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We live in the Age of Information.

Alternatively described as the Age of Distraction.

In the middle of writing a crucial email you’re distracted by your mobile; part way through the call you’re distracted by an instant message; part way through the message you’re distracted by the TV; somehow it’s half an later – and you’ve still not finished that email!

Finally, you return to the email, just about to finish it when someone shouts, Fancy a coffee?

Gloria Mark from the University of California has concluded that once distracted the average office workers takes up to 25 minutes to return to the original task. This constant distraction can bring office productivity to a virtual standstill.

And the reason for it is as simply as the solution.

Years ago people worked in a completely different environment. The tools of the day were neatly divided across a spacious desktop: phone on the right, calculator on the left, paper and diary in the centre, a filing system with IN and OUT trays, and a newspaper to keep you up-to-date with the issues of the day.

Today these tools are united into one tiny over-crowded screen where you flick through thousands of files, calculate complex equations, send hundreds of emails, confirm thousands of diary appointments, and dip in and out of the infinite information vortex that is the internet.

New York Times journalist, Clive Thompson, points out that multitasking on one screen is an inefficient method as the, “computer screen offers very little visual real estate.”

The large desktop which once offered ample room for files and paper and equipment has been shrunk and squeezed into a tiny square as little as 15 inches wide.

To illustrate this point Gloria Mark conducted an experiment in which she timed workers enacting a simple task on two different sized screens. One a 15 inch monitor, the other a 42 inch monitor. The results were startling. Mark’s concluded that productivity was increased as much as 44% by those working on larger screens.

There are extreme cases where the display of information has to be painstakingly presented for optimal efficiency and safety, such as cockpits for fighter pilots or astronauts. But even in a modern office environment the way that information is displayed can play a crucial role in the war against distraction.

And it is the presentation of this information, all the way down to the detail of whether information is split between two screens or not, that can make the difference between effective productive workers and frustrated and ineffective workers.

It is for this reason that Modtec specialises in increasing the “visual real estate” of the modern worker. Modtec Industries Ltd is a New Zealand company which specialises in designing & manufacturing Integ Modular monitor arms which offer a flexible method of holding screens at the optimal placement and angle, and office equipment at just the right height for a comfortable and effective work environment. They system also works in simple ‘Lego-like’ modular blocks to ensure that any additional screens can easily be added to the structure. For more information please visit: http://www.integinternational.com/

On Friday we had a staff meeting with a little difference.

Many people think that ergonomics relates to specially designed tools and equipment but this is only a small part of the picture. The scope of ergonomics is much broader and it’s an important business consideration as it can impact directly on productivity.

source: http://www.accdpi.org.nz/

Productivity was the main reason for studying ergonomics in the early 1900s, when Frederick Winslow Taylor’s research uncovered the ability to triple the amount of coal shoveled by incrementally reducing the size and weight of coal shovels. Similar methods were uncovered for brick layers by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, improving productivity from 120 to 350 bricks per hour. After WWII, the military looked into new ways to design airplanes to minimize pilot error and NASA explored ways of making an astronaut’s long journey more comfortable.

Today, people largely spend more of their time interacting with computers than with individuals in the workplace, so ergonomic research largely focuses on the type of tasks, movements and injuries people face in their day-to-day jobs in hopes of devising product designs and computer workstations that will minimize work stress and boost productivity.

Lighting is another key factor in office ergonomics. One study found that the following ergonomic guidelines should be implemented: a mixture of direct lighting (60%) and indirect lighting (40%); desktop illumination in a 20:1 ratio with the surrounding light; windows with glare control; adjustable blinds or shades; and a uniform ratio of average luminance between VDT screens and other vertical surfaces. The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America recommends maximum luminance ratios of 1:3 or 3:1 between central task materials and surrounding light. To the average management team, these figures can be confusing, which highlights the need for ergonomics consultants who specialize in productivity and process improvement.

Workplace design is another important consideration in office ergonomics. Throughout the years, varying reports have emerged about which office format is preferable; enclosed offices or spacious communal cubicles. In some cases, individuals work best in enclosed spaces because they find it easier to concentrate and enjoy fewer distractions for better immersion in their work. For knowledge workers who gain very little from workplace interaction, this is crucial. However, for people who work in groups, thrive off creative idea exchange and need socialization for job satisfaction, the open concept is a better fit. An ergonomics consultant is often called in to assess which set up would be preferable based on people’s tasks and temperaments.

