BS EN ISO 9341-1998 PDF

Full title and description

The title supplied ("STB BS EN ISO 9341-1998") appears to contain a typographical error. The likely intended reference is the ISO 9241 series (published as EN ISO and adopted as national/European/British parts in the late 1990s) — Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs). The BS EN ISO 9241 family comprises multiple parts (for example parts on usability, keyboards, display characteristics, workstation layout and dialogue principles) with many individual parts published or adopted around 1998.

Abstract

The ISO 9241 series defines ergonomic requirements and recommendations for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs), covering general principles, usability guidance, physical characteristics of displays and input devices, workstation layout, and related test and measurement procedures. Many parts were issued or adopted as BS EN ISO documents in 1998 and provide guidance for designing hardware, software and workplaces to improve performance, comfort and safety.

General information

• Status: Series of international standards; individual parts published, withdrawn or superseded at different times (many 1998 British/European adoptions are now updated or replaced).
• Publication date: Various parts adopted/published in 1998 (individual part dates vary by document).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); European adoption as EN ISO; British adoption as BS (published by BSI).
• ICS / categories: 13.180 (Ergonomics), 35.180 (IT terminals and peripheral equipment).
• Edition / version: 1998 series (multiple part editions). Individual parts may have later editions (see related standards and supersessions).
• Number of pages: Varies by part (typical range for parts published in 1998: ~7–50 pages depending on scope — see individual part metadata for exact counts).

Scope

The ISO 9241 series covers ergonomic requirements for the design of visual display terminals, associated hardware and software, and the workplace for office tasks. Scope items include: defining usability concepts and measures; requirements for visual displays (luminance, contrast, reflection, colours); keyboard and input device ergonomics; workstation layout and postural guidance; dialogue and interaction principles for user interfaces; and procedures for specifying and evaluating conformance. The series is intended for designers, manufacturers, procurers and evaluators of VDT systems.

Key topics and requirements

• Usability definitions and guidance for specification and measurement of usability (how to specify context of use and usability goals).
• Visual display characteristics and test methods (contrast, luminance, reflection, colour requirements where applicable).
• Keyboard and non-keyboard input device ergonomic requirements (shape, force, layout, feedback).
• Workstation layout and postural requirements to reduce fatigue and musculoskeletal risk.
• Dialogue and interaction principles for software user interfaces (clarity, consistency, feedback, error management).
• Guidance on specifying, measuring and reporting conformance for individual parts of the standard family.

Typical use and users

Primary users include ergonomists, human factors specialists, user-experience (UX) designers, software and hardware developers, procurement officers specifying workplace equipment, occupational health and safety professionals, and test laboratories. Typical uses: product design and verification, procurement specifications, workplace assessments, usability engineering activities and compliance reporting.

Related standards

Later revisions and related documents in the ergonomics / human-system interaction domain supersede or extend many 1998 parts (for example newer editions of ISO 9241 parts and renumbered parts such as the 110-series interaction principles and the 2018 usability revision). Users should check the current edition for each part; several 1998 BS EN ISO parts have been withdrawn and replaced by later ISO/EN/BS versions.

Keywords

ergonomics, human–system interaction, VDT, visual display terminals, usability, user interface, workstation layout, keyboard, display colour, ISO 9241, BS EN ISO, BSI

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: The reference appears to point to the ISO 9241 family (adopted as EN ISO and BS EN ISO parts in the late 1990s), a multi-part international standard addressing ergonomics of office work with visual display terminals and human–system interaction. The number "9341" in the supplied title is almost certainly a typographical error for "9241".

Q: What does it cover?

A: The series covers ergonomic design requirements and recommendations for displays, input devices, workplace layout, software dialogue principles and usability specification and measurement — all aimed at improving user performance, comfort and safety when working with VDTs. Individual parts focus on specific topics (e.g., usability guidance, display requirements, keyboards, colours, workstation layout).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Ergonomists, UX and interface designers, product engineers, procurement and quality teams, occupational health professionals, and test laboratories use the standard to design, evaluate and specify VDT hardware, software and workstations.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Many specific 1998 adoptions of ISO 9241 parts have since been revised, withdrawn or superseded by later editions (for example ISO 9241-11:1998 was later replaced by ISO 9241-11:2018). Users should verify the current status of the exact part number they need.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 9241 is a multi-part standard (a family) covering multiple ergonomic topics for human–system interaction and VDTs; parts are numbered (e.g., 1, 2, 3, …, 110, 210, etc.) and have been reorganized/renumbered over time.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Ergonomics, VDT, usability, human–computer interaction, workstation, display, keyboard, dialogue principles, ISO 9241, BS EN ISO.