I recently got a crash course in the importance of good ergonomics, as I temporarily set up my computer (inc. screen, keyboard and mouse) on a table that was too high, and used it for a week sitting on a chair that was too low and had no proper arm rests. Since then I've done anything I can to improve the (temporary) place, but it's a bit too late now that my wrists are already sore. So, what's your take on ergonomics, how much thought do you generally put in to the topic, and do you think your everyday computing environment is even remotely ergonomically correct? The good tables and chairs tend to cost a ton, but is it really worth just sucking it up and paying the price, or do you think you can get away with cheaper furniture as well? I'm about to move alone in a month-or-so and should find a comfortable chair and table on the cheap. The incident got me pretty worried, maybe I'm just paranoid, but surely it wouldn't hurt to reduce the amount of time spent on the computer, or atleast trying to make it as harmless as possible... Being such a young chap it would really suck to cause some life-lasting harm to myself just by not putting thought into the topic. Cycling is my other problem, it just doesn't go a long way in saving my wrists and back, but that's a whole another issue I hope I managed to make an understandable question here to start some sort of conversation, for some reason I've felt damn disorganized the whole day.
Like so many things in life, you get what you pay for. Well designed, functional things cost more; but usually last longer and wear better. They also usually have more thought put into how they will be used.
I wouldn't agree with that as the price of a product is dependent on how much technology or the materials an manufacturing processes are used in its creation. To answer ops question, Ergonomics is essential in designing objects in which are meant to interface/interact with humans.
The expensive chairs just always seem like waste. I would like to pay for a proper frame that Just Wont Fail (tm), as well as some fabric that wouldn't wear through in a year. Also good arm rests and support for back would be essential. On the other hand, I can't really say I need all those 20 different adjustments...
Herman Miller Aeron chair. Pick one up (used, but in good condition) from eBay for about £350,-- and your back will thank you.
Acquired taste for some, I suppose. Alternative: the Charles Eames Soft Pad Group Office Chair EA219 Classic.
The costs of R&D and production might be reflected in some base price, but then you add on layers of marketing and promotions, endorsements, and other assorted markups. If the price was dependent on the cost of the materials and manufacturing, a pair of Nike Air Dub Zero basketball shoes wouldn't cost $159.99. Some things are designed and manufactured very well, and this is reflected in the high price you pay for that quality. Other things cost a lot simply because clever marketing (and a bit of human nature) makes us feel like we have to have them. -monkey
That Aeron looks very tempting, I've actually been looking at some "mesh-chairs" earlier, but those were cheap copies of the good ones. Most likely I'll just have to try to keep my eyes open and get lucky when some business throws/sells their old chairs away. So many things to buy, so little money after the holiday down under...
People... think this much about chairs? **** me. I just went to Ikea and bought the best office chair they had... because I'd had the second best already. My main concern is now the aquisition/manufacture of a foot rest, which is more ergonomic than resting my feet on the swarm of power cables/plugs under my desk. At work, I just use the chair that's there - no other choice. Have managed to bring in my own mouse and keyboard to up the comfort factor, though they are plugged into a laptop with a 15" screen rested on a few books. Ideally I'd have an actual monitor but apparently world class company != world class IT. I try to spend less time staring at my to-do-list excel spreadsheet.
If I had the money I'd definitely invest in a half decent office chair such as the Roma, currently I'm sitting on a, err, camping chair sort of thing I guess.
Chairs are hard to design. Look up a book called rethinking sitting It should open your eyes to what us designers have to put ourselves through to design an effective product.
Gaming chair Modified breakfast tray for wireless low-travel keyboard and MX Revolution 32" screen at the other side of an 8ft room Cheesecake
I don't doubt there's a lot of thought goes into it. I just find it peculiar that people would spend so much on it, just like you might be surprised by how much certain audioophiles spend on their audio system or car-nuts spend on their cars and such. And don't lecture me about what 'us' designers have to go through, development programs in my industry are in the $billions.
I've also been really wondering about the desk. I should also buy a desk, as I'm leaving my old one behind (way too big). The old one is 200x80 cm, which is total waste of desk space in the TFT-age. The thing is, I still need to have room for a couple of amplifiers, a 24" screen (maybe even two, or option to upgrade to 30"), a separate level for keyboard would be nice, and I also need to have room to place my speakers correctly. This may turn out to be even harder than finding a good chair on the cheap, but atleast it's pretty easy to make a desk by yourself. I'm a modder after all I guess I should go to the "My desktop"-thread to look for some ideas.
There is no such thing!! If you have a lot of desk space, then you clearly don't have enough gadgets. Please visit this website. If the desk is physically too big for the room, then it's time to start knocking down walls. -monkey (this bit of nonsense is brought to you by supermonkey, who is counting the minutes until the weekend)
On a bit more serious note, the problem I'm having is the fact that there's about a square meter of totally useless space behind the screen! I mean what could I possibly put in there? there was no such problem when the screens were CRTs and actually required all the space...
I sit on the floor, with my mousepad sitting on my Eee PC, keyboard on floor, monitor on floor. My legs fall asleep after about twenty minutes, and my back kills after an hour, but I guess it limits my gaming in a fairly healthy way. At least encourages stretching... Are Ikea desks and chairs good if you look with an ergonomic point of view? I probably won't spend more and get something with a better brand name..
Damn it felt like a little nirvana when I started my summer job today, and got to use proper chair and desk No more wrist pains... That's going to be a good motivator when the time comes to choose between cheap crap and some expensive and nice stuff.
