This portfolio document summarizes Amanda Ho's work in various areas of design including ergonomics, interiors and space planning, user experience, and universal design. It provides examples of 3 projects: an ergonomic evaluation of sewing machines and workstations where recommendations were made to improve safety and comfort, a programming project for an elementary school cafeteria where goals and recommendations were generated, and a challenge to design an inclusive classroom by Herman Miller and HKS Architects where a concept was developed and realized. In each section, the tasks, methods, insights, and outcomes are briefly outlined. The portfolio showcases Amanda Ho's diverse experience and approach to improving design through research and stakeholder input.
10. renderings
Tasks
1. Fully model an existing house based on found
floorplan, elevation drawings, and images of
the structure.
2. Recreate the elevations, siteplan, section and
floorplan.
3d modeling - vader house
Duration:
Software:
Vader House
Architect: Andrew Maynard Architects
Size: 1300 sq ft.
Location: Victoria, Australia
Reason: I chose this house for its juxtaposition
of outdoor and indoor space and
Victorian and Modern features.
April 2014
AutoCad, SketchUp, Vray, Photoshop
Section A East Elevation South Elevation
Floorplan
10
12. programming
Belle Sherman Elementary School
Tasks
1. Program a local elementary school cafeteria for
future renovation and present recommendations
to the users - the principal, cafeteria workers,
teachers, parents, and children.
2. Generate goals, performance requirements, and
recommendations for the space.
The mission of this program document is to provide
guidelines for renovating the cafeteria and kitchen to
support the nutritional, psychological, socio-emotional,
and behavioral development needs of students, and to
support effective food service, supervision, and various
needs of the staff who use the space.
Duration: September - December 2013
Group Size: 7 members
Methods
1. Organized observations
- Behavior Mapping
- Timed Activity Breakdown
2. Interviews with users
- Kitchen Staff
- Custodian
- Cafeteria Monitors
3. Research
- Peer reviewed articles & building codes
Mission Statement
“
”
Existing Conditions
Floorplan and images of current cafeteria and kitchen
Blocking Diagram
Diagram showing zones of activity
12
13. programming
Data Collection: Behavior Mapping
I observed kitchen staff for the duration of the lunch shift
and drew out all of their paths of circulation. The lines
present in the diagram were the most prominent paths.
Top Recommendations
1. Circulation
- Add new waste receptacles to make movement in and out of the
cafeteria faster.
2. Seating
- Make seating modular to support social interaction and personal
space needs.
3. Acoustics
- Install acoustic paneling to keep noise at a safe level.
Data Collection: Timed Activity Breakdown
I recorded a timed breakdown of the observed activities
in the cafeteria for the duration of the lunch period.
13
14. universal design
Tasks
1. Choose a facility to evaluate based on
principles of universal design and the
inclusivity of the following characteristics:
- Gender
- Stage in the Life Cycle
- Ability or Disability
- Culture
2. Determine which users are present, absent,
and those who may have issues in the space.
3. Propose design guidelines supported by
research to make the library more accessible.
HIGHER EDUCATION LIBRARY
Duration: May 2014
Library User Breakdown
Present Absent or With Issues
Cornell Students
- Males/Females
- Undergrad/Grad
- International Students
Office Workers
Professors
Ithaca Residents
Visitors
Mobility Impaired
- Blocked access
International Students
- Cultural barriers
Older Office Workers
- Difficult navigation
Major Issues
1. Physical Access
- Overwhelming amount of stairs
- Heavy doors
- No ramps
2. Circulation
- Crowded narrow pathways
- Blocked pathways
- particularly for wheelchairs or
crutches
3. Seating
- Uncomfortable
- Non-supportive of mobility issues
- Personal space violations
4. Wayfinding
- Unclear signage
- Overwhelming maps
- Non-intuitive layout
14
15. universal design
All users should have access to the library through the main entrance.
