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Fashion Designers’ Workplace Storage: Anything But Uniform

Fashion Designers’ Workplace Storage: Anything But Uniform

From conservative to outrageous, fashion designers incorporate whatever materials work best for their unique wearable designs. That same approach carries over into the design of their workspace, according to IA Interior Architects’ director of design John Capobianco.

Like many other professionals, fashion designers find that a mixture of private space and collaborative areas works best for them. Unlike some other businesses, however, fashion designers have a need to store objects that are irregular-shaped and bulky. For this, they turn to high-density storage systems with adjustable shelving, accommodating everything from boots to blouses.

Designers also need transformable modular storage that can display dresses one day and shoes the next. As Capobianco puts it in a recent blog post, “It has to be much more user customizable, where you don’t have to hire someone to facilitate the transition.” And when the designs go into production, designers use RFID to track the source materials and finished products, and create databases for their catalogues.

When it comes to practical storage solutions, these wildly imaginative fashion designers have a surprisingly down-to-earth point of view. As with their clothing designs, they find the right storage solutions for their needs and, in the words of fashion icon Tim Gunn, they “make it work.”

  

Photo © Diorgi – Fotolia

RFID is Tagging and Tracking Those Little Blue Pills

RFID is Tagging and Tracking Those Little Blue Pills

Illegal drugs aren’t the only drug problem in the world. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals have plagued healthcare for decades or more. It’s relatively easy to manufacture “look-alike” tablets and capsules, as well as packaging and bar codes, and it’s a lucrative enterprise for organized crime and corrupt officials. Although it is a crime in most developed countries, counterfeiting isn’t illegal everywhere, and fake medicines enter the supply chain easily. Patients’ health is damaged, and legitimate drug manufacturers suffer a loss of brand trust as well as revenue.

Writing in RFIDarena.com, Hanna Ostman reports that the FDA now recommends that drug manufacturers include RFID tagging throughout the manufacturing process, from raw ingredients to finished product. This “e-pedigree” gives a drug’s complete history, its composition, dosage, and expiration date. Pharmacists can scan the e-pedigree to make sure they’re dispensing a genuine medicament.

Major pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, Purdu, and Johnson & Johnson, are running pilot RFID projects. Pfizer now includes RFID tags in all its Viagra packages sold in the U.S. Although drug manufacturers have yet to agree on a common standard for RFID tagging, it’s starting to have a positive impact on product confidence and trust for the companies that adopt the technology.

 

Photo © amenic181 – Fotolia

Space Race: Tech Start-Ups Feel the Office Space Squeeze

Space Race: Tech Start-Ups Feel the Office Space Squeeze

Technology sector growth isn’t slowing down one bit. As venture capital drives up Silicon Valley rental rates, tech companies scramble for office space that not only accommodates their growing staff but reflects their company culture and attracts employees.

Even well-funded start-ups often find themselves working in less-than-optimal spaces. One new company had to settle for a room over a carwash, while others have turned live-work lofts into work-work lofts. Bay Area office space expert Jenny Haeg notes that tech start-ups are always on the move. If they’re successful, they outgrow their space and move to new offices; if they fail, another start-up will take over the vacancy.

Regardless of their prospects, tech start-ups have embraced flexible space utilization, installing mobile reconfigurable furnishings such as Swiftspace that adapt to a variety of work functions. And more than any other industry, the tech sector tries to inject a sense of fun into the workplace, even if it’s adjacent to a carwash. Writing in the New York Times, Vindu Goel reports in depth on the challenges of the Silicon Valley space race: http://nyti.ms/1Gm3e6x

 

Photo © aleksicze– Fotolia

6 Questions to Ask Before Moving Your Medical Office

6 Questions to Ask Before Moving Your Medical Office

We’ve all heard the old saying, “Failure to plan means planning to fail.” This is doubly true in medical office management, where exam and diagnostic equipment, accessibility, patient records filing systems, and IT systems add extra complexity to the spatial requirements. Careful planning is the key to a successful move or expansion, as cited by Eric Kahn in Medical Economics.

Kahn lists questions that practice managers should address:

  • What’s more important to your practice – price or image?
  • What are your patients’ accessibility needs?
  • How important is parking?
  • How important is public transportation?
  • Does location outweigh other considerations?

An important sixth question to ask: Will your current office furnishings and filing system adapt to a new space?

If your current practice space was built out with modular cabinetry, there’s a good chance the cabinetry and workbenches can make the move. High density filing systems, too, can often be re-installed in a new space. But just as patients should consult with healthcare experts, medical practice managers should consult with real estate, space planning, and furnishings professionals. Good planning will ensure success and save money.

Read Kahn’s full article at http://bit.ly/1912VkF

 

Photo © xy – Fotolia