Ergonomics and PackagingErgonomic Packaging??

What is packaging?

• A coordinated system of preparing goods for

transport, distribution, storage, retailing and use..

• Packaging is a business function that is:

– complex

– dynamic

– scientific

– artistic

– controversial

• Needs a PRODUCT!

Definition of Packaging*

• “Packaging” shall mean all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the

• containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods,

• from raw materials to processed goods,

• from the producer to the user or the consumer.

• “Non-returnable” items used for the same purposes shall also be considered to constitute packaging.

• * Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste

Packaging functions range from technical to marketing

Technical Functions

• contain

• protect

• preserve

• measure

• dispense

•transport

•store

Marketing Functions

• communicate

• display

• inform

• promote

• sell

• motivate

Typical “protect, transport and storage” problems

• Vibration

• Mechanical shock

• Abrasion

• Deformation

• High/low temperature

• Relative humidity

• Water

• Tampering

Where are the people involved in packaging?

• https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSthkq4KX3XKXiQHcFmU0yl05gH5EqeVHk-ZgAKkr6e01clcOog

Value Chain of Stakeholders

ISO (international standards organization)

• Out of more than 19, 500 ISO International Standards,

• about 1 000 are specifically dedicated to food, and deal with e.g.

• agricultural machinery,

• logistics,

• transportation,

• manufacturing,

• labelling,

• packaging

• storage.

Do visit the ISO page…

• e.g. an article about Saffron

• http://www.iso.org/iso/home/news_index/news_archive/news.htm?Refid=Ref1819

• Generally about food production and manufacture

• http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_and_food.pdf

European regulations: foodstuffs

• Product labelling and packaging

• http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/index_en.htm

• Materials and articles which come into contact with foodstuffs

• http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/l21082a_en.htm

Functionsof the packaging

Environmentsin which functions are performed

Reference (for figures on slides 7,11,12)

• Bix, L. de la Fuente, J. Sundar, R.P. & Lockhart, H. Packaging design

and development in Yam, K. (Ed) Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology. 2010 Wiley

What is ergonomia about?

• Called Human Factors, or Human Factors Engineering in the U.S.

• It studies of the following (interrelated) areas

• Anatomy• Anthropometrics provides data on dimensions of the human body, in various postures. • Biomechanics considers the operation of the muscles and limbs

• Physiology• Work physiology looks at the energy requirements of the body, acceptable physical work-

rate and workload, nutrition requirements. • Environmental physiology analyses the impact of physical working conditions — thermal,

noise and vibration, and lighting

• Psychology• information processing and decision-making capabilities.

• Individual sensory processes, perception, long- and short-term memory, decision making, and action. • organizational psychology.

• Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/ergonomics#ixzz32HJmqB3o

On the boat for Syros…

“Ergonomics”

• “ergonomics” means laws of (nomos) work (ergon).

• Ergonomics is the science of adapting the job and/or the equipment and the human to each other for optimal safety and productivity.

• major area where ergonomics is relevant is working with desktop computers.

• Other areas are automobiles, cockpits, machinery and factories.

• In packaging, it applies to:…?

Comments about this type of packaging (tetrapak)?

Is it “ergonomic?”

• This term “ergonomic”does not mean anything!

• It is like saying “organic” (

• We should say it is hard to open

• Explain why, from observing the photo

Does it need re-design?

Consumers – whatever age –

are more likely to buy a product that they:

• can open

•or use easily

•Like the man with the bottle, humans find ways to adapt, and make/use tools

Amazon is also concerned..

Innovations

• in open-ability

• Can also lead to better and more efficient uses of product

From Stora Enso

Electrical debonding at point of sale of

hard-to-open clamshell package via a hand-held power source.

https://www.youtube.com/user/storaenso

Misuse of the word ‘ergonomic’

• products, services – and people! – are labelled as “ergonomic”.

• This is just for marketing

• An ergonomic chair, mouse, shoe, pillow, can not be ergonomic on its own, it depends how it is used.

• Therefore we cannot design “ergonomic packaging” but we can design

• Easy to use, to open, to store etc.

• Easy to understand, etc.

Ergonomics applies to everyday situations, in the home, but also at work. It can be very important for increasing efficiency, productivity,

safety, and health(i) Designing equipment and systems, including computers, so that they are easier to use and less likely to lead to errors in operation — particularly important in high stress and safety-critical operations such as control rooms.

(ii) Designing tasks and jobs so that they are effective and take account of human needs such as rest breaks and sensible shift patterns, as well as other factors such as the intrinsic rewards of work itself.