Accessibility
Signage
Sample Design Guidelines
Clear maps and signage should be placed frequently throughout the
library to orient users.
- There should be a zero step entrance and automatic doors
(Steinfeld and Danford, 1993, and ADA National Network, 2013).
- Doors to each floor of the library should also be automatic
or propped during hours of operation.
- Doors should not require more than 5 lbs of force to open
(ADA National Network, 2013).
Performance Requirements
- Color coded maps with icons should be located at decisions
points such as the entrance at elevators.
- Signage should have icons and have strong contrast with
the surroundings (Architectural Signage Innovations, 2012).
- Icons with high contrast will be visible to those with visual
impairments and clear to international students who may
not understand English as well
(Architectural Signage Innovations, 2012).
Performance Requirements
15
16. Challenge by herman miller & hks Architects
Task
Design a classroom that supports current and
future trends in teaching using research.
Parameters
Environment: Higher Education
Class size: Max 24
Activities: Lecture, discussion, teamwork
Concept
1. Inclusion
- Support all learning and teaching styles
2. Collaboration
- Support team work and multi-disciplinary
interaction
3. Ergonomics
- Create a comfortable and healthy space
4. Engagement
- Support active learning
5. Individualization
- Foster a sense of ownership in the space
InspirationMethods
1. Research
- Current teaching style trends,
academic environment research
articles for best practices, and
new designs on the market
2. Brainstorming
- Idea generation and discussion
3. Feedback
- Midway presentation where
we received a critique on our
progress from professionals
4. Iteration
- Adding and changing our ideas
based on the feedback
Academic environment
Duration:
Group Size:
3 Weeks December 2014
3 members
Brainstorming
Goal
Empower students and teachers to think
critically, work creatively, and openly discuss
their various views and ideas.
Incorporate technology and
modular desks and white boards.
Create zones for different activities.
Provide a variety of seating
16
17. challenge by herman miller & hks architects
Inclusion
1. Multiple configurations - Lecture, Group work, Discussion
Collaboration
2. Modular furniture - movable desks, chairs, lecturn
3. Movable Smartboards with wireless connectivity
4. Magnetic desk attach making configuration changes easy
5. Accessible outlets from floor and walls
Ergonomics
6. Ergonomic task seating
7. Incorporation of plants and natural daylighting
Engagement
8. Dynamically updating Smartboards - content on tablet will
show up on Smartboards to make information sharing easier
Individualization
9. Under table storage - belongings move with students’ desks
10. Personal tablet for use in class
Design
Lecture Configuration Group Work Configuration
Group Work Perspective
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Concept Realization
17
20. Ergonomic Evaluation
Tasks
1. Evaluate a product or workspace of your
choosing in terms of ergonomics.
2. Develop design suggestions based on your
research and compile findings into a report.
Goals
1. Evaluate the safety and comfort of sewing
machines.
2. Evaluate the safety and comfort of factory
workstations.
3. Suggest recommendations for both the sewing
machine itself and the workstation.
Workstation Issues
Methods
1. Literature Review
- Existing journal articles and OSHA standards
were analyzed to learn current practices
2. Posture analysis
- Based on the research common postures were
analyzed to find major issues
3. Interviews
- Interviews were conducted with recreational
sewers to give insight into their experiences
Poor Work Surface
sewing machine & workstation
Duration: November 2013 Poor Seating
Forced Postures Hard Materials
Machine Issues
Issue: Sharp corners
Result: Cut off arm circulation and risk of
pinched nerves and blood vessels
Issue: Hunched postures unsupported by
seating
Result: Musculoskeletal stress injuries in
the back or neck
Issue: Elevated surface of the machine
and precision work
Result: Arms forced into unsupported
upward angle and wrists radially
deviated
Issue: Arms/wrists poorly supported
because they must rest on hard
surfaces
Result: Compression injuries
20
21. Ergonomic Evaluation
Make tilt adjustable working
base
Add a magnifying glass or
camera and display to make
viewing work easier
Change angle of display
Use mesh wrist support
Make table adjustable
Have a cut out for the sewing
machine to be lowered
Round edges
Use curved seat pan
Use waterfall edge
Make tilt adjustable
Use mesh material for air
circulation and even support
Ensure chair stability by
removing casters
Use a foot pedal similar to
that of a car foot pedal
a
b
c
d
Summary of Recommendations
B. Work Table
1.
