Malaysia is very famous among Southeast Asian countries whereby it has a diverse society in terms of religions, ethnicities and cultures. The  different   races, religions with a  protracted history have  made Malaysia a unique country with a resilient and diversified cultural background.

However, the diversity of people  based on  religion, and  culture is not something new compared to the diversity of consumers  that  has developed significantly in recent decades. In  relation  to  this, specifications such as product safety, usability, sales and brand loyalty have become complex and are no longer  viewed better   in the design process or attributes that determine the success of a product in the market.

This complicity can be overcome if designers intensify the application of human nature  and  human values in the development and  specifications of new products. Efforts to understand traditional , contemporary,  communalities   and differences between  them are important  and necessary for designer to meet the demands of  global markets. However, Jackson   et al., (2021) have argued that current designers have  generally  failed to understand and have not applied cultural values in the designs of their  products.

By examining  the failures and complexity, Shariman et al., (2015),  have suggested that the position of Malaysian designers is shrouded  in difficulties, especially in the  development of an identity for national products.  His research team has found that multiculturalism efforts are unlikely to succeed in the production of products with a national identity. However, Alphonse Chapanis   introduced a special framework  49 years  ago called Cultural Ergonomics,  to overcome the confusions in using cultural artefacts and cultural values as a source of inspiration to design products with cultural identity and preferences among users.

Cultural ergonomics is an approach that considers design variation based on the interaction and experience between cultures. Hence, cultural ergonomics helps to explore the explicit and implicit meanings of cultural artefacts based on their forms and  usability.  It  also gives a  wider space for designers to understand culture and methods of utilizing cultural knowledge from the  initial stages of the development of new products.  Therefore, a detailed understanding of cultural ergonomics is important to develop interactive and designs that are  user -centered.

For example,  the ethnic communities of Sabah and Sarawak  are rich with  various cultural practices and celebrations. The uniqueness and richness of their cultures can be identified through, cloth weaving, wood carvings and leather crafts. They can also be identified or distinguished by the uniqueness of architecture, home appliances, ceremonial equipment, weapons  and  different ornaments. This shows that the culture of Malaysian society has great potential to increase the value of designs that can gain recognition in the local and global markets.

On the other hand, to ensure the sustainability of national culture, it is necessary to study its   characteristics and transform   it into a modern  entity   by integrating with cultural  psychology and anthropology as highlighted by the concept of Cultural Ergonomics.

Guest Lecture 2022: Cultural Ergonomics: Terms, Definitions & Benefits

Ts. Dr. Velu A/L Perumal Pensyarah , Fakulti Rekabentuk dan Senibina, Univerisit Putra Malaysia.

Tarikh Input: 27/07/2023 | Kemaskini: 27/07/2023 | uswahhasanah