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DESK ORGANISER

AND ERGONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

V. Ryan © 2005
 

Ed, our specimen office worker, has employed a team of experts to design a desk organiser. Unfortunately he employed the wrong team (he trained them himself) and they have ignored ergonomic factors. Ergonomics is all about collecting measurements and applying them to a design. The design team have failed to measure the various pieces of equipment that Ed intends to store in his desk organiser. As a result of ergonomics not being considered, the manufactured desk organiser is far too large for its purpose. It takes up most of the desk top making it impossible for Ed to carry out his office duties.

   

   
 

 

The design team should have collected a range of measurements/sizes of the stationery equipment Ed is likely to use during his working day. The design and size of the desk organiser should be based on these ‘ergonomic’ measurements. This is likely to ensure that it is the correct size for its function / purpose. The diagrams opposite display some of the important measurements that need collecting.

   

Questions:
1. Draw simple diagrams of a range of equipment you would expect to be stored in a desk organiser. Add important measurements/dimensions to each.
2. How will the collection of these measurements help you design a desk organiser?

   

A new team of designers has produced a desk organiser that Ed likes. All ergonomic factors have been taken into account and this includes the size of Ed’s hands. Ed often picks up and moves the organiser. Also, he meticulously places stationery in each of its compartments. The design team have recognised ergonomics as an important design factor.

As a result, they spent time measuring his hands and fingers. This gave them vital information as they used the measurements to determine the size of each compartment of the organiser. This means that Ed can fit his hands and fingers into each compartment, either to place pieces of stationery in or take each piece out, without difficulty.

   

Opposite are two of the important measurements of Ed’s hand. If a desk organiser is designed with these measurements kept in mind, it should be easy to use, carry, hold and move the organiser. Furthermore, it should be easy to fit pieces of stationery into each of the compartments and remove them when required.

QUESTIONS:
1. On the diagram of the hand shown opposite, draw four important dimensions / measurements that need to be collected when designing a desk organiser. Label each A, B, C, and D.
2. Explain why it is important to collect each of these measurements.
3. What health and safety features would you build into a desk organiser to ensure that hands and fingers are not cut or damaged when putting stationery into the various storage areas?

4. Explain how you feel ergonomics have been considered in the design of your mobile phone.

   
 
   

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