(iii) Designing equipment and work arrangements to improve working posture and ease the load on the body, thus reducing instances of Repetitive Strain Injury/Work Related Upper Limb Disorder.

(iv) Information design, to make the interpretation and use of handbooks, signs, and displays easier and less error-prone.

(v) Design of training arrangements to cover all significant aspects of the job concerned and to take account of human learning requirements.

(vi) The design of military and space equipment and systems — an extreme case of demands on the human being.

(vii) Designing working environments, including lighting and heating, to suit the needs of the users and the tasks performed. Where necessary, design of personal protective equipment for work in hostile environments.

Protecting workers in packaging industry

• Protecting them from WRMSDs

• What are these?

• ‘work-related musculoskeletal disorders’ (WMSDs)

• See:

• A Guide for Packaging Machinery Manufacturers

• http://pmmi.files.cms-plus.com/uploads/ErgonomicsManual.pdf

Information design and packaging

1. Information design, to make the interpretation and use of handbooks, signs, and displays easier and less error-prone. (Slide24)

2. Marketing Functions (Slide 4)

• communicate

• display

• inform

• promote

• sell

• motivate

3. Product labelling and packaging (Slide 10)

Model of interacting layers of information design

• Carliner’s three interacting layers:

• Material or Physical layer, e.g. postioning of information

• Can find the information

• Cognitive layer, e.g. layout of information, composition of information

• Can use the information

• Attractive layer, e.g. use of colour, visual, sound, tactile information

• Attract attention

• Motivate the information user to engage with the information

Attractive layer : also meeting expectations

• Examples of attractive packaging

• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/06/02/beautiful-and-expressive-packaging-design/

• Patterns (brands)

• http://rbird.com/movabletype/patterns/ad_page/

• Greek products

• http://greekproductsabroad.com/2013/05/16/greek-products-brands-in-high-demand-with-specially-designed-packaging/

Final year thesis of Zoi Stergiadoy (student from Syros)

• She wanted to work on packaging and information design.

• Going beyond the attractive layer

• She wanted to design sustainable packaging

• She wanted to support sustainable practices

• She wanted to promote Greek products, making them desirable and authentic experiences for people not familiar with them

Source of inspiration (traditional bakaliko)

Looking at the use of “tsouvalia”

Sustainability objectives

• For producers• Low cost to produce

• Easy to fill

• Ideal for small producers

• Compliant with standards and regulations

• For consumers• Authentic experience

• Attractive

• Information-rich

• Ease of information use

• Re-usuable

•

ReReReRe----usable usable usable usable ----sustainablesustainablesustainablesustainable

Εικόνα 21. Τελικό ένθετο (πίσω µέρος)

σελ.1,4,2,3

Εικόνα 22. Τελικό καρτελάκι για την άκρη του

σχοινιού

Information: nutrition, origin,

Information :recipe

Design Criteria

• DfS = Design for Sustainability

Why should this interest you?

• Because although packaging needs a product,

• it is also part of the product

• (no products without packaging)

• Foodstuffs most of all, for the reasons we have discussed,

• as well as the following list of socio economic drivers…..

Socioeconomic Driving Forces of Food Packaging

• Consumer lifestyle• influenced greatly by the aging population, increasing number of smaller families, single-

person households, and dual-income families. Now consumers increasingly want food products that are convenient, good tasting, safe, wholesome, and nutritious

• (this trend of packaged food has not continued in Greece, due to economic downturn • see Euromonitor, http://www.euromonitor.com/packaged-food-in-greece/report

• Value• Higher benefits may be achieved by enhancing the functions of packaging to satisfy the

unmet needs of the consumer

• Profit• To earn profits, food companies frequently rely on packaging innovations

• Food safety and biosecurity• Each year in the United States, food-borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses,

325,000 hospitalizations, and 5000 deaths. Fears of food bioterrorism pushes innovations in packaging for safely

• Food packaging regulations• drive research and development that relate to food packaging safety issues, such as the

migration of unwanted compounds from package to food (e.g. during microwaving)

• Environmental concerns• Need environmentally friendly packaging, we are drowning in our own rubbish!

Conclusions: What did you learn?• about Packaging;

• tools to study the area, to understand and model it, • e.g. value chain of stakeholders, function and contexts.

• Major socio economic driving forces behind packaging

• about Ergonomia • Basic concepts in Ergonomics

• (anatomy, physiology and psychology)

• about the Connections between Packaging and Ergonomics• e.g openability,

• information design

• (Not about ‘ergonomic’ packaging!)

• Questions??

Thank you!

Jenny Darzentas (PhD)

jennyd@aegean.gr