InformeDesign is a free, online database providing evidence-based design research summaries to inform design decisions. It was created in 2003 and contains over 2,300 summaries, but now faces funding cuts that could shut it down. InformeDesign is a valuable resource for designers, helping to differentiate practitioners who use evidence-based design. It covers topics related to office environments like ergonomics and productivity. Support is needed from manufacturers, firms, and individuals to maintain InformeDesign as an important tool for the design industry.

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InformeDesign/EBD: A Portal to Information And Differentiation
InformeDesign (www.InformeDesign. InformeDesign is a FREE, Web- viduals for evidence-based design.
org) needs your support. this website, based, searchable database of trans- Additionally, clients are increasingly
launched in 2003, remains one of the formed research related to design and demanding eBD solutions. Much
best evidence-based design (eBD) human behavior. the core purpose of like the sustainability movement that
tools for accessing design research in the Web site is to give design profes- preceded it, eBD is more than just a
the industry. sionals and students quick, easy momentary trend. It is here to stay. As
Never more than today has the
design industry recognized the value of The practice of EBD increasingly sets design practitioners, firms, schools,
eBD or needed tools like InformeDe- and manufacturers apart from their peers.
sign. But, just as eBD has become
firmly entrenched in the design in- access to research that can inform the eBD movement built momentum,
dustry, InformeDesign has never been their design decisions. It was cre- InformeDesign steadfastly increased
at a greater risk of going idle! Infor- ated in 2003 by Drs. Caren Martin and improved its design research data-
meDesign’s major sources of funding and Denise Guerin of the university base, remaining a leading resource for
are sponsorships and gifts. Due to the of Minnesota. At the time, the eBD the practice of eBD.
current economic climate, a significant movement had just begun to garner so how does it work? InformeDe-
lack of funding will cause InformeDe- attention – primarily in the healthcare sign’s database contains research
sign to suspend a majority of opera- sector – although many designers, Summaries transformed from articles
tions by July 2011 unless industry manufacturers, and students were not in peer-reviewed journals that are
sponsors and donors step forward to familiar with term “evidence-based related to design and human behavior,
help support its work. design.” InformeDesign, primarily a such as Environment and Behavior,
tool to aid the practice of eBD, was, in Applied Ergonomics, Indoor Air, and
Manufacturers, design firms, facility a sense, ahead of its time, but it now the Journal of Corporate Real Estate.
managers, schools and others may has a maturity that converges with the InformeDesign staff transform re-
contact Denise Guerin, Coordinator need for its resources. search findings from these articles into
(dguerin@umn.edu; 612-626-1257) today, eBD encompasses the evidence-based design criteria and
to learn about mutually beneficial design of all environments – including present the summaries in an easy-to-
sponsorship programs. Individuals offices – and all design disciplines in- read, easy-to-use format. the re-
may make a tax-deductible donation cluding architecture, landscape archi- search Summaries in InformeDesign’s
by clicking the link in the middle of tecture, interior design, planning, and database now number over 2,300.
InformeDesign’s home page (www. housing. In the past few years more Some of the topics InformeDesign
informedesign.org). than a dozen books have been written covers directly related to office envi-
specifically about eBD. the practice of ronments include ergonomics, orga-
to understand the full value of In- eBD increasingly sets design practitio- nizational productivity, and employee
formeDesign, here is a quick snapshot ners, firms, schools, and manufactur- health and well-being, to name only a
of the history of InformeDesign and ers apart from their peers. few. If readers find a research sum-
the eBD movement as well as a brief recently, the Center for Health mary that is particularly relevant to the
reminder of what InformeDesign has Design began a program (eDAC) to work they are doing, they many want
to offer. accredit and certify firms and indi- to access the original article. every
research summary includes a full ci-
tation to help them do this. Sometime
articles are available for free; but in
some cases payment may be required
for the full-text version of the article,
making the ability to search for articles
and understand the content first using
InformeDesign especially beneficial.
InformeDesign also houses other

2. 11.22.10 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 11 OF 42
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valuable features, including an archive tects, interior designers, landscape
of Implications, the newsletter written architects, sales representatives,
by experts from a wide range of design housing specialists, policymakers, and
disciplines, and Research 101, a tuto- planners. Design practitioners find
rial offering an introduction to research InformeDesign an invaluable resource
and how to use it. InformeDesign has for their work. As Stefnee Trzpuc,
also launched InStore, a continuing eDAC, CID, leeD A.P., firm knowledge
education store that currently houses management specialist at BWBr Ar-
dozens of courses approved by AIA, chitects in st. Paul, MN, recently said,
IDCeC, usgBC, and eDAC. Most “I routinely access InformeDesign for
recently, InformeDesign developed the new research summaries that can be
Research Desk. the research Desk immediately translated to our project
team creates customized publications teams, saving us time and ultimately
for organizations, firms, and individu- enhancing our clients’ environments.”
als outlining evidence-based design the upcoming series of articles will
criteria on design issues of interest for highlight the features of InformeDe-
a fee. sign, how you can use it in your work,
InformeDesign is used by people and how you can help assure the de-
from all over the world in many dif- sign industry continues to have access
ferent professions – including archi- to this eBD tool for years to come. 
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