ISO 9241-3-1992 PDF

Full title and description

Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) — Part 3: Visual display requirements. This international standard specifies image-quality and visual-display performance requirements for the design and evaluation of single- and multi-colour visual display terminals used for office-type tasks (text processing, data entry, interactive inquiry), including test methods and informative annexes on flicker and temporal/spatial instability.

Abstract

Part 3 establishes performance specifications and image-quality requirements to ensure displays are legible, safe and efficient for office tasks. It addresses character sets of Latin, Cyrillic and Greek origin and Arabic numerals, and includes analytical and empirical techniques for predicting and assessing screen flicker, temporal/spatial instability (flicker and jitter) and comparative user performance test methods in annexes.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn.
• Publication date: July 1992.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.180, 35.180.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (1992); includes Amendment Amd 1:2000 (historical).
• Number of pages: 28.

Scope

This part of ISO 9241 specifies ergonomic and image-quality requirements for visual display terminals intended for office-like tasks. It covers display characteristics and measurable performance criteria (temporal and spatial stability, flicker, luminance and contrast behaviour, character legibility) and provides test methods and annexes for analytical prediction and empirical assessment of display instabilities and comparative user performance. The intent is to provide objective criteria to guide design, evaluation and procurement of VDTs.

Key topics and requirements

• Image quality and character legibility requirements for single- and multi-colour displays.
• Performance specifications for temporal stability (flicker) and spatial stability (jitter).
• Analytical techniques to predict screen flicker (informative annex).
• Empirical test methods for assessing temporal and spatial instability and comparative user performance tests (informative annexes).
• Guidance intended for office tasks such as data entry, text processing and interactive inquiry.

Typical use and users

Used historically by ergonomists, human factors professionals, display engineers, procurement/specification teams, test laboratories and HCI researchers when defining or evaluating display performance for office applications. Today it is mainly referenced for historical context and legacy equipment assessment.

Related standards

ISO 9241-3 (1992) is part of the ISO 9241 series on ergonomics of human–system interaction. The original Part 3 has been withdrawn and its display-related requirements were superseded and reorganized into the ISO 9241-300 series (for example ISO 9241-302, -303, -304, -305, -307 published in 2008) and later technical reports such as ISO/TR 9241-311. See the broader ISO 9241 family (parts addressing displays, software ergonomics and usability) for current normative guidance.

Keywords

ISO 9241-3, visual display requirements, VDT, display ergonomics, flicker, jitter, character legibility, image quality, office work, human factors.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 9241-3:1992 is an international standard that specified ergonomic image-quality and visual-display performance requirements for visual display terminals used in office-type tasks.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers display characteristics and measurable performance criteria — including luminance/contrast behaviour, flicker and temporal/spatial stability, character legibility — and provides analytical and empirical test methods (annexes) for assessing these characteristics.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Historically: ergonomists, human factors and usability professionals, display engineers, procurement teams, testing laboratories and researchers involved in display evaluation and specification. Today it is primarily of historical or legacy-interest because display standards have been reorganized.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 9241-3:1992 has been withdrawn. Its content was revised and superseded by later parts of the ISO 9241-300 series (for example ISO 9241-302, -303, -304, -305, -307 issued in 2008) and subsequent technical reports. Users should consult the current 300-series documents for up-to-date display requirements.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it was part of the multi-part ISO 9241 series on ergonomics of human–system interaction (originally titled ergonomics for office work with VDTs). The series has been expanded and renumbered; display-related material now appears in the 300-series.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Visual display requirements, VDT, image quality, flicker, jitter, character legibility, display performance, ergonomics, ISO 9241.