than 11,000 people in France in August 2003, and 8,015 people in the United States from 1979 to 1999, with more dying from extreme heat this 20-year period than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined. 

 John Drengenberg, Manager of Consumer Affairs for UL, recommends considering the use of ceiling fans with an air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through a room or building. 

 

Safety issues relating to manufacturing, transportation and installation

 During the manufacture of a ceiling fan, occupational health and safety should be a foremost consideration in the workplace. Details on the manufacturing operations are not discussed here, as they are beyond the scope of the present case study, which focuses on the residential user of a ceiling fan. Nonetheless, comments on commercial uses for the enhanced ceiling fan are provided subsequently (Section 6.1).

 A residential ceiling fan should be installable by residents with only rudimentary skills. Whether installed by experts or non-experts, it is of course important when installing a ceiling fan to follow the manufacturer's instructions, which usually require that [20, 22]

 • the fan be positioned so that the blades are at least 2.1 m (7 ft) above the floor, 0.6 m (2 ft) from the wall and 0.3 m (1 ft) below the ceiling, and

• electrical connections be carried out using an approved electrical outlet box, which is labeled for use with ceiling fans.

 It is noted that, despite the requirement that ceiling-fan blades be no closer than 2.1 m (7 ft) from the floor, safety concerns can remain. For instance a person could be injured by an operating ceiling fan when extending arms into the air, or if the person is carrying a long object like ladder which accidentally comes into contact with the ceiling-fan blades. This situation illustrates the necessity in engineering design to make trade-offs among competing factors (such as the decreased risk of injury during operation associated with raising the height of a ceiling fan versus the increased risk of injury associated with the more difficult installation process at a higher location).

 

5.5 Economics

Economics will discuss about the cost of production and how it is under the standard of efficiency, (quality and cost and speed of production) compared to the existing standard, and how it projects itself to realistic costing.

Example of Economics discussion:

Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen, 2009)

The costs of the enhanced ceiling fan had to allow for a somewhat competitive price compared to other ceiling fans on the market. Although the enhanced ceiling fan uses the same electrical power to move about double the air of a conventional ceiling fan, it was not clear how much of a premium consumers would be willing to pay for this benefit.

          Given that the enhanced ceiling fan uses electricity more efficiently than conventional models, sales would be expected to be better when electricity rates are high and energy consumers are focused on reducing their electricity use. 

The ceiling fan can be used at high speed to achieve increased air flow, or at a lower speed setting to obtain sufficient air movement and simultaneously achieve lower electricity use. Thus, the prime economic selling feature for the consumer would be the ability to either

          • obtain more product (air flow) for the same electricity consumption, or • use less electricity to obtain the same product air flow.

 

5.6 Environmental Compliance

Achieving eco-sustainability is dependent upon our ability to meet current needs, without hindering the ability to meet the needs of future generations in terms of economic, environmental, and social challenges (ADTRAN, 2020).

Environmental compliance further elaborate that the product is or harmful to the environmental or the process of doing the innovation does not involve using harmful chemicals or practicing activities which will endanger the environment.

Example of Environmental compliance discussion:

Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen, 2009)

The efficiency gains that can be obtained via ceiling fans in general, and the enhanced ceiling fan designed as part of this case study in particular, allow savings in electricity use in residences during the summer, when cooling is needed. This is particularly true in locations with a long cooling season. The electricity savings have two dimensions:

• a reduction in the quantity of electrical energy consumed, and

• lower peak electrical power requirements.

 These benefits accrue not only to the residence owner, but also to the electricity provider and the municipality responsible for ensuring reliable electricity supply. Note that the lower peak electrical power requirements are likely to occur mainly in the day when electricity demand peaks. For residential ceiling fans used in bedrooms at night, when peak demands are not prevalent, reductions in electrical demand are likely not as significant.

 A key result of lower electricity use is a reduction in the quantity of energy resources used to generate the electricity and the corresponding environmental emissions and other impacts. Consequently, the cooling of residences is made more environmentally benign and sustainable.

 A more comprehensive determination of the environmental impacts and benefits of the enhanced ceiling fan would require the performance of a complete life cycle analysis (LCA), which is a method for improving environmental management and performance. A comprehensive LCA was not undertaken for the present design. Rather, the present design focused on the benefits of increased efficiency during the operating phase of the ceiling fan’s life, assuming implicitly that that phase is the dominant part of the life cycle. In LCA, the entire life cycle of a product is considered, from natural resource extraction and manufacture to utilization and waste disposal.

 Material and energy flows and environmental impacts related to system construction, operation and disposal are accounted for. The steps in LCA include

 • determination of mass and energy flows entering, exiting and through all stages of the life cycle of the product, • evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the these flows, and • identification of reasonable ways to decrease the environmental burdens.

 

5.7 Aesthetics

Rosen (2009) suggests that the appearance was modified to allow the fan to be acceptable with a variety of decors, and rough edges in the prototypes were smoothed. Manufacturers or replicators might consider commercial success of an aesthetically pleasing design.

Example of Aesthetics discussion:

Development of an Enhanced Ceiling Fan: An Engineering Design Case Study Highlighting Health, Safety and the Environment (Rosen, 2009)

Aesthetic judgments affected several aspects of the design of the enhanced ceiling fan. For example, 

 • the appearance was modified to allow the fan to be acceptable with a variety of decors, and

• rough edges in the prototypes were smoothed.

 The manufacturing company highlighted the importance, in terms of ultimate commercial success, of an aesthetically pleasing design. 

 Aesthetic design factors sometimes pose challenges for those involved in engineering design, as such factors are typically viewed as less relevant by engineers compared to practical issues like function. Also, engineers sometimes have different views of what is aesthetically desirable than the general public, e.g., aerodynamicists often regard an ideal aerofoil as elegant.

 

5.8 Capacity determination

This part will discuss exclusively the capacity feature of the product related to loads, limitations, and other process that may affect its capacity or performance when factors on weight, load of work is applied to the product.

 

5.9 Pilot tests

Pilot testing (a session or two before the real test) helps fine-tune usability studies, leading to more reliable results. It provides an opportunity to validate the wording of the tasks, understand the time necessary for the session, and, if all goes well, may even supply an additional data point for your study (Schade, 2015)

 

5.10 Field tests

Field Testing is the critical, final stage of validation, which occurs after you’ve completed successful product performance tests. This test type focuses on the unguided, natural contextual usage of a product by collecting ongoing qualitative and quantitative customer feedback over an extended period of time in real environments. By gathering long-term engagement data, you’re able to capture behavioral, attitudinal, and longitudinal trends related to feature adoption. This is the data you need to understand and maintain user perceptions over time, as well as analyze and hone your machine learning algorithms (Centercode, 2020).

 

 

 

RESULTS, DISCUSSIONS, AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

This part will discuss the outcome of the tests made to the product. This is where the researcher will discuss significant results of the products which is important to the industry or the institutions involved. This is also the part where the researchers will be able to compare the existing characteristics of the products and the new improved traits of the products in the different aspects of its performances.

FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The findings of the research will be highlighted based on the flow of the problem and highlight the significant findings or the information that reveals its weaknesses and how the strengths matched it.

The conclusion will also follow the flow of the problem or conceptual framework to ground the statements in the context of how the researcher respond to the way the direction of the study proceeded.

The recommendation should be strategically discussed as it should deliberately capture the limitations of the study and how it should be improved for its optimum outcome in the succeeding research.