I'm looking for ideas for a Human Factors project

I'm looking for ideas for a Human Factors project

As part of my studies at CMU MHCI, I'm taking a [Human Factors course](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factors). I must say that it's one of my more interesting courses and I'm happy I chose it as an elective. Human factors is a bit similar to usability analysis, but it has less to do with computers and more with actual daily physical objects. It's pretty much synonymous to \"ergonomics\". It tends to involve large systems like ships and airplanes and factories and cars. But the analysis applies also to smaller things. Aviation accidents are often a study of Human Factors analysis, examining the factors that caused it to happen.\n\nPart of Human Factors is also deconstructing the myth of \"human error\": although it does happen, in most cases things can actually be traced back to design problems. If a user chooses the wrong button because it's unclear from the labelling or colors which one is the right one, it's a design error and not just \"human error\".\n\nPart of the course is that we have to do a project, making something better with Human Factors. I must say that I don't yet have a clear idea of what it would be. I have some small ideas, but am looking for contributions and help here. If something comes to your mind that I could study, then please send the thought my way. It has to be an object from my own daily life, so maybe it's something that we've used together at some point. It could be something like an appliance (fridge? microwave?) with an especially unusable interface, or heating/cooling systems, or something about cars or such.