Design Approach for Personalized Hand Tool Design: Ergonomic Fit and Performance of Ice Cream Disher Handles for Diverse Hand Sizes

This study started from this central query: “How can we design personalized hand tools that fit an individual’s hand dimensions?” Based on the hypothesis, personalizing a product to fit one person’s hand can benefit others with similar hand sizes, 13 student designers developed personalized ice cream scoop disher handles that fit their own hands. These handles were then publicly exhibited for visitors. Visitors identified their hand size percentile, tested different handles, subsequently evaluating usability. The study aims to answer research questions on how users perceive handle fit and performance in relation to hand size differences between designers and users. The analysis of 70 datasets revealed a moderate positive correlation (r=0.56) between perceived fit and performance. Also, larger percentile gaps between the user’s and designer’s hand sizes were associated with lower fit ratings. This research underscores the role of advanced technologies like 3D printing in enhancing the personalization of ergonomic tools.