Assembly/disassembly
- Users need minimal assistance (e.g., a pictorial guide) to discover the correct assembly/disassembly process for the device.
Key indicators
- The product should only be able to be assembled in one correct way.
- The product assembly/disassembly sequence is clearly communicated through product design elements such as component shape and color.
- The number of parts/components requiring disassembly is minimized.
- Assembly and retention forces are low but sufficient to provide robust connections between components.
Notes and exceptions
- User research study participants in India commonly ignored printed assembly instructions when first assembling durable HWTS products.
- Parts that should not fit together should be obvious mismatches. Parts that fit together should be indicated by their shape, color, relative size, patterns or other obvious features.
Supporting evidence
- PATH. Extended User Testing of Household Water Treatment and Storage Products in Andhra Pradesh, India: Final Study Report. Seattle, WA: PATH: 2010. Available at: http://www.path.org/publications/detail.php?i=1841.
- Reference Design Beta Prototype Test. PATH, unpublished data, 2010.
- Full list of supporting evidence and additional materials.
Product assembly can be confusing for users. Photo: PATH.