The Design of an Internet Reading Table

For the ABN AMRO Bank we designed an internet table. This is basically a table with a number of computer screens that can be used by the client to check on all kinds of financial websites. There is also a small collection of relevant newspapers and magazines for the clients.

The design of such interior components usually take several months and a large amount of money. By applying the Cyclical Iterative Design Process we were able to cut dramatically on the time from the first idea to the first production model. In all it took a period of six weeks. After the first virtual model was build and evaluated the first prototype was build. The client, we as the designers, and the contractor met together to test and evaluate the table. It was decided that a number of changes should be made. The legs of the table should be of a different shape in order to match the existing furniture line. The lighting of the white element in the middle of the table should be done with LED lights in stead of tube lights. These changes where realized within two weeks and again evaluated. The pictures below show the second evaluation meeting.

Two weeks after this second evaluation the first production model was finished.
After a period of six months the table was again evaluated and some aspects were changed. The whole design process is illustrated below.

As we analyzed and evaluated the table there where vivid discussions, and coffee was of course an essential requirement. This lead us to the following statement:

“The success of a prototype can be measured by the number of coffee stains on it ...”