Herman Miller's Embody is one of the best office chairs on the market, and the company has a reputation for excellence in design and engineering. So we were surprised when both armrests on our review unit of the Embody independently stopped working within just a few years. (Two and a half, to be exact.) We subsequently saw the same issue on a second Embody.The Embody's cost has come down from a whopping $1,600 to a more manageable $1,100 or so, but that's still a lot of scratch; shouldn't a Herman Miller product last longer than that? After all, the company does guarantee their products for 12 years. But if you've got a busted Embody and don't want to go through the hassle of shipping it back to HM for repairs, living without it for a spell, then waiting around for the delivery guy, we figured we'd see if we could fix ours using basic household tools. Have a look:The arm issue was limited to early production, identified, and soon thereafter resolved via product design--it is no longer an issue.
We would like to point out that the warranty really is the best solution for any covered issues, and we pledge to make it as convenient as possible. Repairs oughtn't be attempted by the user as it voids your warranty, not to mention there is the potential for frustration and injury.Any owner of an early Embody with the product problem depicted in the video should contact us for warranty repair. We will gladly assist with return arrangements, and the customer will receive a fixed or replaced chair.Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive Trust the World's Fastest VPN with Your Internet Security & Freedom - A Lifetime Subscription of PureVPN at 88% off. Also, Slashdot's Facebook page has a chat bot now. Message it for stories and more. Aeron Chairs As Stupidity Barometers McSpew writes: "This article at Salon describes how much startup venture money went to buying $700 Aeron chairs. Personally, I think Aerons suck. I'm sitting in one now and my back is killing me--I can never get this damn chair adjusted right, or to get it to stay in a configuration close to comfortable for very long.
The wonderful high-tech mesh fabric acts like sandpaper and wears holes in my pants. I honestly miss the boring chair I had at my last job. Am I the only person who hates Aerons?" Aerons are stylish, but not everyone finds them the comfortable work chairs they're supposed to be. Here's one that looks truly comfortable.The litigious protection of intellectual property appears to be on the rise, with the number of patent lawsuits having doubled from 1994 to 2010, and then doubled again in 2013. This trend has found interesting expressions in the furniture industry, most recently a case involving manufacturer Herman Miller. The problem is compounded by the fact that furniture products are also closely associated with their design—an ephemeral attribute that merges the way a product looks with how it works. Historically, this aspect of house and office wares has been difficult to protect in court. While an image of a piece of furniture can be protected by copyright, and its name can be registered as a trademark, only the decorative components of a design can be protected with a design patent, which, if granted, lasts for only 14 years.
How then does a company, especially one that’s long-established in the industry with many of its design patents expired, continue to protect its products and brand? For Herman Miller, the strategy revolves licensing and certification. for “unauthorized use of its trademarks and improper marketing and sales of Herman Miller products, including the iconic Aeron chair.” had approximately two dozen Aeron chairs listed for sale, with each explicitly identified as Aeron chairs manufactured by Herman Miller. is not an authorized Herman Miller retailer, and that these chairs are sold in the "Open Box" condition. According to the website’s terms of use “‘Open Box’ simply means that the item has been removed from its original packaging. The chair was returned, refurbished, reconditioned, or the price has been reduced due to an overstock of open box inventory.” The flare-up echoes another recent dispute in furniture design between the American manufacturer Emeco and Ikea.
Earlier this year, Dezeen reported that Emeco was suing Ikea for infringing on the 20-06 Stacking Chair, designed for Emeco by Norman Foster, with Ikea’s Melltorp dining chair, by Swedish designer Ola Wihlborg. But litigation isn’t always the best option, especially when the patent of a design is expired. In a novel attempt to assert the legitimacy of its Series 7 chairs, the manufacturer Fritz-Hansen produced a short video showing how easily a knock-off chair breaks compared to the authentic version. Perhaps another indicator that design is difficult to defend in court is the recent formation of an industry advocacy group called beOriginal. Comprising 11 furniture manufacturers, Herman Miller and Emeco included, the organization promotes authenticity in design by grounding the issue in ethics. [Disclosure: Metropolis is media partner of beOriginal.] was selling products that were inauthentic, inferior, or in any way infringed on Herman Miller’s copyright or patent holdings, a statement from CEO Brian Walker implied that selling the brand’s products without authorization is as damaging to the brand as selling knock-offs.
