SIST EN ISO 9241-400:2007

SLOVENSKI oSIST prEN ISO 9241-400:2005

PREDSTANDARD
september 2005
Ergonomija medsebojnega vpliva človek-sistem - Fizične vhodne naprave -
400. del: Načela, predstavitev in splošne zahteve za načrtovanje (ISO/DIS 9241-
400:2005)
Ergonomics of human--system interaction - Physical input devices - Part 400:
Guiding principles, introduction and general design requirements (ISO/DIS 9241-
400:2005)
ICS 13.180; 35.180 Referenčna številka
oSIST prEN ISO 9241-400:2005(en)
©  Standard je založil in izdal Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje ali kopiranje celote ali delov tega dokumenta ni dovoljeno

EUROPEAN STANDARD
DRAFT
prEN ISO 9241-400
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
June 2005
ICS
English version
Ergonomics of human--system interaction - Physical input
devices - Part 400: Guiding principles, introduction and general
design requirements (ISO/DIS 9241-400:2005)
Ergonomie de l'interaction homme/système - Dispositifs Ergonomie der Mensch-System-Interaktion - Physikalische
d'entrée physiques - Partie 400: Principes directeurs, Eingabegeräte - Teil 400: Ergonomische Grundlagen:
introduction et exigences générales de conception Einleitung und Anforderungen (ISO/DIS 9241-400:2005)
(ISO/DIS 9241-400:2005)
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for parallel enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 122.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language
made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are aware and to
provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without notice and
shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2005 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN ISO 9241-400:2005: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

prEN ISO 9241-400:2005 (E)
Foreword
This document (prEN ISO 9241-400:2005) has been prepared by Technical Committee
ISO/TC 159 "Ergonomics" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 122
"Ergonomics", the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This document is currently submitted to the parallel Enquiry.

Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 9241-400:2005 has been approved by CEN as prEN ISO 9241-400:2005
without any modifications.
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/DIS 9241-400
ISO/TC 159/SC 4 Secretariat: BSI
Voting begins on: Voting terminates on:
2005-06-09 2005-11-09
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION • МЕЖДУНАРОДНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ПО СТАНДАРТИЗАЦИИ • ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE NORMALISATION
Ergonomics of human–system interaction — Physical input
devices —
Part 400:
Guiding principles, introduction and general design
requirements
Ergonomie de l'interaction homme/système — Dispositifs d'entrée physiques —
Partie 400: Principes directeurs, introduction et exigences générales de conception
ICS 13.180; 35.180
ISO/CEN PARALLEL ENQUIRY
The CEN Secretary-General has advised the ISO Secretary-General that this ISO/DIS covers a subject
of interest to European standardization. In accordance with the ISO-lead mode of collaboration as
defined in the Vienna Agreement, consultation on this ISO/DIS has the same effect for CEN
members as would a CEN enquiry on a draft European Standard. Should this draft be accepted, a
final draft, established on the basis of comments received, will be submitted to a parallel two-month FDIS
vote in ISO and formal vote in CEN.
In accordance with the provisions of Council Resolution 15/1993 this document is circulated in
the English language only.
Conformément aux dispositions de la Résolution du Conseil 15/1993, ce document est distribué
en version anglaise seulement.
To expedite distribution, this document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
ISO Central Secretariat work of editing and text composition will be undertaken at publication
stage.
Pour accélérer la distribution, le présent document est distribué tel qu'il est parvenu du
secrétariat du comité. Le travail de rédaction et de composition de texte sera effectué au
Secrétariat central de l'ISO au stade de publication.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED FOR COMMENT AND APPROVAL. IT IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND MAY NOT BE
REFERRED TO AS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
© International Organization for Standardization, 2005

ISO/DIS 9241-400
PDF disclaimer
This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but shall
not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In
downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat
accepts no liability in this area.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation
parameters were optimized for printing. Every care has been taken to ensure that the file is suitable for use by ISO member bodies. In the
unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below.
Copyright notice
This ISO document is a Draft International Standard and is copyright-protected by ISO. Except as permitted
under the applicable laws of the user's country, neither this ISO draft nor any extract from it may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior written permission being secured.
