Henry Dreyfuss (incl. design evaluations)

Henry Dreyfuss

He was an American industrial designer - whose design philosophy was based on common sense and scientific principles. Most of which had contributions to the human factor analysis as well as consumer research. His aim was to improve the ergonomics of products, so that they look, feel and act with a better efficiency that aids the daily life, such as telephones, cameras and vacuum cleaners. He believed that products should be fit to people, not the other way around. Handles, controls, and other points of contact between people and machines should be obvious to use, not artfully hidden away.

Dreyfuss was apprentice to Norman Bel Geddes in 1924 and had opened his own design studios by 1929.In 1934, he was designed Hoover's 1936 Model 150 upright vacuum cleaner with the first plastic hood in Bakelite. In 1938, with great fanfare, New York Central introduced 10 new streamliner steam engines and cars designed by Dreyfuss. In 1953, Minneapolis Honeywell introduced a circular wall thermostat designed by Dreyfuss. He published Designing for People in 1955, an autobiography that included the first publication of "Joe" and "Josephine" anthropological charts. He created the ‘Joe’ and Josephine’ ergonomic dummies , where he has taken the average measurements for both a man and woman, and has calculated average reaching distance, space when bent over and ease of comfort when reaching for a product, as a few examples.

Model 302 Telephone

The design was first shown in 1937, by Dreyfuss and designer Bell Labs. The telephone has curved edges, even the base which is a square block. The telephone has been designed in this way so the receiver is on a cord, so there is ability to have some movement whilst on the phone. This also allows for if the phone as on a low side table, the caller can easily stand or sit near the phone and not have to strain themselves whilst on the phone. The receiver itself has taken into account the average size of both a man and a woman’s hand, so that there is ease/comfort when holding the phone, which the ear and mouth piece using the same information to pinpoint where both should be placed. The…