Courses and CPD Programmes

We will be releasing details of our 2023 talks and courses soon.

This CPD explores the work of Ernst Race, focusing on innovation in recycling and reuse, and materials and design. The presentation will provide historical context to the designs of Ernest Race and his part in post war design, and cover topics including the evolution of furniture design since the 1940s from utility furniture to the Scandinavia aesthetic and how WWII and the scarcity of resources changed manufacturing techniques. It will later question if adversity encourages greater innovation and creativity in our output. By the end of the CPD you should have a greater understanding of: – The work of Ernest Race – The rise of the ‘festival style’ movement – Recycling and reuse as a necessity – The impact WW2 had on design at the time and on design now. – Why 20th Century design is still relevant and why we should include it in our schemes and designs.

Approximate time: 45 minutes. Presenter: Claire Williams

Learning objectives:

• Design solutions for offices based on current research.
• Lack of movement lifestyle risks.
• How modern technology and office design has robbed us of regular everyday movements.
• The misleading assumption that standing may be better for you than sitting.
• How using gravity can keep us keep healthy and independent into old age.
• The importance of Non-Exercise Activity.
• Thermogenesis (NEAT) and its relation to office design.
• What happens within our body at a cellular level when we do not move.
• Exercise alone may not be enough if you sit or stand still all-day.

Learning objectives:

• Define what wellbeing is.
• Discuss presenteeism at work and how’s it connected to an individual wellbeing.
• Discuss the key elements of a user’s subjective wellbeing that are correlated with self-reported productivity.
• Consider the latest data for home and office working.
• Demonstrate how user centred design as this is key to understand what users need in the hybrid work model.
• Explain how to design for wellbeing and productivity by applying a combination of surveys and contextual enquiries.

Learning objectives:

• To understand the importance of how employees are distracted from their work tasks
• To understand the business costs and impact on productivity.
• To understand wellbeing and its connection with productivity.
• To understand the cost of absenteeism and presenteeism.
• To understand different forms of distraction that affect wellbeing and productivity.

Learning objectives:

• To gain understanding & appreciation of the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal symptoms.
• To define neutral and none neutral postures and their relation to musculoskeletal symptoms.
• To highlight the hidden cost of presenteeism caused by musculoskeletal symptoms.
• To understand the cost of absenteeism and presenteeism.
• Identify the factors that influence common musculoskeletal symptoms and their prevention of subjective wellbeing.
• To highlight that need to be considered to prevent musculoskeletal symptoms.

Neurological diversity is a key evolutionary transition, in which nature picks a minority of us to have specialist thinking skills (sometimes to the detriment of others) but as a group, we are balanced and advantaged by those who are less typical working collaboratively with the group.

When we talk about inclusive design, we are looking at ways to make offices, education spaces and community spaces easily accessible and usable for everyone. Enabling people to interact with these environments is part of our mission. We believe that a combination of good design and the right selection of furniture can activate spaces to cater for everyone’s unique needs.

• What is Neurodiversity?
• What Neurodiversity adds to your business
• Why we should think about Neurodiversity when designing a space
• BSI ‘Design for Mind’ Standard
• Design considerations

Download talk flyer

A new British and International Standard has been published which addresses open plan office acoustics more thoroughly and sensibly than ever before. It marks a giant step in our understanding of office acoustics and the methods by which offices are formally evaluated.

In this talk we will provide a brief overview of office acoustics and the challenges faced by the industry to date. We will summarise the information in the Standard and provide guidance for each of the six common types of office space. Gone are the days of ‘finger in the air’ acoustic solutions.

Presenter: Rosalind Lambert-Porter

Happy people are more productive, more creative and more engaged.

Year after Year Danes are found to be the happiest people in the world. We look at why.

We discuss how, with small changes you can embrace the Hygge philosophy to create an experience rich workplace that supports social relationships, and feel-good moments that bring out the best in us.

A 30 minute presentation that encourages a sharing of ideas and a chance to rethink the elements that make up the best workplaces

Learning objectives:

• Why should we take acoustics seriously – Health and wellbeing.
• What does the research say about how noise impacts our performance in the workplace?
• The human response to sound and why certain sounds affect us more than others
• Noise level vs Intelligibility – what matters?
• A new way of quantifying open-plan acoustics and how to use it
• Methods for creating an excellent acoustic environment in offices

A series of Foundation Courses are also provided, including DSE (Display Screen Equipment) Assessor Training and acoustic assessment instruction. All of Ocee Ergonomics’ partners undergo our Foundation training before they are accredited to offer our services.

• Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessor Training.
• Wellbeing in the workplace.
• Postural Awareness to reduce musculoskeletal disorders.
• How to conduct risk assessments?
• Walkthrough workstation set up training for end-users.
• Workstation set up for end-users.
• Ergonomics and space planning.

Ros is an experienced acoustics consultant and lecturer with degrees in Audiology and Acoustics and specialities in workplace noise, psychoacoustics and building acoustics. She has a BSc (Honours) in Audiology with Acoustics and Noise Control, an MSc in Applied Science and an MSc in Applied Acoustics, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control and certificates in Vibrations Analyst, Level II and Competence in Environmental Noise Measurement from the Institute of Acoustics. Ros is a member of the Institute of Acoustics, Institute of Engineering Design, Institute of Sound and Communications Engineering and Australian Acoustical Society.

Stephen graduated in 2007 from Loughborough University with an honours degree in Ergonomics and Human Factors. Stephen has worked extensively in the private and public sectors and has wide-ranging experience in physical, environmental and system ergonomics in industrial settings, including the utility and aerospace sectors. Stephen has a particular interest in the cost-benefit of an ergonomics approach to wellbeing and user-centred design. He has significant experience in the design, manufacture and distribution of office ergonomics products.

Claire has spent the last ten years working in the furniture industry, doing her best to preach the word of human-centric design. Her research centres on the human condition and the need to embrace the soft sciences in every aspect of our lives. Claire developed her interests while working in a Challenging Behaviour and Learning Disability team within mainstream education; her role encompassed the practical study of innate and learned behaviour, focusing on environments, how they affect behaviour, and how they can be adapted to manage challenging behaviour better. Claire has worked with many leading UK and international companies on their workplace solutions and is a highly experienced speaker with an in-depth knowledge of the furniture industry and office design.

Kelly Grainger is a leading advocate for the awareness and acceptance of autism and neurodiversity, having been formally diagnosed on the autism spectrum at the age of 44 and with ADHD at 45. Having worked successfully for 23 years in the corporate world with the likes of PepsiCo and Merlin Entertainments and having worked in the flooring industry for over 8 years has significant knowledge of the interior design process. Kelly is now a recognised speaker, trainer and consultant through his business Perfectly Autistic, helping businesses to be more neurodiverse-friendly. And has worked with many leading UK and international organisations on the design of their workplaces to enable a more neurodiverse-friendly approach. Kelly has been featured by the National Autistic Society magazine and was invited to speak at the 2020 and 2022 Autism Show. He has also been featured in the likes of the Disability Review Magazine, The Huffington Post, The Independent and is a regular on BBC radio. Kelly was also invited to work with Heathrow Express to promote awareness of hidden disabilities and has spoken at the United Nations Global Compact Network UK.