Within the furniture and forestry industries, there is a need for high value products to be developed for international markets utilising Australian hardwood timbers. This investigation has addressed this requirement, with a focus upon a particular timber species - Spotted Gum (corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata), a diversely eminent species of Queensland hardwood timber. The investigation was initiated by collaborating parties within the Co-operative Research Center for Wood Innovations (CRCWI) particularly the Department of Primary Industries – Forestry Research (DPI&F) in Queensland. It was decided by the DPI&F that an industrial design contribution, through the instigation of a design research led investigation would be a beneficial avenue for addressing prevalent issues in the forestry and furniture industries. Background research processes undertaken in both the forestry and furniture industries in a geographically specific area of Queensland were vital in establishing immediate investigation parameters. Following the establishment of these parameters and their accepted relevance to broader national industry concerns, the consequent development of an appropriate research method in this investigation was undertaken. The method generated needed to address two major issues. First, to address technical problems in the application of Spotted Gum timber to the production fine furniture, surpassing various initiatives to resolve these issues in the past, secondly, to address a lack of market knowledge, with regard to product design parameters for export markets within the participating Queensland furniture manufacturing industry. The method employed seeks to establish the degree of cultural difference that must be accounted for by manufacturers in developing products specifically for export market integration. This theory was tested by the development of two experimental indoor dining chairs, that were designed and prototyped, recognising to the best degree possible the exceptional technical requirements of Spotted Gum timber. Each of the two chairs were developed to the requirements of pre-determined market and user oriented needs of a separate case study destination, determined through qualitative and quantatative information generation. The specific niche market design parameters applied to design development, created a precursory theory that the products would have a greater degree of success in market integration if they were designed for specific niche market parameters.Each of the chairs was then exhibited in an appropriate market arena for the destination for which it was designed. A series of questions seeking preferences for each of the chairs, and the reasons for those preferences were solicited from those attending both of the exhibitions. The testing process resulted in a conclusion that there is little cultural difference that must be accounting for in approaching design development for the two international markets identified tested as case studies. The initial chair designs, developed and used in the testing role within the investigation, were according re-designed given the findings of the market testing process.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1991. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 14).

Thesis (Master)--İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, 2006. / Keywords: Globalization, local culture. Includes bibliographical references (leaves.74-79).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1986. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 116).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

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Orientador: Luis Carlos Paschoarelli / Co-orientador: José Carlos Plácido da Silva / Banca: Fausto Orsi Medola / Banca: João Eduardo Guarnetti dos Santos / Banca: Cristina do Carmo Lucio Berrehil El Kattel / Banca: Fernando José Carneiro Moreira da Silva / Resumo: Pesquisas na área do design ergonômico têm delineado parâmetros para o desenvolvimento de diversos produtos, por meio do estudo da relação de aspectos formais de produtos e a percepção ou solicitações físicas humanas. Entretanto, estudos da correlação de aspectos formais da superfície de contato (texturas das interfaces) com a percepção humana no uso de ferramentas manuais apresentam-se ainda incipientes. Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a relação de três características formais de textura (disposição, densidade gráfica, profundidade) com a percepção de desconforto e agradabilidade, visando compreender o dimensionamento sensorial tátil em ferramentas manuais. Para tanto, foi aplicado a fase de avaliação do método SEQUAM, com uso de 8 mock-ups de martelos unha com distintas configurações de texturas aplicadas aos seus cabos. As simulações de uso foram realizadas com profissionais de marcenaria (PM) e usuários domésticos (UD). Os resultados desta abordagem experimental demonstraram que as características de disposição, densidade gráfica e profundidade interferem na percepção do usuário; e que entre estas três características a densidade gráfica das ranhuras apresentou um número maior de aspectos perceptíveis com diferenças significativas (p<0,05) entre os mock-ups. Outro dado expressivo foi a diferença de percepção entre os grupos de sujeitos PM e UD. Estes resultados caracterizam as texturas das superfícies de contato de ferramentas manuais como elementos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Researches in the area of ergonomic design have outlined parameters for the development of several products, through the study of the relationship of formal aspects of products and the perception or human physical requests. However, studies of the correlation of formal aspects of the contact surface (interfaces textures) with human perception in the use of hand tools are still incipient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of three formal characteristics of texture (layout, graphic density, depth) with the perception of discomfort and pleasantness, in order to understand the tactile sensorial dimensioning in hand tools. Therefore, the evaluation phase of the method SEQUAM, with use of 8 mock-ups of nail hammers with distinct texture configurations applied to their cables. The use simulations were performed with carpentry professionals and home users. The results of this experimental approach demonstrated that the characteristics of layout, graphic density and depth interfere in the perception of the user; and that among these three characteristics the graphical density of the grooves presented a greater number of perceptible aspects with significant differences (p <0.05) between the mock-ups. Another expressive data was the difference of perception between the groups of subjects, carpentry professionals and home users. These results characterize the textures of contact surfaces of hand tools as formal elements associated with certain perceptions obtained in the use of the product; and points out possible contributions of studies on tactile sensorial dimensioning for the ergonomic design of hand tools. / Doutor

Orientador: Galdenoro Botura Junior / Co-orientador: Luis Carlos Paschoarelli / Banca: Bruno Montanari Rezza / Banca: Cássia Carraro / Banca: João Marcelo R. Soares / Resumo: Os websites de caráter informacional têm por finalidade transmitir uma mensagem sobre determinado assunto/tema sendo continuamente acessados por uma imensa maioria de pessoas por meio da rede mundial de computadores, ou internet. Na maioria das vezes, a forma, o nível de dificuldade de uso e a compreensão de suas interfaces acabam por definir a escolha dos usuários, colocando os portais de notícias dentre seus preferidos. O presente trabalho analisa como a complexidade visual de websites de caráter informacional interfere na experiência do usuário, apresentando e discutindo como suas interfaces são percebidas e criam significação que geram julgamentos com relação a atratividade e a satisfação do uso após experimentação. Mede as impressões iniciais dos usuários, que se relacionam com as expectativas e experiência de uso, medido pela eficácia e eficiência, finalizando com suas impressões finais. Identifica, também, qual anatomia de website possui a preferência do usuário, tomando por base aquela com que está habituado, desenvolvendo, a partir disto, um modelo dentro das preferências de atratividade. Essa pesquisa se dividiu em duas etapas na sua fase de coletas de dados. A primeira teve como objetivo identificar a partir de três modelos de interfaces - baixa complexidade, média complexidade e alta complexidade, qual garantiria maior atração e melhor resultado de experiência de uso. Os resultados desta pesquisa, denominada de PQ#1, foram obtidos por meio de um i... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Informational sites aim to convey a message about the subject being continually accessed by a vast majority of people through the World Wide Web or the internet. Most of the time, the form, level of difficulty of use and an understanding of its interfaces end up defining the choice of users, placing the news portals among their favorites. The present work analyzes how the visual complexity of sites of informational character interferes in the user experience, presenting and discussing how their interfaces are perceived and create meaning that generates judgments regarding attractiveness and satisfaction of use after experimentation. It measures the initial impressions of users, which relate to expectations and usage experience, measured by effectiveness and efficiency, ending with their final impressions. It also identifies which website has a user preference, based on the one to which it is accustomed, developing, from this, a model within the preferences of attractiveness. This research is divided into two stages in its data collection phase. The first one aimed at identifying fromthree interfaces models -, low complexity, medium complexity and high complexity, which would guaranteed highest quality task and best user experience results. The results of this research, called Research#1, were obtained through an online questionnaire survey, from a universe of forty one (41) people, between ages of 19 and 62, with a mean of 34.8 years and a standard deviation o... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor