How can you design ergonomic office equipment?

1 Understand the users

The first step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to understand who will use it, how they will use it, and what challenges they face. You can conduct user research, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or tests, to gather data and insights about the users' characteristics, behaviors, goals, pain points, and preferences. You can also create personas, scenarios, and user journeys to represent the users' needs and contexts. This will help you define the problem and the scope of your design project.

2 Follow the standards

The second step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to follow the standards and guidelines that apply to your product category, industry, and market. There are various sources of standards and guidelines, such as ISO, ANSI, OSHA, or NIOSH, that provide recommendations and specifications for ergonomic design. For example, you can find standards for the dimensions, angles, heights, weights, forces, and clearances of office chairs, desks, keyboards, mice, monitors, and other equipment. You can also find standards for the lighting, noise, temperature, and ventilation of office spaces. Following the standards will help you ensure the safety, quality, and compliance of your design.

3 Apply the principles

The third step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to apply the principles and best practices of ergonomic design, such as adjustability, affordance, comfort, and compatibility. Adjustability means making equipment adjustable to fit different users, postures, and tasks. Affordance means making equipment intuitive and easy to use by providing cues and feedback that indicate how to interact with it. Comfort means reducing pressure, friction, and fatigue on the users' body parts. Compatibility means matching the design with the users' physical, cognitive, and emotional characteristics. For example, you can design office chairs with adjustable seat height, depth, width, backrest angle, lumbar support, armrests, and headrests; keyboards with tactile and auditory feedback; monitors with buttons and icons that show functions and settings; mice with ergonomic shapes, sizes, and grips; office equipment with appropriate colors, fonts, symbols, and sounds; as well as office equipment with accessible and inclusive features such as adjustable font size, contrast, brightness, and volume.

4 Test and evaluate

The fourth step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to test and evaluate your design with real users, scenarios, and tasks. You can use various methods and tools, such as prototypes, mockups, simulations, or usability tests, to measure and analyze the performance, usability, and satisfaction of your design. You can also collect feedback and suggestions from the users, stakeholders, and experts to identify and improve the strengths and weaknesses of your design. Testing and evaluating your design will help you validate your assumptions, verify your solutions, and refine your design.

5 Iterate and improve

The fifth step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to iterate and improve your design based on the results and insights from the testing and evaluation phase. You can use various techniques and tools, such as brainstorming, sketching, wireframing, or 3D modeling, to generate and explore new ideas and alternatives for your design. You can also use various criteria and tools, such as checklists, matrices, or ratings, to compare and select the best options for your design. Iterating and improving your design will help you optimize your design for the users, environments, and tasks.

6 Communicate and document

The sixth and final step in designing ergonomic office equipment is to communicate and document your design to the relevant audiences, such as clients, manufacturers, or users. You can use various formats and media, such as reports, presentations, videos, or manuals, to explain and demonstrate the features, benefits, and instructions of your design. You can also use various standards and tools, such as drawings, specifications, or CAD files, to provide the technical details and requirements of your design. Communicating and documenting your design will help you deliver and implement your design effectively and efficiently.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?