2.
3.
A. Sewing Machine
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C. Seating
D. Foot Pedal
1.
1
2
4
5
2
2
5
1
21
22. Ergonomic Evaluation
Tasks
1. Develop an experiment to test the claims of
“ergonomic” gardening hand tools.
2. Develop design suggestions based on
experiment results.
Ergonomic Claims Tested
1. The tools maximize comfort and power.
2. The handle keeps the wrist at a neutral position.
3. The tools require less energy because they are
lighter than conventional tools.
Ergonomic Trowel Ergonomic Cultivator
Methods
1. Timed shoveling and raking task
- Participants shoveled and raked the 2 types of
trowels and cultivators for 30 repetitions each and
were timed
2. RULA evaluation
- Rapid Upper Limb Assessments were taken to
evaluate the users’ wrist position for each of the 4
tools
3. User preference survey
- Survey included demographics (previous
experience, age), tool preference, comments
4. Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion
- A standard survey tool to measure perceived
exertion in physical tasks
ergonomic Gardening tools
Duration: February - March 2014
Group Size: 4 members
Example Setup
Control Trowel Control Cultivator
22
23. Ergonomic Evaluation
Results - 29 Participants
Claims Supported
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0
1
2
3
4
5
0.0
10.4
10.8
11.2
11.6
12
Rapid Upper Limb Assessment
Timed Task
Borg Exertion Scale
Cultivator Trowel
Cultivator Trowel
Cultivator Trowel
Scoreoutof7Time(sec)Scoreoutof20
Ergonomic Tool Control
Rating of 4: Change needed soon Rating of 3: Change may be needed
Design Recommendations
1. Trowel: Increase size of blade to hold more dirt
and make each dig more efficient.
2. Trowel: Close off back of blade to prevent dirt
from spilling out, increasing efficiency.
3. Cultivator: Shorten distance between forked blade
and handle to increase power of each
rake and reduce effort.
The tools maximize comfort.
- Higher comfort rating on the survey by users
The handle keeps the wrist at a neutral position.
- RULA ratings for the ergonomic tools were lower than the control
The tools require less energy because they are lighter than conventional tools.
- Exertion scale scores fell into the “light” range rather than the
“somewhat hard range”
3
3
3
2
23
26. physical & interface evaluation
Tasks
1. Develop an experiment to analyze the
differences between physical and on-screen
keyboards in terms of user experience.
2. Develop design suggestions based on
experiment results and market trends.
Goals
1. Determine user preference between
physical and on-screen keyboard.
2. Discover physical vs. on-screen keyboard
impact on overall user experience.
On-Screen Keyboard Physical Keyboard
Methods
1. Timed typing task
- Participants copied a passage verbatim on both
keyboards and were timed
2. Posture assessment
- A Rapid Upper Limb Assessment was taken to
evaluate the users’ postural health
3. User preference and experience survey
- Survey included demographics (previous
experience, age) and keyboard preference
4. NASA task load index
- A standard survey tool used to measure
perceived effort
microsoft surface pro keyboard
Duration: April 2014
Group Size: 5 members
26
Setup for Physical KeyboardSetup for On-Screen Keyboard
Sample of RULA scoring sheet for Arm and Wrist Position
27. physical & interface evaluation
Design Recommendations
1. Physical: Increase key spacing to reduce perceived effort.
2. On-screen: Incorporate common touch keyboard shortcuts
(i.e. double tapping space bar for period, keyboard appears
when tapping on paper space) to improve efficiency.
