Furniture Design Toolkit: Office and Contract Furniture
This guide aims to provide designers with the tools needed to incorporate ergonomics, user trials, standards and legislation into the design process for office and contract furniture
This guide aims to provide designers with the tools needed to incorporate ergonomics, user trials, standards and legislation into the design process for domestic furniture
This guide was developed by industry experts with the following areas in mind:
General ergonomics/design
There are several general sections to help with areas like anthropometrics, task analysis and Standards. Specific suggestions are included in the sections for each furniture type. There are also links to other resources that this Toolkit does not cover.
User trials
A beautiful product is of no value unless people can use it. Great aesthetics and ease of use equate to great design. The best way to assess ease of use is through user trials. Within the Toolkit there is an introduction to user trials and how to conduct them to help get the best results. In addition, a sample questionnaire has been provided for use or modification as necessary.
Standards
For each market sector included there is an introduction to the basic legislation and Standards that are important to consider. This includes explaining which Standards the products need to comply with, and sometimes which clauses within a Standard are important to focus on.
The guide looks at the following areas:
Furniture Design Toolkit: Domestic Furniture
Login to downloadThis guide aims to provide designers with the tools needed to incorporate ergonomics, user trials, standards and legislation into the design process for office and contract furniture
A suggested mattress evaluation method, offering practical guidance for manufacturers, designers and retailers when comparing the comfort of mattresses. It takes into consideration the test environment, selection of participants, positioning of subjects, the test duration and the analysis of data
The digest provides an analysis of the latest available data, sourced from government bodies and the Bank of England. The digest includes statistics on furniture manufacturing, consumer spending, furniture and furnishings retail and international trade.