Requests for permission to reproduce should be addressed to either ISO at the address below or ISO's
member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56  CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail copyright@iso.org
Web www.iso.org
Reproduction may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.
Violators may be prosecuted.
©
ii ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
Contents Page
Foreword. v
Introduction . viii
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 2
3 Terms and definitions. 2
3.1 Actions. 2
3.2 Touch strategies . 3
3.3 Press/release strategies. 3
3.4 Feedback. 3
3.5 Hardware. 3
3.6 Input devices . 4
3.7 Measures . 11
3.8 Postures. 13
3.9 Types of task primitives. 18
3.10 Usability related definitions. 19
4 Guiding principles . 20
4.1 General considerations. 20
4.2 Design requirements . 21
4.2.1 Appropriateness . 21
4.2.2 Operability . 21
4.2.3 User compatibility. 21
4.2.4 Feedback. 21
4.2.5 Controllability. 21
4.2.6 Biomechanical load . 22
5 Performance criterion. 22
6 Properties of input devices relevant for usability . 23
6.1 Types of input devices - General considerations. 23
6.2 Typology of input devices. 24
6.2.1 Typology by bodily part used for operation. 24
6.2.2 Typology by task primitive . 24
6.2.3 Typology by degrees of freedom (dimensions). 25
6.2.4 Typology by the property sensed . 25
6.3 Functional properties . 25
6.4 Electrical properties . 25
6.5 Mechanical properties. 25
6.6 Maintainability related properties . 25
6.7 Safety related properties. 26
6.8 Interdependency with software . 26
6.9 Interdependency with use environment. 26
6.10 Documentation. 26
Index. 28
ISO/DIS 9241-400
Figures Page
Figure 1 — Home row . 4
Figure 2 — Home row height . 4
Figure 3 — Side view of example of a joystick . 5
Figure 4 — Example of a dished profile keyboard. 5
Figure 5 — Example of a flat profile keyboard. 6
Figure 6 — Keyboard slope. 6
Figure 7 — Example of a sculptured profile keyboard. 6
Figure 8 — Sloped profile keyboard. 7
Figure 9 — Example of a stepped profile keyboard . 7
Figure 10 — Example of a light-pen against a display. 8
Figure 11 — Top view of example of a tablet with a graphic overlay (indicated by arrow). 8
Figure 12 — Top view and side view examples of palm rests used with mice. 9
Figure 13 — Top view examples of two types of pucks. 9
Figure 14 — Top view of example of a puck with reticle (indicated in exploded view on left) . 10
Figure 15 — Side view of example of a stylus over a graphics tablet. 10
Figure 16 — Example of top view of a trackball device with buttons. 11
Figure 17 — Planes . 13
Figure 18 — Abduction and adduction . 13
Figure 19 — Dorsal view of hand. 14
Figure 20 — Example of hand extension. 14
Figure 21 — Hand flexion . 15
Figure 22 — Palmar area (indicated by the circle) of the hand .16
Figure 23 — Pronation (rotation indicated by arrow). 16
Figure 24 — Radial hand deviation (direction indicated by arrow). 17
Figure 25 — Supination (rotation indicated by arrow) . 17
Figure 26 — Ulnar deviation of hand (direction indicated by arrow). 18
Figure 27 — Diffuse reflection . 19
iv © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 9241-400 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee SC 4, and by
Technical Committee CEN/TC 122, Ergonomics in collaboration.
ISO 9241-4:1998, Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) – Part 4:
Keyboard requirements, and ISO 9241-9:2000, Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (VDTs) – Part 9: Requirements for non-keyboard input devices, will be consolidated and divided into
the standards of the ISO 9241-400 series.
The framework of the standards of the series ISO 9241-400 Ergonomics of human system interaction —
Physical input devices consists of following parts:
 Part 400: Ergonomic principles: introduction and requirements
 Part 410: Design criteria for products
1)
 Part 411: Laboratory assessment methods
 Part 420: Ergonomic selection procedures
2)
 Part 421: Workplace assessment methods
This structure was selected to address the needs of different user groups of the standard involved in the
design and use of physical input devices in separate documents.
ISO 9241 consists of the following parts:
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 1: General
introduction
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 2: Guidance on task
requirements
1) To be planned in consideration of ISO 9241-410.
