Overview
ISO 9241-307:2008 - part of the ISO 9241 series on ergonomics of human‑system interaction - defines analysis and compliance test methods for electronic visual displays. The standard establishes laboratory test procedures and reporting formats for a variety of display technologies, tasks and indoor environments. It builds on the measurement procedures in ISO 9241-305 and the generic requirements in ISO 9241-303 to provide clear compliance routes tailored to different technologies and intended contexts of use.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 9241-307 organizes test and reporting requirements by technology and context. Key technical topics covered include:
- Intended context of use (e.g., indoor displays, laboratory methods for CRT and emissive flat-panel LCD)
- Design viewing direction and viewing condition specifications
- Display luminance and contrast measurement and reporting
- Luminance and colour non‑uniformity, including measurement procedures and acceptance criteria reporting
- Colour gamut, reference white and fidelity assessments
- Electro‑optical transfer functions and grey‑scale evaluation
- Legibility and readability tests for text, coded information and graphics
- Unwanted reflections and special physical environments effects on visibility
- Visual artefacts and pixel fault classification for quality assessment
- Differentiation for isotropic vs anisotropic visual displays and corresponding assessment routes
- Extensive tables for assessment and reporting, designed to standardize laboratory results and compliance documentation
The standard specifies procedural methods and reporting formats rather than prescriptive numeric thresholds (see ISO 9241-305/303 for measurement procedures and generic requirements).
Practical applications and users
ISO 9241-307 is useful for:
- Display manufacturers validating product ergonomics and image quality
- Test and certification laboratories performing standardized visual display compliance tests
- Ergonomists and HCI researchers assessing human‑system interaction impacts of displays
- Systems integrators and procurement teams specifying display performance for control rooms, office workstations, medical displays and other indoor applications
- Quality assurance teams creating inspection and reporting protocols
Applying ISO 9241-307 helps ensure consistent, reproducible test results, clearer supplier specifications, and defensible compliance documentation.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 9241-307, ergonomics, electronic visual displays, display testing, luminance, colour gamut, visual artefacts, legibility, compliance test methods.