The workroom equipment

When furnishing and preparing a room designed for activities such as in the "Animated Debate" project, one should first of all remember that:

work on the animation is usually arduous; it requires concentration and comfort, and a single stay in the workroom can last up to even four hours (in the work system recommended by us)

work on the animation means not only work with the computer, but also artistic work (using paints, pencils, different paper sizes)

work on the animation is connected with the necessity to store a great amount of data - pictures, the consequent parts of the animations, soundtracks, etc - this data requires abiding by special safety rules)

To ensure work comfort while preparing the workroom one should attempt to guarantee the following conditions: the room should be enough big to be divided into to two parts. One part of the group can work then with the computers, the other one can perform the artistic tasks. The room should be properly lit, it means it should be equipped with bright lamps, preferably halogenous which do not give shade. Fluorescent lamps are not acceptable, because they deform the light spectrum and cause the faulty colour perception. The workplace should be lit in the way that light does not fall on the screen.

Desks or table should be big enough, not separated with any barriers, so that around the computers there is as much space as possible. At every workstation there should be a comfortable chair with adjustable armrests and backrests. If there are disabled people working, one should provide chairs with the possibility to remove the armrests and stoppings (or an additional regular chair without the armrests). Monitors must be set up not higher than at the level of eyes (preferably lower than the eyesight line). Keyboards and mice should be at the level of the elbow.

In the workroom there are shelves needed to store artistic materials, a chest of drawers to store artistic works, a locked cabinet for the computer accessories and software CDs (with the instructor - access only).

Every instructor should have diskettes, blank CDs, computer cleaning products available.

In workshops used permanently in the"Animated Debate" project, there were also:

a TV and VCR

an electric kettle

a tape - recorder and Cd-player

ceramic mugs, dishes, tea, juice

a first - aid kit

In the workroom there should be applied regulations concerning the manner of using the computers, duties division of duties, the rights of the instructor and participants. The latter should be acquainted with the health and safety work system.

Equipping the workroom with the computers