2) To be planned in consideration of ISO 9241-420.
ISO/DIS 9241-400
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 3: Visual display
requirements
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 4: Keyboard
requirements
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 5: Workstation layout
and postural requirements
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 6: Guidance on the
work environment
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 7: Requirements for
display with reflections
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 8: Requirements for
displayed colours
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 9: Requirements for
non-keyboard input devices
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 11: guidance on
usability
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 12: Representation of
information
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 13: User guidance
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 14: Menu dialogues
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 15: Command
dialogues
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 16: Direct-
manipulation dialogues
 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 17: Form-filling
dialogues
3)
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Part 110: Dialogue principles
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
4)
electronic visual displays — Part 300: Introduction
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
4)
electronic visual displays — Part 302: Terminology
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
4)
electronic visual displays — Part 303: Ergonomic requirements
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
4)
electronic visual displays — Part 304: User performance test methods

3) This international Standard is currently at DIS stage.
4) This international Standard is under preparation by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 2 "Visual display requirements".
vi © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
5)
electronic visual displays — Part 305: Optical laboratory test methods
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
5)
electronic visual displays — Part 306: Field assessment methods
 Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Ergonomic requirements and measurement techniques for
5)
electronic visual displays — Part 307: Analysis and compliance test methods
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 400: Ergonomic principles:
6)
introduction and requirements
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 410: Design criteria for
6)
products
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 411: Laboratory assessment
7)
methods
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 420: Ergonomic selection
6)
procedures
 Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 421: Workplace assessment
8)
methods
5) This international Standard is under preparation by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 2 "Visual display requirements".
6) This international Standard is under preparation by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 3 "Controls, workplace and environmental
requirements".
7) To be planned in consideration of ISO 9241-410.
8) To be planned in consideration of ISO 9241-420.
ISO/DIS 9241-400
Introduction
Input devices are means for users for entering data into interactive systems. Generally speaking, an input
device is a sensor that can detect changes in user behaviour (e.g. gestures, moving fingers etc.) and
transform it into signals to be interpreted by the interactive system.
Input devices may be utilised for the sole purpose they have been designed for, e.g. a keyboard for entering
character codes. Under circumstances they may be used also for some other purposes. However, in this
case, generally their efficiency and/or effectiveness is restricted to a certain degree (e.g. keyboard for
pointing). An input device can also be used in combination with others if needed to enhance the capabilities of
users. Utilising a keyboard and a mouse for drawing straight lines is an example for the latter.
Whether or not an input device or a combination of input devices is acceptable from an ergonomic point of
view is to be determined following the rationale of the usability concept. This concept postulates that an entity
has no inherent usability, but one in a specified context of use, for specified goals and specified users. A
product may be designed for an intended user population and for a restricted context of use, e.g. for children
in moderately tempered indoor spaces. Specifying goals for using a device needs additional considerations,
however.
Goals users of input devices need to achieve may be defined as high-level tasks such as “word processing” or
“multimedia”. A definition in this level, however, may be too abstract to design, test or select a device on the
basis of usability. For this reason, this standard specifies “task primitives” such as “pointing”, “dragging” or
“code input”.
Design and selection equipment requires a fit to be achieved between a range of task requirements and the
needs of users. The concept of fit as defined in ISO 9241-5 concerns the extent to which equipment (visual
display units, input devices, etc.) can accommodate individual users’ needs. Good fit is needed for the
intended user population including users with special needs, e.g. handicapped persons, if the use of a certain
device is not limited to a specified user population and task. Since a variety of input devices exists that may
enable a user to achieve the same usability for the same task by creating input through different bodily
abilities (e.g. hand, foot, speech or eye control) the required fit can be achieved by utilizing any device that
offers the required level of usability. Depending on the character of the special needs, a combination of
different devices may be necessary, e.g. a foot and an eye controlled input device instead of a mouse for a
user who cannot use the hands for whatever reason.
This standard specifies generic ergonomic principles valid for the design and use of input devices. It also
specifies properties relevant for the usability of input devices and typologies in consideration of different
aspects (e.g. degrees of freedom, property sensed etc.). Guidance on the application of these principles on
9)
product design is given in ISO 9241-410 . The ergonomic guidance for the design of products is given
without including aspects related to a particular context (e.g. using keyboards at CAD-workstations). Selecting
the intended context of use is part of the design process and not subject to this standard.
