Comfort predictors for different kinds of hand tools: Differences and similarities

This study investigates whether the same factors underlie comfort in using different kinds of hand tools (screwdrivers, paintbrushes and handsaws). The underlying factors of the hand tools are identified using principal components analysis. The relationships between comfort descriptors (i.e. statements in end-users’ own words that are related to comfort) and comfort factors (i.e. groups of comfort descriptors) with comfort experience are calculated. It is concluded that the same factors (functionality, physical interaction adverse effects on skin and in soft tissues) underlie comfort in different kinds of hand tools, however their relative importance differed. Functionality and physical interaction are the most important factors of comfort in using screwdrivers and paintbrushes (beta 0.73 and 0.67, respectively) and functionality was the most important factor in using handsaws (beta 0.72). Moreover, the most important comfort descriptors differ between different kinds of hand tools. ‘Has a nice feeling handle’ (beta 0.27), ‘fits the hand’ (beta 0.43) and ‘offers a high task performance’ (beta 0.43) are the most important comfort descriptors in using screwdrivers, paintbrushes and handsaws, respectively. Moreover, similarities are seen: ‘Fits the hand’ is associated with comfort in all studied hand tools. The results are applied in a flow chart, which designers can use to address the appropriate comfort descriptors in the hand tool design process.