November 11, 2005—The University of Kentucky takes student comfort and satisfaction seriously. When it came time to choose furnishings for new residence halls, the universitys Auxiliary Services division asked students, faculty and staff to rank furniture from eight manufacturers as part of a rigorous selection process.
Voting took place over two weeks, with more than 400 participants viewing a variety of suite and lobby furniture and selecting their three preferences in each category. KIs residence hall furniture finished among the top two spots and has been placed throughout two of four facilities that opened in August.
To help ensure that its products meet the unique needs and requirements of colleges and universities, KI regularly conducts research with facilities personnel, professors, architects and, occasionally, students. During the initial planning for its first line of residence hall furniture, for example, KI held focus groups with students from 14 colleges to talk about their needs in a residence hall room. Many of their suggestions, such as more work surface space, desks large enough to accommodate a computer and adequate work space, and the ability to customize or reconfigure products, have influenced KIs product development and design decisions.
For more on KI, visit the company Web site.
