Research Methodologies in the Ergonomic Development and Evaluation of PC Mice

Abstract

Framing research within a methodology supports the planning which guides the research process. The process design defines a plan where research strategies aim collection of data and respective methods of analysis, in order to provide answers to research questions. This paper describes the research process conducted in the experimental and design work conducive to the doctoral dissertation by Lourenço [1] focusing on the development and ergonomic analysis of new PC mice. This research was framed within positivism, associated to exact sciences, adopting a structured research methodology, enabling enhanced replicability. The aim of this paper is report on research methodology, in particular in what concerns the intertwined research methodologies and associated research questions involved in the development and ergonomic evaluation of PC mice. The taxonomy of research approaches proposed by Järvinen [2] is the basis for the classification of the research methodology presented.