Office Chair Design Process
The design process of an office chair typically includes the design preparation phase and the design innovation phase.
Design Preparation Phase: This phase involves conducting comprehensive research on typical products with different style concepts. It is essential not only to focus on the product's R&D philosophy and development process but also to analyze changes in its functionality and form over different periods. Additionally, it requires in-depth analysis from perspectives such as the historical context, office concepts, and target users. For example, during the design of the Miran office chair 'Fishbone Chair', four world-renowned chairs, including Humanscale - Freedom and Herman Miller - Aeron, were selected for focused research. The chair's overall analysis was divided into six major points, such as the relationship between the dynamic headrest and the chair's overall movement. Through disassembly testing, ergonomic experiments, and pressure testing, in-depth analysis was conducted on the functionality of each seat part, related working principles, processing techniques, and material selection, resulting in foundational data. Such research enables an understanding of the characteristics and advantages of outstanding office chairs in the market, providing references and insights for subsequent designs.
Design Innovation Phase: During the analysis and research of disassembling excellent chairs, it is crucial to analyze with questions in mind and examine details with a curious eye. Organize thinking directions and compile analysis directions and methods, such as the development, adjustment, and improvement of brand design philosophies over different periods, studying the advantages and disadvantages of the functional working principles of each chair part and proposing new structural approaches, analyzing pivot points of movement principles for different parts and dissecting่ๅจ (lian dong, which means 'linked movement') patterns, and coordinating product form with working principles. Meanwhile, scientific practice should be centered around ergonomics, incorporating data such as the human spinal curve and sitting posture pressure distribution to optimize the chair back's curvature, lumbar support position, and seat cushion hardness. Smart features can also be integrated, such as using sensors to monitor sitting posture, reminding users to adjust their posture, and even incorporating massage modules to alleviate fatigue. For example, when designing an executive office chair, designers use 3D modeling software to simulate sitting posture pressure distribution for people of different body types, optimizing key parameters such as the chair back curve and seat cushion arc. The chair back adopts an 'S-shaped' design to fit the natural curve of the spine, the front end of the seat cushion tilts slightly downward to prevent blood stasis in the legs during prolonged sitting, and the headrest height, armrest angle, and lumbar support position all support multi-level adjustments to accommodate different heights and sitting postures.
