Tags: ergonomics, IT manager, IT procurement, laptop, usability
In a corporate procurement setting the company’s IT manager will often focus on offering a limited number of different notebook models to the IT department’s internal customers. For most companies, offering several different models leads to high cost in regard to keeping updated images, spare parts and internal competence available. The users, however, will often have a different point of view.
Users who travel and for whom mobility is key, often prefer a very lightweight PC with a monitor of 12.1”. Some users want them even smaller. The readability of the monitor is not the most important factor to this group. However, the battery capacity and unified communication support are important factors.
Engineers and others whose jobs involve design, technical detail and accurate images often like to choose form several high performance laptop workstations with 15.4 or 17” monitors, powerful processors, different powerful graphical cards and up to maximum internal memory. For the young engineer the readability of the monitor is not the most important factor. The engineer will prefer an internal monitor with high resolution making it possible to display a lot of information. Mostly this laptop is used on a desktop and connected to power – so the battery capacity is not the most important factor.
Desktop replacement models are popular with older workers and those who dont require mobility in their work – working with office tasks, emails etc. The readability of the monitor is for these users an important factor. The battery capacity is often another important factor and. These users therefore often prefer medium powerful laptops with from 14.1” to 15.4” monitors. Internal monitor with medium ore even lower resolution are often the most popular models.
Even though the tablet PCs are still more of a niche product in many companies, many of the most “innovative” employees often prefer this laptop model. The normal readability of the monitor is not the most important factor. Tablet functions implemented, the battery capacity, the size and the implemented unified communication support are important factors.
The field engineer travelling offshore or working in areas with a lot of dust often prefers a fully rugged laptop with GPS or EX-approval. The computers approved certificates (ATEX etc) are the most important factors.
Then, what is the best way to deal with all these demands? Shall the IT-manager give the users all what they want? “Is The User Always Right”?
My experience after working for several years with these kinds of issues in one of Scandinavia’s biggest companies is that it is necessary to thoroughly analyze all the different user demands and then choose no more than one model for each of these 5 main user categories. This will give the company a maximum of 5 different laptop models to deal with. Smaller companies may want to choose even fewer. Combining a couple of the most common demands in one model is therefore often a preferred solution. The standard desktop replacement model and the laptop workstation can for instance be the same model with a common image. This could for instance be a laptop with 15.4” monitor, only differing in the internal graphics card and the resolution of the monitor.
The traveller’s PC and the desktop replacer PC might also be combined in one model. This could for instance be a lightweight 14.1” or 13.6” laptop offering a couple of different monitor resolutions.
Posted by Per Jostein Haaland
