Cognitive Ergonomics Part 3: Organizing Your Workspace
Posted: 07.31.09
By Kimball Office Social Media Team

In our cognitive ergonomics series, you’ve learned about inattention blindness (and moonwalking bears). You’ve stared at the back of your hand (thank you!) and read passages of words that are completely misspelled. Now, let’s talk about organization. Yes, organization. That thing most of us rarely do. That task at the bottom of our to-do list…the one that, ironically, would make our to-do list seem a lot easier to tackle.

Let’s start with a fact: People will organize their workspace to simplify choices.

Without much thought, we group similar things together. We offload items, getting rid of things we don’t need to eliminate decisions. We use triggers or cues to get information. We use prompts to remind us to do things.

But why?

Your brain has two kinds of memory: working and Read more…

Cognitive Ergonomics Part 2: Eyes at Work
Posted: 07.24.09
By Kimball Office Social Media Team

When we last talked about cognitive ergonomics, we discussed inattention blindness, the phenomenon where focusing on one thing makes you completely miss other things, however strange (like the moonwalking bear).

Now, I know “cognitive ergonomics” sounds really complicated. It’s not – don’t worry. You probably know what ergonomics is – it’s the science of designing a job, workplace, etc. to fit the employee. Cognitive ergonomics is the science of designing a workspace to fit the way your mind works. Basically, physical and cognitive ergonomics are two sides of the same science. And we’re most interested in making our minds work at work.

For minds to work, they have to process information. But to process information, you have to receive it. And the way you receive it matters. The most dominant sense we use to receive information is vision. It tells us where things are. One of the most interesting things our eyes do to help us receive information is accommodate wide ranges of vision – you can see things near and far without trouble. (That is, unless you’re like me and you need glasses to even see the end of your nose!)

Will you try something for me? Hold your Read more…

Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy Holds HUM See Me Screen Design Contest
Posted: 07.22.09
By Kimball Office Social Media Team

Coeur d'Alene Academy

Kimball Office recently hosted a See Me Screen Design Competition for professional interior designers for the HUM product line, selecting Katherine Conti, from Maryville University as the winner. But one teacher, Heather Ketchum, at the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, decided that her high school students were up to the challenge too.

Mrs. Ketchum’s students didn’t enter the formal competition, but as a class project, they were given the same contest criteria issued to professional designers. To kick off the contest, Bruce Nitteberg and Jodi Lizotte, from Kimball Office’s Post Falls location, hosted the high schoolers on a manufacturing plant tour and introduced them to industrial design.

A total of 83 entries were submitted – almost 1/4 of the entire student body competed. To select winners, Read more…

Interview with Office Furniture Designer David Allan Pesso
Posted: 07.15.09
By Kimball Office Social Media Team

David Allan Pesso, founder and principal of New Studio, LLC

Kimball Office sits down with David Allan Pesso, designer of Fluent, our newest line of workspaces and desking solutions. David is the founder and managing principal of New Studio, LLC, as well as a consummate designer with impeccable taste, business acumen and technical sensibility. His award-winning products have been setting standards in the contracts furnishings industry for 20 years, working with premier brands such as AGI/KI, Brayton International, Geiger International, Herman Miller, Tuohy and of course, Kimball Office.

KO: How did the concept of Fluent develop?

DAP: Fluent was derived from our mutual admiration and appreciation of European-designed architecture, environments and furnishings. We recognized that there was an opportunity in the North American marketplace and Kimball Office product line for a clean-lined, contemporary and meaningful solution.

KO: Tell us about the development process – how Fluent came to life.

DAP: From day one, Fluent was a truly collaborative experience. The team Kimball Office assembled was determined, competent and resourceful, which allowed us to deliver the best possible solution. Even at the get-go, I knew we were in a Read more…

San Francisco Showroom Awarded Gold LEED-CI Certification
Posted: 07.10.09
By Andrea Rohleder

We just received great news: our San Francisco showroom has been awarded Gold LEED-CI certification! The news follows last week’s announcement about the Atlanta Showroom receiving Silver LEED-CI certification, making it a very green July at Kimball Office. Adding the San Francisco showroom brings us to a total of 7 LEED-certified facilities, including our New York, Chicago and Jasper, Indiana Showrooms, as well as the corporate headquarters and research and development team rooms.

Kimball Office partnered with Huntsman Architectural Group, GCI Contractors and Glumac on the project, completed in 2008. The 5,000 square foot showroom is located Read more…