10)
ISO 9241-411 specifies methods for determining conformance through observation, performance, and by
measuring the physical attributes of the various devices.
NOTE This standard will be supported by following methods (ISO 9241-411):
 Usability test for text and data input using stationary keyboards (currently in ISO 9241-4)

9) This international Standard is under preparation by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 3 "Controls, workplace and environmental
requirements".
10) To be planned in consideration of ISO 9241-410.
viii © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
 Generic usability test for keyboards for non-touch typing tasks
 Input device selection, usability testing and analysis (currently in ISO 9241-9)
 Testing of efficiency and effectiveness of physical input devices (based on the methods as specified in ISO 9241-9)
 Assessment of comfort (currently in ISO 9241-4 and ISO 9241-9)
 Additional evaluation methods
Guidance on the application of these principles on selecting appropriate products for a given context of use is
9)
described in ISO 9241-420 in form of ergonomic selection and combination criteria for using single or
multiple input devices at the same workstation.
This standard includes no test and evaluation methods for the use by manufacturers and test houses as well
as workplace test methods for user organizations, since such methods may be subject to frequent change.
These will be formulated separately for each target group as separate document for the respective document.
ISO/DIS 9241-400
Ergonomics of human–system interaction — Physical input
devices —
Part 400:
Guiding principles, introduction and general design
requirements
1 Scope
This part of ISO 9241 gives guidelines for physical input devices for interactive systems. It provides guidance
based on ergonomic factors for the following input devices: keyboards, mice, pucks, joysticks, trackballs,
trackpads, tablets and overlays, touch sensitive screens, styli, and light pens, voice controlled devices,
gesture controlled devices (see. 6.1.1). This part of ISO 9241 defines and formulates ergonomic principles
valid for the design and use of input devices. These principles are to be used to generate recommendations
for the design of products and for their use. For some applications, e.g. in areas where safety is the major
concern, other additional principles may apply and take precedence over the guidance given here.
This part of ISO 9241 also determines properties of input devices relevant for usability including functional,
electrical mechanical, maintainability and safety related properties. Also included are aspects of
interdependency with the use environment and software. Any of these properties that may be subject to other
regulations or standards are considered following the example of electrical properties. The standard considers
the following properties:
 properties influenced by overriding considerations, e.g. electrical safety, and thus cannot be influenced by
the designer;
 properties that may impair usability, e.g. thickness of the cabling for a mouse or the weight of batteries of
hand-held devices.
To be able to formulate recommendations for groups or types of input devices, a set of typologies is
introduced based on aspects according which possible designs can be differentiated:
 physical variables carrying the information (relative/absolute position, force, velocity, acceleration, etc.);
 bodily part used for operation;
 dimensionality of control (degrees of freedom);
 multiplicity of control (number of parallel control variables);
 control modality (discrete/continuous);
 control monitoring (one-shot or continuous time, holds last value or returns to nominal value, sequential or
„skip-out“ the continuum output, etc.);
 control distance function (monotonic, non-monotonic, uni/bipolar, etc.);
 literalness of control (mapping);
 psychological nature of control (causality, exploratory or goal-oriented control).
ISO/DIS 9241-400
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 9241-3:1992, Ergonomic requirements for office work visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 3: Visual
display requirements
ISO 9241-5:1998, Ergonomic requirements for office work visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 5:
Workstation layout and postural requirements
ISO 9241-8:1997, Ergonomic requirements for office work visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 8:
Requirements for displayed colours
ISO 9241-9:2000, Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 9:
Requirements for non-keyboard input devices
ISO 9241-11:1998, Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 11:
Guidance on usability
11)
ISO/DIS 9241-410 , Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 410: Design
criteria for products
11)
ISO/DIS 9241-420 , Ergonomics of human system interaction — Physical input devices — Part 420:
Ergonomic selection procedures
ISO 11226:2000, Ergonomics — Evaluation of static working postures
ISO 11228-1:2003, Ergonomics — Manual handling — Part 1: Lifting and carrying
ISO/IEC 9995-2:2002, Information technology — Keyboard layouts for text and office systems— Part 2:
Alphanumeric section
EN 1005-1:2001, Safety of machinery— human physical performance — Part 1: terms and definitions
CIE 17.4:1987, International lighting vocabulary; Chapter 845: lighting
3 Terms and definitions
12)
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1 Actions
3.1.1
click
depression and release of a button or actuation point on an input device

11) This international Standard is under preparation by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 3 "Controls, workplace and environmental
requirements".
