Participatory design and usability: A behavioral approach of workers' attitudes in the work environment

Abstract

The present exploratory study on design and usability was developed to understand the user's participation in the design process, the concept of attitude and its outcomes (as a result of a participative process) and positioned in a contextual framework. The main focus was to explore the link between workers' participation and attitudes when design improvements are introduced in the workplace. Participants in the study were 15 oil drillers working in offshore drilling rigs and engaged in oil and gas exploration and production (E&P). They completed a set of tools covering the nine attitude dimensions, and five scales of satisfaction. The results showed a low level of participation within the two groups involved and attitude toward their participation and the outcomes of the engineering design intervention. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.