Furniture and console systems have evolved to accommodate new technologies. Simpler, streamlined consoles are now possible because there are fewer appliances and more components are now hidden away (using racks) in an equipment room.
Effectively designing a console system requires investing time upfront to analyze and understand the customer’s needs, says Wayne Cook, vice president of sales for Winsted. What equipment is going on the console? How big? What is its functionality? Cook says furniture systems should be designed to address day-to-day operational tasks and also with the flexibility to accommodate extra operators in a crisis situation. In an emergency response situation, an additional large-screen monitor can be used to display important images and collaborative work stations can provide connections for PCs and extra telephones.