Re: CCL:Comp Chem Lab Design

 Dear Charlie,
 When I was at MSI we typically had posters made from color slides to show
 some of our and our customer's "success" stories. These were in the
 lobby,
 the conference rooms, the halls proceeding to the demo room, and in the demo
 room. These "successes" make interesting conversation pieces.
 All of the demo rooms were interior rooms. This is helpful to people who do
 not sit in front of the computer all day looking at graphics. They need to
 be able to focus their full visual attention on the screen in order to
 "see"
 the 3D representations. Otherwise, they still "see" it in 2D. If you
 cannot
 arrange an interior room for visitors please get heavy drapes to be able to
 shut out the majority of light. Vertical blinds normally used for conference
 rooms are just not thick enough to do the job. This is very important in
 using stereo options.
 For every day use, I personally like to face a window with the terminal set
 to the left side of the window to prevent glare. That way I can still look
 outdoors to rest my eyes or think about a problem. This only works for those
 of us who do these visualizations every day. Even so, you may need a glare
 screen over your monitors. Normal room blinds work well enough for me in
 this situation when the afternoon sun starts to come in the window. Don't
 use the perforated (light filtering) kind.
 Think about where you wish to place manuals. They need to be conveniently
 located, but most people are daunted by an entire wall of manuals mounted
 over the desktop. Particularly people new to the task of using computers,
 i.e. junior personnel or bench chemists trying to get a handle on
 computational techniques.
 I like a little space to the right of the keyboard (past the mouse pad) for
 note taking on a legal pad. Actually a "return" on that side is
 preferable.
 I also prefer a space to the left big enough for a full binder manual to lie
 open. Once I used a printer table as a desk for my graphics monitor. That
 worked very well. The height was right and the cables all came up through
 the paper slot.
 Please check out ergonomic considerations for your employees particularly
 pull out trays under the tabletop in order to lower the keyboard. Fully
 adjustable chairs are preferable for employees who sit all day.
 If I can be of more help please call 773-646-2585 and/or check out my
 website www.mcs.net/~rone.
 -----Original Message-----
 From: Charlie Laughton <charles.Laughton &$at$& nottingham.ac.uk>
 To: CHEMISTRY &$at$& ccl.net <CHEMISTRY &$at$& ccl.net>
 Date: Friday, April 07, 2000 10:00 AM
 Subject: CCL:Comp Chem Lab Design
 >Dear All,
 >
 >I have the opportunity to design from scratch a new comp. chem. facility
 >of about 50 sq. m. Our current layout is very basic - just desking
 >against the walls. It would be nice to have something that created a
 >more inspiring environment.
 >
 >I would be interested to hear from other members of the list who have
 >experience of successful (and unsuccessful!) designs as to what sort of
 >layouts can work well.
 >
 >Regards,
 >
 >Charlie
 >
 >--
 >---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 >Dr Charlie Laughton                   |
 >Lecturer in Drug Design and Discovery | Phone: (+44) 115 951 3405
 >School of Pharmaceutical Sciences     | Fax:   (+44) 115 951 3412
 >University of Nottingham              | Email:
 >Nottingham NG7 2RD                    |
 >charles.laughton &$at$& nottingham.ac.uk
 >UK                                    |
 >---------------------------------------------------------------------------