Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon

--



"Simon Foster" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon




--
Simon Foster

I suppose that to nippers at Uni, anyone over 50 is "old" :-(

Try those over 70, things 'start' to slow down then.

Mike

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On Feb 8, 4:33*pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
--

"Simon Foster" wrote in message

...









Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at:www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon

--
Simon Foster

I suppose that to nippers at Uni, anyone over 50 is "old" :-(

Try those over 70, things 'start' to slow down then.

Mike

...................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight..

...................................

From the look of you in Shanklin the other day Mike, things slowed
down and stopped many years ago.............must even be a struggle
putting your apron and stockings on when you go down the lodge of an
evening.................lol

In message
,
Steerpike writes
On Feb 8, 4:33*pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
--

"Simon Foster" wrote in message

...









Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at:www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon

--
Simon Foster

I suppose that to nippers at Uni, anyone over 50 is "old" :-(


According to the powers that be anyone over 50 is an "Elderly Person"

--
hugh

"hugh" ] wrote in message
...
In message
,
Steerpike writes
On Feb 8, 4:33 pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
--

"Simon Foster" wrote in
message

...









Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out
what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please
have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the
design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the
age
of 50.

The survey is at:www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon

--
Simon Foster

I suppose that to nippers at Uni, anyone over 50 is "old" :-(


According to the powers that be anyone over 50 is an "Elderly Person"


Do you have a reference for that?
Google seems to think that you are an 'elderly person' when you reach state
retirement age.

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In message , David WE Roberts
writes

"hugh" ] wrote in message
...
In message
,
Steerpike writes
On Feb 8, 4:33 pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
--

"Simon Foster" wrote in
message

...









Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find
out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max),
please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the
design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over
the age
of 50.

The survey is at:www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon

--
Simon Foster

I suppose that to nippers at Uni, anyone over 50 is "old" :-(


According to the powers that be anyone over 50 is an "Elderly Person"


Do you have a reference for that?
Google seems to think that you are an 'elderly person' when you reach
state retirement age.

If you get involved with issues affecting older people you will soon
find out.
Your local council will probably run a Senior persons network for those
over 50 - or they may have off-loaded it by now to a third sector
organisation. All part of the Strategic Partnership/Local Area
Partnership type crap.
--
hugh

"Simon Foster" wrote


Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,


The only thing I would say Simon is most on this newsgroup are keen
gardeners, we know more about Lawnmowers than the great unwashed, is that
the sort of people you want to take notice of, the sort of people that the
design is to be marketed too?
As for design, a rear roller is better than 4 wheels as you can cut over the
edge of the lawn instead of getting on your knees with a pair of shears.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
"Simon Foster" wrote


Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,


The only thing I would say Simon is most on this newsgroup are keen
gardeners, we know more about Lawnmowers than the great unwashed, is that
the sort of people you want to take notice of, the sort of people that the
design is to be marketed too?
As for design, a rear roller is better than 4 wheels as you can cut over
the edge of the lawn instead of getting on your knees with a pair of
shears.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK


Seconded but perhaps to add, rear roller yes but if its powered it should be
front wheel drive.

And young man when you get there you will find little difference between 30,
40 or 50 except at 50 you eyes start to go so I suppose it would be fair to
say they ought to print the manuals in a larger font!!!


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 09:46:45 -0000, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:


The only thing I would say Simon is most on this newsgroup are keen
gardeners, we know more about Lawnmowers than the great unwashed, is that
the sort of people you want to take notice of, the sort of people that the
design is to be marketed too?
As for design, a rear roller is better than 4 wheels as you can cut over
the edge of the lawn instead of getting on your knees with a pair of
shears.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK


Seconded but perhaps to add, rear roller yes but if its powered it should be
front wheel drive.

And young man when you get there you will find little difference between 30,
40 or 50 except at 50 you eyes start to go so I suppose it would be fair to
say they ought to print the manuals in a larger font!!!


50? I wish!
My eyes have been going for years. I'm only 40ish.
I have worn glasses since I was about 6 and have had reading glasses
for 3-4 years. Worst has to be cooking instructions! The last lot of
seeds I bought came with a sheet to print out with the instructions
on!
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

In message , mogga
writes
On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 09:46:45 -0000, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:


The only thing I would say Simon is most on this newsgroup are keen
gardeners, we know more about Lawnmowers than the great unwashed, is that
the sort of people you want to take notice of, the sort of people that the
design is to be marketed too?
As for design, a rear roller is better than 4 wheels as you can cut over
the edge of the lawn instead of getting on your knees with a pair of
shears.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK


Seconded but perhaps to add, rear roller yes but if its powered it should be
front wheel drive.

And young man when you get there you will find little difference between 30,
40 or 50 except at 50 you eyes start to go so I suppose it would be fair to
say they ought to print the manuals in a larger font!!!


50? I wish!
My eyes have been going for years. I'm only 40ish.
I have worn glasses since I was about 6 and have had reading glasses
for 3-4 years. Worst has to be cooking instructions! The last lot of
seeds I bought came with a sheet to print out with the instructions
on!
Nah, T&Cs on Credit Card offers.
--
hugh

On 09/02/2012 10:46, Charlie Pridham wrote:


should be front wheel drive.

And young man when you get there you will find little difference between
30, 40 or 50 except at 50 you eyes start to go so I suppose it would be
fair to say they ought to print the manuals in a larger font!!!



So true! Wish I'd thought to add that to the "Other" problems box. There
are so many leaflets / documents nowadays that are printed so small as
to be useless. Slightly off topic, but the other day at the supermarket,
the cashier gave us some coupons at the checkout. The print was too
small to read so just ended up in the rubbish.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

I'm now feeling really grateful for my shortsightedness. I wear varifocals, because with glasses my near sight has gone, and I can't read anything closer than about 3ft. But I've still retained my very close vision, so for anything very small, I take my glasses off and read it at about 6inches. And I can still thread needles and see to take splinters out.

If you watch older people who wear glasses when they're looking at something small, like trying to read an OS map, a good few of them will bend their head and peer over the top of their glasses - they're the short sighted ones, making good use of their close vision. (The others will just push away and mutter about the small sized print).

On 08/02/2012 15:34, Simon Foster wrote:
Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon





Done.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

On 08/02/2012 14:34, Simon Foster wrote:
Hello everyone.

I am a student currently studying in the Mechanical Engineering
department at the University of Sheffield. For my dissertation an
engineering company has asked me to review their lawn mower handling
system design, and part of the preliminary research is to find out what
difficulties people face when performing tasks in the garden.

If you have a spare 5 minutes (that's all it will take max), please have
a look at my online survey and help me out. In order to make the design
as ergonomic as possible, we're looking to focus on people over the age
of 50.

The survey is at: www.kwiksurveys.com/?u=gardening

I look forward to reading your opinions. Thanks very much,

Simon




I have completed your survey. It would be very interesting to
eventually hear the results, if possible.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

No problem, I'm sure I can come back on and let you guys know what we can gather from this.

Simon.