Office ergonomics is extremely important for one’s health and wellbeing, reports the Wall Street Journal. “You don’t work on a 1998 computer, do you?” implores Dr. Alan Hedge, a Cornell University professor of ergonomics. “I hate to see people in bad chairs.” Dr. David Brandenburg, a UCLA certified ergonomist, says people need to have both feet on the floor and sit straight — but not too straight or they will put too much pressure on the lumbar region of the back. While adjustable ergonomic seating has been around for a while, Dr. Brandenburg says the adjustable desk is gaining favor now too. “The standard 29 to 30 inch desk is way too high for women,” explains Brandenburg. “It was designed for 18-year-old men in World War II who were typing.”

Source:  Leisure Medical UK

Over the NZ summer our team tidied up an area of the factory and this was ear-marked for planting. Well summer came and went ( and what a summer it was).

What better way to kick the planting off by having visitors to the factory to plant a tree as a symbol of their visit. We had two recent visitors plant the inaugural trees.

Here’s hoping for an orchard!

I have worked with the Creative Director from Marker Studio for a number of years. Very talented and seems to get the vaguest of briefs.

Nice to see that he is now a picture of productivity with his Mac and an Integ Monitor arm.

Many children have enjoyed lessons with his assistant – a bighearted giraffe puppet called Harold. Bruce is the founding chairman of Life Education Trust Rodney which was launched two years ago. Its aim is to make youngsters aged from five to 13 aware of how they can live a fulfilling and healthy life.

On the recommendation of the Rotary Club, Bruce will be one of 12 people being presented with Rodney Community Service Awards by Rodney mayor Penny Webster tomorrow.

About 8000 youngsters have received guidance from Harold the giraffe, who travels in a special mobile classroom to schools throughout Rodney. He is accompanied by trust educator Ronnie Urquhart, a highly qualified teacher, who passes on advice and suggestions whispered to her by the softly-spoken Harold.

I particularly like this quote:

No single system upgrade has improved my personal productivity as much as adding that second screen

Over the past 2 or so years we have worked with the GBC codes for green buildings in Australia (and to a lesser extent NZ). While it is sometimes difficult to understand their reasoning for particular rulings, we support the concept and are pretty impressed with the new buildings that qualify as “greenstar”.

In the IEQ4 category, using monitor arms to assist with “daylight glare control” can provide one point. It does not sound like a lot but all the points are critical. To achieve this and gain the 500mm vertical adjustment we had to add another 165mm to our pole – we were not alone as other monitor arm manufacturers did the same. It did not make a lot of sense and once installed gave the impression of a floor fill of trees as the monitor arm often rose (more like stuck up in the air) above most of the workstation screens.

Ad hoc comments from users and our own experience suggested that users were not adjusting the monitor arm to such a height – it was just a waste of material which is rather ironic for a green standard.

So the most recent ruling (or correction) from Green Building Australia has removed this requirement and talks about 18cm of vertical displacement with a 19″ screen. This is far more sensible (not sure about their wording in the correction) and gains our full support.

It certainly allows the user to choose from a greater range of products.

Learn more about our green star and environmental considerations.

Below are a couple of recent installations (taken by one of the hospital engineers).

This installation is unique as the monitor arm played an “integral” part of the workstation design. The result is solution which adds huge value in a situation where the organisation is seeking to make a major organisational shift.

This article comes from Rob Nixon and makes for interesting reading.  Here is one interesting statement:

When HPFs get more efficient the price does not go down with the efficiency levels – it often goes up. HPFs have intranets, electronic working papers, two screens on every desk, proper document management systems and do not have physical filing systems – it’s all electronic. They start jobs on screen, finish on screen, file on screen and retrieve on screen.

The full article is below (reproduced with permission)

It is common to see furniture showrooms incorporating the largest iMac monitors into their showroom displays. If not in their showrooms then in brochures & marketing imagery. Sexy as these monitors are it is difficult for users to find a “real” monitor arm to accommodate such large and heavy screens.

Without a monitor arm, users have a good-looking monitor but…one that takes up a lot of desk space and cannot easily be moved around for collaboration & idea sharing.  Given Mac’s are heavily used in the design world where the sharing of ideas, imagery and other design stuff is critical to achieving the right outcome – this does not seem right.

