EN ISO 15535:2023 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 15535:2023 (ISO 15535:2023) defines general requirements for creating and reporting anthropometric databases based on measurements taken in accordance with ISO 7250-1. The standard aims to make anthropometric studies internationally comparable by specifying how to describe the user population, sampling methods, measurement procedures, database formats and basic statistical processing. It updates and supersedes the 2012 edition and clarifies terminology (for example, “participant” and “gender”).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Data collection design
  • Use ISO 7250-1 measurement definitions and landmarks; document measurement techniques and posture conditions.
• Sampling and sample size
  • Define population segments, sampling techniques and include guidance (Annex A) for estimating necessary sample sizes to support valid comparisons.
• Measurement quality
  • Requirements for instrument accuracy, measurer training, detection and treatment of measurement errors, and clothing conditions during measurement.
• Database structure and contents
  • Prescribed database format, required and recommended background fields (demographics, country codes, decimal-notation dates), anthropometric data items and complementary data; sample formats and data sheets provided (Annexes B–G).
• Statistical processing
  • Minimum reporting of statistics to enable international comparison (means, standard deviations, percentiles), plus procedures for preparing datasets (Annex F).
• Interoperability with 3‑D methods
  • Notes on verification of scanned data per ISO 20685-1 and integration of traditional measures with 3‑D imaging outputs.

Practical applications and who uses it

EN ISO 15535:2023 is essential for professionals and organizations that create, manage or use anthropometric data:

• Ergonomists and human factors teams building human models and manikins
• Product designers (furniture, vehicles, consumer goods) requiring representative body dimensions
• Clothing and PPE manufacturers developing sizing systems and safety equipment
• Standards bodies and researchers compiling datasets for international comparison
• Healthcare and biomechanics researchers creating growth or population studies

Using a database conforming to ISO 15535 improves reproducibility, supports regulatory compliance, and enables effective cross-country and cross-study comparisons.

Related standards

• ISO 7250-1 - body measurement definitions and landmarks (normative reference)
• ISO 20685-1 - verification of scanned anthropometric data
• ISO 3166-1, ISO 8601-1, ISO/IEC 8859-1 - for country codes, date/time representation and character encoding
• Related application standards: ISO 15534 series, ISO 14738 (design and safety contexts)

Keywords: EN ISO 15535:2023, ISO 15535:2023, anthropometric databases, anthropometry, ISO 7250-1, ergonomics, data collection, sampling, 3‑D imaging, database format, statistical processing.