Purpose: Delivery truck drivers face various physical and psychosocial discomforts and risks in their work. Psychosocial perceptions are linked to physiological and psychological loads-strain and stress-affecting drivers throughout various mechanisms within activities and conditions. In this study, participatory video-assisted analyses were utilised for identifying psychosocially demanding work situations that delivery truck drivers encounter outside the cab. Methods: Identifications were made by the drivers from previously recorded videos of their own work in their daily work environments. In addition, other stakeholders, such as managers and designers, also identified situations. The video identification data were further processed by the researchers, showing differences between the perceptions of the drivers and stakeholders on the causal conditions and intervening conditions behind the discomfort identifications. Results: All together 99 identified situations-over half (53%) of which included a fear of causing different types of undesired events with risks of losses, such as human injuries or material damages. The results showed not only do risks and discomforts exist in demanding work situations, which seemed relevant, but they also indicated the importance of involving different stakeholders. Conclusions: This study provides a unique methodological approach, as video observations and analyses and qualitative data analysis are combined to provide more in-depth data with visualizations into risk management processes.
The aim of this study was to identify risks and ergonomics discomfort during work of local and short haul delivery truck drivers outside a cab. The study used a video-and computer-based method (VIDAR) accident delivery transportation musculoskeletal disorder participative ergonomics risk management safety management work system truck driver VIDAR method
It's been noticed that recognizing the end user's needs and expectations are increasingly important factors for creating successful products. In the Mode-project we are studying the socio-cultural context of users and products and developing methods to model it for the use of industrial design and product development. The functionality or usefulness of products is not our main interest, instead we are keen to know what kind of meanings people give to products and what kind of role they have in the social interaction. The starting point for the method development is scenario building. Design scenarios make the context understandable and they can be used as a communication tool during the product development process.
The paper presents findings from ongoing research of the process by which SMEs benefit from design. The study describes how selected companies use design in their development work in a temporal context to construct value in their business. Furthermore the paper discusses how companies build the future for their business with the help of external design knowledge. Twelve companies where selected into this study. Companies have different temporal goals for the design project and therefore the future aspect in the design work differs in each case. Some companies are aiming to improve the business in a short term, while some are more investing to long-term goals and futures business opportunities through design and continuous development process. Accordingly aims (conscious or unconscious) in these development projects have been to reach either incremental or radical steps into the future through design. The study shows how these different temporal goals have affected to the content of the design task and the outcome of the project. Furthermore temporality affects to the value creation through design. This study shows that the use of design in industry needs to be connected to temporal goals in the company's strategy. According to this study development work with designers can be seen as an opportunity to open futures views for innovation in industry.
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