ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the reader to the importance of human body dimensions in design. It’s essential to design products or spaces considering human body dimensions (anthropometry) to ensure seamless integration of the product/space with the human body. The concept of percentile value in body dimensions is discussed with specific focus on how to optimize anthropometric dimensions from the anthropometric database of a target population and map them on to a product or space. The different body types based upon amount of muscle, fat, and bones also give anthropometric dimensions a new direction. The human body dimensions and its calculation for the purpose of design are a little complex, as they are not static but dynamic in nature. While designing for humans, allowance should be added to the design for it to be effective in terms of optimum performance. Any anthropometric dimensions that are available to the designer are normally the static dimensions, and it is the job of the designer to add to it the elements of dynamicity which are revealed after the designer performs task analysis with humans.
