Ergonomics

Desk ergonomics sketch by me using pencil

   Ergonomics is simply how we can adapt to things done in a job to naturally help ourselves perform them better. We can do this by not using force that we shouldn't have to, adjust our natural postures, and allow ourselves to have the right movements. In doing so we can improve how comfortable we are when doing tasks or even the quality of our work.

  As I am typing this I'm sitting a little awkward at my desk. I did have a separate roll-out top for my keyboard and mouse but it broke so now I have my them on the actual desktop. A couple things are wrong with this in accordance to my positions since it's been moved there. My computer is on the desk too along with my mousepad and everything. So as long as my keyboard is its all they way to the left so to speak. The way my chair fits in to the space below the desk, it's not like I can scoot my chair over to where its right in front of the keyboard. Most of the time I have my head cocked to the side while I'm typing just to get a better vantage point while typing. I can angle the keyboard towards me a bit but it still doesn't resolve this fully. And that's just the typing part of it.. I often find myself slouching in my chair a bit to get my eyes level with my monitor.

   So what can be done to resolve this fully? Well buy a good desk,  But secondly and most importantly we can make adjusts so I can comfort myself more and improve the way I do things here at my dysfunctional work area. When I did have my roll-out part, I eliminated a lot of excess force that I'm giving out now because my arms have to be raised more and to the side, so if there was a way to give my arms this support again it could take away some of the unnecessary movements. Finding something for my monitor to sit on could be a simple solution for my eyesight/slouching and ultimately giving myself early crippling back problems (exaggeration but not really). Also since my mouse is up on the desk top as well, my hand is coming into contact with the desk itself. After long periods of time this contact could give my hand a hard time. I could find something to support my hand, worst comes to worst I put a towel or something there to take the contact away.

My albino hamster, Winter, being efficient in his work environment. He put himself right under the water when sleeping so when he wakes up he just pokes his head up. No unnecessary movement here.

 
 I've used this example because I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk and at my computer. After a certain period of time these things that I'm doing now might not seem too bad on me but could actually effect me quite negatively. This can be related to anything done often in anyone's everyday lives. Think about how many things you do during the day that could be improved just by the most simple adjustment. So how did my changes help me now? I've taken away my contact from my hand and I'm sitting straight with my eyelevel right at the monitor. My keyboard and body is in a better position. Ultimately this is going to help my work and how I feel in the long run.

  At this point you may ask what does any of this have to do with the way we design a space for someone as the answer is everything. If you don't take in consideration what tasks your client may be doing or how they are currently do them, you could make it worse for them. A big part of how a space works for someone is how they can move around it and how they will perform tasks in it. Even something as simple as seating height could effect their day-to-day lives and that would all come back to you. Consider Ergonomics!
 

Mr. Incredible gif: https://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=8010&ViewID=7b97f7ed-8e5e-4120-848f-a8b4987d588f&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=14534&PageID=7555