3. On-screen: Have vibrating tactile feedback to reduce perceived
effort.
Results - 16 Participants
0
2
4
6
8
10
0
4
8
12
16
20
Mental
Demand
Omission Word Space Insertion SubstitutionOn-screen Time (sec) Physical Time (sec)
Error Count
Discussion
1. On-screen typing took significantly longer.
2. On-screen typing had a higher error count.
3. On-screen was perceived to be more mentally,
physically, and temporally demanding, effortful,
and frustrating.
Comments
“The keys feel crunched.”
“My hands feel too big.”
“I can feel the carpal tunnel.”
Physical
Demand
Temporal
Demand
Performance Effort Frustration
Perceived Effort
On-Screen Physical
- Physical: Users pressed 2 keys at once
- On-Screen: Users pressed the wrong key
- On-Screen: Users felt wrist pain
MeanError#MeanScore(outof20)
27
28. website redesign
Personas
“How can I stay healthy
on my trip?”
“What activities will my
whole family enjoy?”
“Where can I have the
most fun for the least
amount of money?”
“What activities will
my mom from Japan
enjoy?”
“How can I experience
Ithaca like a local?”
+
The Retired Traveler
The Move-In Mom
The Bestie
The Visitor
The Wanderer
+
+
+
“How does this website provide me with the
tools to efficiently fulfill my needs while
showing me what Ithaca has to offer?”
Original WebsiteVisitithaca.com
Duration: September-December 2014
Tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat
Task
Redesign the Ithaca travel website to attract
people to visit Ithaca and the struggling Visitor’s
Bureau.
Goals - Make the website:
1. Welcoming
Attract users to come to Ithaca and make the
website an experience
2. Clear
Simplify navigation and layout
3. Unique
Make Ithaca standout by showcasing unique
attractions
4. Active
Enable users to book and plan their trips easily,
leading to revenue for the client
Methods
1. Observations
- Participants were given various tasks to
complete using the original website, timed, and
video recorded
2. Interviews
- After testing participants were asked about
their overall experience, likes, and dislikes
3. Continuous User Testing
- During the development of the prototype
features were continuously tested and tweaked
1. Overwhelming amount of choices
and text
2. Hard to navigate
3. Visitors bureau is not advertised
4. Users cannot easily book hotels
or view attractions, which is how
the client generates revenue
Major Issues
“I would use it
...if I had to.”
“It’s not as bad
as other sites.”
Feedback
“I can’t see
anything.”
28
31. website redesign
Visitors Bureau Marketing“My Trip” Feature
3
my trip
2
my trip
+ My Trip
- Users can add activities using the “my trip” button.
- Every time an activity is added a leaf is added to their trip.
- This represents building a trip and mimics a “shopping
bag” feature, better engaging users
Generates curiosity when browsing the website and encourages users to
click on the visitors bureau page
Continuous Placement of Visitor Bureau availability:
1
2 3
- Users can drag and drop their saved activities onto the
calendar to plan their trip
- The map shows where their saved activities are in
relation to each other to orient the user.
Why the word “Discover?”
Homepage image
Drop down menu dedicated to just the bureau
Permanent placement on the trip planner page
1.
2.
3.
31
32.
33. According to an unofficial poll of my friends and family
I have one defining trait. I’m a goof. I like to see my
goofiness as a genuine enthusiasm for whatever I’m
doing and I found that in the design field I could allow
my strange self to shine. After switching majors twice,
from biology to human development then finally to
design & environmental analysis, I found a place where
I could put my wonky strains of thought to productive
use. My exposure to interior design, environmental
psychology, human factors, and ergonomics has grown
my understanding of space and products within space.
I strive to combine my enthusiasm for design with my
academic training to create products and experiences
that challenge conventional ways of thinking and
ultimately add some spark to people’s lives.
ABOUT ME
aeh237@cornell.edu
347.665.3933