Naturally, Apple have taken a different path from most monitor manufacturers (not sure Apple would like to be called a monitor manufacturer) by excluding the international VESA plate from the product. This creates a problem for users. Thankfully, there is the VESA adaptor plate to allow users to;

Use this kit to attach your 24-inch or 27-inch iMac, or 24-inch LED Cinema Display to a wall mount, articulating arm or other VESA-compliant mounting solution.

You simply need to mount this adaptor plate to the iMac by removing the iMac or display stand and attaching the VESA Mount Adaptor. Then connect any VESA-compliant mounting solution with a 100 mm x 100 mm attachment. By the way, once you remove the stand from the iMac the screen weighs a lot less (we think around 10.5kg – down from the 13.8kg’s stated on the specification).

Now get yourself a good monitor arm and you are cooking with gas!  This is a challenge as the iMac is still a heavy solution and well outside the range of most monitor arms.

With our design team we installed an iMac 27″ using our standard (yep, no need for Hercules) Apollo4 solution. As you can see from the images we think this is a pretty cool solution and ensures users obtain all the benefits a monitor arm delivers.

If only we had iMac’s throughout the office…

Nice case study with BNZ using Integ product (from NZ Herald).

BNZ branches around the country are about to receive a facelift in a $100 million makeover.

The bank is refurbishing half of its 179 branches and relocating the rest in an upgrade expected to take two years, which begins with the Kitchener Rd branch in Milford on North Shore in May. The branch will move to the Milford Shopping Centre and open on May 24.

Customers will be informed of the changes by letter and by signage in each store.

BNZ’s head of retail strategy Matt Sale said the bank had spent more than two years talking to customers to find out what they wanted from the bank.

Focus groups had been flown to Auckland to sample a demonstration store in an office block above Queen St, to provide feedback on the new format.

Branches will be called “stores” in the redesign which aims to bring the banking experience more in line with a retail shop experience.

Mr Sale said the stores were designed to be more modern and relaxed.

High-definition security cameras, which record people from several angles, including at eye level and from the teller’s desk, would be installed to increase store security and to deter robbers.

Some stores, including BNZ’s new Queen St store, will offer free internet and children’s areas with televisions.

Business customers will be able to carry out quick deposits at the front of the branches, instead of having to walk to the store’s rear.

“This investment in New Zealand will create a network of stores that are more conveniently located for our staff and customers,” Mr Sale said.

“Each store will also connect at a local community level – for example, digital signage will offer customers the opportunity to promote their local community or charity event through one of our digital screens.”

The Herald was given a tour of the demonstration store yesterday, which appeared similar to a mobile phone sales outlet.

Customers can stand at counters, or sit at stools or booths and are served at counters set up in a circular shape at the centre.

CHANGES

New BNZ branches will have:

* Circular teller desks in the middle of the bank instead of the rear.
* Increased security camera surveillance.
* Booths and stool seating for service.
* Video conference facilities.

Productivity Gains & Monitor Arms

Once you have 2 screens, it is very hard to go back  - Bruce Montgomery, Director Monteck Group

Monteck Group is proudly a family business. This is something that they believe translates to a more personalised service than many firms can offer. With a staff of 10 and a move to new premises, they saw the immediate benefit of moving from single screen set ups to dual screens on all desks.

When the move took place, existing desks and chairs were re-used and they upgraded all staff to Integ’s Apollo4 dual monitor arm solution. Bruce Montgomery simply states “we just can not go back, the productivity gains are enormous and dual screens become an essential requirement when dealing with software solutions such as MYOB and Electronic Works Papers”.

The gains Monteck are experiencing are supported by international research. Microsoft reports productivity gains of over 50% when using dual screens. The New York Times reported similar ergonomic and productivity benefits with a story titled “Boss, I need a bigger screen. For work efficiency, of course”.

View the full case study.

Nice article in the Business Herald last Friday. Republished online 28 Feb.

This from Sydney Central

There are more jobs in Sydney CBD but offices are getting smaller and more cramped, according to Sydney Council’s five-yearly floor space census.

Employment in the CBD increased 32.8 per cent in a 10 year period from 1996 to 2006, but growth in city floor space increased by only 21.5 per cent in that time. The number of businesses in the CBD remained stable from 1996 to 2006.

The finance and financial services sector is the biggest employer with 23.4 per cent of the workforce, and significant gains were recorded in the professional and business services sector – up 97.6 per cent.

Tourism also boomed with increases in floorspace of 61 per cent, mainly because of the Olympics 2000.