12) The illustrations of the devices used in this clause do not necessarily represent the design requirements and
recommendations of the standard.
2 © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.1.2
free hand input
input where the input device controls the movement of the cursor without any constraints following the manual
input of the user
3.1.3
tracking
moving a pointer or predefined symbol across the surface of a display screen in order to follow a target
3.2 Touch strategies
3.2.1
first contact touch
activation of a function upon touching the display surface
3.2.2
last contact touch
activation of a function upon withdrawing touch from the display surface
3.3 Press/release strategies
3.3.1
on-press activation
activation of a function by pressing a key or button
3.3.2
on-release activation
activation of a function by releasing a key or button
3.4 Feedback
3.4.1
feedback
indicators (such as tactile, auditory or visual) sensed by a user of an action (such as movement or actuation of
an input device)
NOTE Display feedback refers to a change on the display resulting from an input device movement or activation.
3.4.2
kinesthetic feedback
action perceived by the mechano-receptors in joints, muscles, and tendons resulting in awareness of position,
movement, weight, and resistance of the limbs or other body parts
3.4.3
tactile feedback
indication of the results of a user action transmitted through the sense of touch
3.5 Hardware
3.5.1
button
mechanical object integrated into an input device, which responds to force when depressed and provides
input to computer
3.5.2
cursor
visual indication of where the user interaction via keyboard (or equivalent input device) will occur.
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.5.3
cursor keys
array of keys which control the movement of the cursor on the display screen and are labelled with arrows
indicating the direction of cursor movement caused by the individual keys
3.6 Input devices
3.6.1
home row
row of the keyboard to which the fingers typically return between keystrokes (see figure 1)
NOTE On the typical keyboard, the home row is row C of ISO/IEC 9995-1:1994 in the alphanumeric section as well
as in the numeric section
Figure 1 — Home row
3.6.2
home row height
h
height from the centre of the strike surface of an unactuated key in the home row to the support surface (see
figure 2)
Figure 2 — Home row height
3.6.3
input device
user controlled device that transmits information to a system
4 © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.4
joystick
lever mounted in a fixed base used to control the movement of objects displayed on a screen and which
controls the relationship between the force or movement applied to the lever and the movement of a pointer
(see figure 3)
Figure 3 — Side view of example of a joystick
3.6.4.1
displacement joystick
joystick with a lever that tilts in the direction of applied force from a home position moving the display pointer
in proportion to the displacement distance
3. 6.4.2
isometric joystick
joystick where the input depends on the force exerted rather than the position of the control
3.6.5
keyboard profile
geometric (i.e. flat, stepped, sloped, dished or sculptured) configuration of the top of the keys
3.6.5.1
dished profile keyboard
keyboard in which the side profile of the keys resembles a continuous concave curve
(see figure 4)
Figure 4 — Example of a dished profile keyboard
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.5.2
flat profile keyboard
keyboard that has a zero slope with the front at the same height as the back when placed on a flat work
surface (see figure 5)
Figure 5 — Example of a flat profile keyboard
3.6.5.3
keyboard slope
angle (α) between the plane of the key top surfaces (P-P) and the horizontal surface (H-H) as measured
across row A-E using the notation of ISO 9995-1:1994 (see figure 6)
NOTE For keyboards without an E row, use rows B to D.