“Misleading business practices are a scourge of the industry. [They] damage the brands and reputations of companies like Herman Miller … that are committed to creating and selling authentic, innovative, high-quality products that last for generations.” Herman Miller says that they’ve improved the design of their Aeron chair so that it now looks exactly the same but works better (presumably there is at least a higher price that works better for Herman Miller shareholders?). Has anyone tried the “Aeron Remastered” for an extended period of time? (e.g., a whole day of typing) Thanks in advance for any feedback. 20 year ago Lantech was featured in the book Lean Thinking. This is a candid look at CEO Jim Lancaster's personal transformation as a leader and an in-depth, business case study of Lantech’s lean transformation.This book not only details the great results from daily management, but goes beyond that to show how to engage your team. Order your copy today »
One of our most popular subjects on The Lean Post is the use of lean in unorthodox places. But one gemba that we have yet to discuss on the Post is crime laboratories. You might be surprised to learn that they are prime candidates for lean transformations, being the process-heavy environments they are. Read the post and join the conversation » Go to The Lean Post » Choose from experiential in-person training at LEI or a convenient online workshop: Creating a Sustainable Lean Culture: Connecting the “Product” and the “People” Value Streams, March 22-23, at LEI. Get details & register. Online Webcast: Managing Kaizen Events, April 4-12, Your computer. Practicing Lean Fundamentals in an Office Environment, May 2-3, at LEI. Integrating Visual Management Tools & Leader Standard Work May 4-5, at LEI. See our full list of trainings » Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata This month's installment is a fuzzy video by a sharp guy. Author Dan Coyle talks about how we acquire new skills, with implications for training, coaching and organizational change.
Watch the presentation and share your thoughts » Online - Introduction to Lean Thinking and Practice Coaching for Development – Structured Coaching Using A3 Thinking Continuous Improvement Using Personal Kanban Kaizen: Culture of Continuous Improvement Lead with Respect: Practicing Respect for People to Enable Engagement, Teamwork & Accountability Seeing the Whole Value Stream Creating a Sustainable Lean Culture: Connecting the “Product” and the “People” Value Streams The Lean Enterprise Academy and Lean Enterprise Institute are collaborating to bring you a wide selection of Lean Public Workshops to the UK! Over the course of 3 days on Monday 27th, Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th March 2017 we will be offering you, not only the foundations to implement a successful lean transformation, but crucial insights into developing your internal capabilities whilst improving the work. The workshops will bring you practical examples, case studies, some Gemba-based learning along with some classroom training with instruction, small group discussion, and exercises.
Online Webcast Managing Kaizen Events Coaching for Development - Structured Coaching Using A3 Thinking Design the Work, Design the Experience Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata Key Concepts of Lean Standardized Work: The Foundation for Kaizen Managing to Learn: The Use of the A3 Management Process Value-Stream Mapping: Gemba Based Workshop 5S - Visual Workplace Gemba Walks - A Management Process for Leading the Organization Lean Product Development: Delivering New Products, Faster and Better Practicing Lean Fundamentals in an Office Environment Integrating Visual Management Tools and Leader Standard Work Lean Warehousing and Distribution Operations: Gemba-Based Workshop I can see that lean changes how one thinks about business, but can’t quite put my finger on it. If you had to sum up the main changes in thinking, what would they be? Most of our 30+ workshops can be taught at your facility by our faculty of lean management professionals, who have years of experience implementing what they teach.
Call 617-871-2944 for more information about tailoring on-site workshops to your specific needs. Our latest case study reveals how Thrustmaster of Texas successfully adopted lean thinking and practices to make sustainable improvements in a short period of time, and how other manufacturers of highly engineered, low-volume products can follow their lead using the Lean Transformation Framework Read the story » What Would Lean Trade Look Like? Between the upcoming Brexit negotiations and the protectionist stance of the new US Administration, trade is making the headlines once again. But what would trade look like in a world of lean organizations? There is a natural path for you and your teams to follow in order improve your lean thinking and practice together. This way to lean was laid out over the trilogy of business novels written by Michael and Freddy Ballé – The Gold Mine, The Lean Manager,, and, most recently, Lead With Respect – all Shingo Research Award winners.