The Product Design Technical Group (PDTG) of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society congratulates DCA Design International on receiving the 14th Annual Stanley H. Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award. The winning product is the Hitachi Class 800/801 Train, an intercity passenger express train designed to be faster, accommodate more passengers, and be more environmentally sustainable than current models.
The design team took into consideration both the staff (e.g., train driver, maintenance crew) and passengers (e.g., commuters, wheelchair users) who travel between London and other major cities in the United Kingdom. The goal was to improve the user experience and support growth along the corridors the train will serve. The first train is expected to enter service in 2017.
"It's a real honor to receive such a prestigious award - the whole design team is thrilled to see their hard work recognized," said Human Factors Lead Dan Jenkins. "The overriding philosophy behind the design of the Hitachi Class 800/801 train was to develop a multidisciplinary design team with human factors playing a critical role from the outset. This allowed us to explore opportunities to improve the safety, efficiency, and user experience of the design at the earliest stages of development. Prototyping also played a key role in optimizing the design. The various rigs and mockups allowed the design team and project stakeholders to explore and evaluate the design and ensure the compatibility with identified tasks."
"Stan Caplan and I are very excited about the Hitachi Class 800/801 train receiving the award, and we wish to congratulate the project team on their achievement," said award cochair Dianne McMullin. "This is the first time an international candidate has received the award, and the judges found DCA's work to be exemplary."
The award will be presented on October 27 during a session of the 2015 HFES International Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. In addition to receiving a $1,000 honorarium and plaque acknowledging the achievement, Jenkins will give a presentation on the product and its development methodology.
The User-Centered Product Design Award recognizes outstanding and innovative product design and the consumer research and design methods used to develop and evaluate that design. View information about past recipients and judging criteria at http://tg.hfes.org/pdtg/awards.htm.
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The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the world's largest scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals, with more than 4,800 members globally. HFES members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them. "Human Factors and Ergonomics: People-Friendly Design Through Science and Engineering"