Figure 6 — Keyboard slope
3.6.5.4
sculptured profile keyboard
keyboard in which the side view of the keytops is shaped in other than a straight line (see figure 7)
Figure 7 — Example of a sculptured profile keyboard
6 © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.5.5
sloped profile keyboard
keyboard in which the side profiles of the keys are all sloped (pitched) at the same angle with respect to the
base (see figure 8)
Figure 8 — Sloped profile keyboard
3.6.5.6
stepped profile keyboard
keyboard in which the top of each key is parallel to the work surface but at a different height from the work
surface (see figure 9)
Figure 9 — Example of a stepped profile keyboard
3.6.6
key displacement
key movement from its rest position to its fully depressed position
3.6.7
key force
force required to displace a key to a specified position
3.6.8
key roll over
ability of a keyboard to register the correct order of activation of a set of keys
3.6.9
keyboard layout
spatial allocation of keys on a keyboard
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.10
light-pen
light sensitive input device that, when pointed onto a specific location on a display, identifies its position to the
system (see figure 10)
Figure 10 — Example of a light-pen against a display
3.6.11
mouse
computer input device having one or more buttons and capable of two dimensional rolling motion which can
drive a cursor on the display and performs a variety of selection options or commands
3.6.12
numeric keypad
array of keys in the numeric section to which are allocated the ten digits 0 to 9 and the decimal separator
3.6.13
overlay
thin template on the surface of a tablet used to indicate the graphic functions available to the user (see figure
11)
Figure 11 — Top view of example of a tablet with a graphic overlay
(indicated by arrow)
8 © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.14
palm rest
surface which supports the palm of the hand (when using an input device), for keyboards platform placed in
front of the keyboard or embedded in the keyboard on which the operator may place the palm of their hands
(see figure 12)
Figure 12 — Top view and side view examples of palm rests used with mice
3.6.15
pointer
symbol on a display which indicates input or selection position whose movement is controlled by an input
device
3.6.16
puck
hand-held device similar to a mouse but with a reticle view port and that is typically used with a digitizing tablet
(see figure 13)
Figure 13 — Top view examples of two types of pucks
3.6.17
ramp action
kinaesthetic sensation during key actuation in which the force required to actuate the key increases as the key
is displaced
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.18
reticle
orthogonal lines in the lens of a puck used to visually align the puck to an (see figure 14)
Figure 14 — Top view of example of a puck with reticle
(indicated in exploded view on left)
3.6.19
section
part of a keyboard
EXAMPLE Parts of a keyboard are, e.g., alphanumeric section, editing section, function section and numeric section.
3.6.20
selector button
actuator located on an input device
3.6.21
snap action
sudden drop in force required to further displace a key
3.6.22
strike surface
area on the top surface of the key which the finger contacts during key actuation
3.6.23
stylus
pen-shaped pointing device which when touched to a display or graphics tablet, can be used to draw images
on a display or select displayed objects typically by depressing the stylus tip or actuating a button located
along the side of the stylus (see figure 15)
Figure 15 — Side view of example of a stylus over a graphics tablet
3.6.24
tablet
special flat surface with an input device (such as, a stylus or puck) for selection, drawing, or indicating position
of images to be displayed
10 © ISO 2005 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.6.25
tactile indicator keys
keys in the home row which contain a tactile aid for recentering the hands
3.6.26
trackball
ball in a fixed housing that can be rolled in any direction by the fingers to control pointer movement and that
often has adjacent buttons (see figure 16)
Figure 16 — Example of top view of a trackball device with buttons
3.6.27
touch sensitive screen
TSS
input device that produces a position and selection input signal from a finger touching, lifting off, or moving
across a display
3.6.28
workstation
assembly comprising display equipment with or without a central processing unit, which may be provided with
a keyboard and/or input device and/or software determining the operator/machine-interface, optional
accessories, peripherals and the immediate work environment
[ISO 9241-5:1998]
3.7 Measures
3.7.1
biomechanical load
effect of work posture and effort on the musculoskeletal system
3.7.2
colour difference
difference between two colour stimuli, defined as the Euclidean distance between the points representing
them in the CIE 1976 L*u*v*
[ISO 9241-8:1997]
3.7.3
design reference posture
posture specified for the purpose of workstation design to define relative positions and dimensions
[ISO 9241–5:1998]
NOTE For detailed information about working postures see ISO 9241-5:1998 and ISO 11226:2000.
ISO/DIS 9241-400
3.7.4
design viewing distance
distance, or range of distances (specified by the supplier) between the screen and the operator'
...