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Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Announces 2024 Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) today announced the winner of its 23rd Annual Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award: Honeywell for its IntelliSort® Cross Belt Sorter. The award honors Honeywell’s outstanding commitment to human-centered design and innovation.

Please join us to hear directly from the winner on November 4, 2024 from 11AM to 12PM Eastern, click here to join https://smithbucklin.zoom.us/j/96326317002.  This special session will include a presentation from this year’s winner on the design and development of the award-winning product. The ceremony is open to all members of HFES and interested members of the general public.

The IntelliSort® Cross Belt Sorter, developed by Honeywell’s User Experience Design team (China Design Studio), is a sophisticated sorting system designed for complex operational environments like a warehouse or distribution center. The product’s innovative approach addresses key user needs, ensuring reliability and efficiency across various use cases. This design reflects Honeywell’s dedication to simplifying processes while maintaining high performance, even in challenging scenarios.

Key Factors Contributing to the Selection of Honeywell:

  1. Innovative Design: The IntelliSort® Cross Belt Sorter was praised for its creative solutions to complex operational challenges. The judges appreciated Honeywell’s prioritization of user needs (primarily handling a wide variety of package types with high sortation accuracy), especially in maintenance scenarios, resulting in a product that remains reliable under various conditions.
  2. Holistic Approach: The design reflects a deep understanding of the stakeholder ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of both operators and maintenance personnel. The judges were impressed by the attention to detail that ensures a seamless user experience across all touchpoints.
  3. User-Focused Process: Honeywell’s thorough human-centered design process was highly regarded, even in the face of design constraints. The company’s commitment to ongoing evaluation and iteration demonstrated a strong alignment with the values that the UCD Award seeks to promote.
  4. Robust Execution: Honeywell’s responses highlighted the depth and rigor of their design process. The innovation and functionality of their product truly shined through in their detailed approach.

In summary, Honeywell’s submission showcased a well-rounded and impactful design, addressing the needs of a complex user base while maintaining a high standard of innovation and practicality. The team’s work reflects the principles of user-centered design and innovation, and we are pleased to recognize their efforts with this award.

Pete Holdcroft, Honeywell Industrial Automation Director of User Experience Design, told HFES that: "We are honored to receive the Stanley Caplan Award for User-Centered Product Design. This recognition underscores our commitment to designing with users at the forefront.

The IntelliSort® Cross Belt Sorter was a collaborative effort, and we’re proud that it addresses both operational and maintenance challenges while delivering a seamless and reliable experience for our users. Our team is motivated by the impact our innovations can have, and this award inspires us to continue pushing boundaries in design and technology."

Judging Panel:
This year’s award selection committee consisted of the following distinguished judges:

  • David N. Aurelio, Ph.D., Instructor, Tufts University
  • Eric Bergman, Director Human Centered Innovation, Fresenius Medical Care
  • Paul Eisen, Principal, Eisen UX Inc.
  • Srichand Pendyala, Staff Software Engineer, Apple
  • Su He, Senior Design Manager, Microsoft

Each judge brought a wealth of experience from their respective fields, ensuring a rigorous evaluation process. The judges’ collective expertise contributed to a comprehensive review of all submissions.

About the Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award:
The Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award is presented annually to teams and individuals who demonstrate outstanding innovation in user-centered design. Named in honor of Stanley Caplan, an HFES fellow, the award highlights efforts to promote user-centered research and design across multiple industries. The award is open to consumer, commercial, and medical products, and participants need not be HFES or PDTG members to be considered.

This year’s judging criteria included ease of operation, creativity and innovation, functional obviousness, concept development, design, and evaluation. The award is chaired by Adam Shames.

Nominations for the 2025 award are due by April 30, 2025, and can be submitted at www.UCDaward.com.