Number Plate Design for Bicycles: An Approach from Aesthetic and Ergonomic Perspective

Need for design of a part or as a whole of a utility item/issue and ergonomics considerations interact in an intertwined way while re-looking the issue either for betterment of existing product or to develop a new one. Around 4000 students of 13 hostels use bicycles in IIT Guwahati campus and identity of bicycles is an issue. The present study looks into the possibilities of using identity labels on bicycles being used in IIT Guwahati campus by the students of different hostel resident. Attempt has been made to develop an ergonomically visible and aesthetically appealing numbering system with specific attention to information flow presentation for easy readability and legibility in both static and moving conditions. Study was conducted through placing relevant information using horizontal and vertical orientation on the mudguard. This study was done with the observational and experimental analysis of the design. Results show that instead of horizontal orientation, the vertical placement on mudguard area is preferred. It was clearly found that the new design was better in terms of readability, legibility, and design aesthetics.