Begin with the work on the surface
List the activities the workstation needs to support before deciding where each object goes. Reading documents while entering figures is different from working mainly on a laptop or using a large drawing surface. Note what you reach for repeatedly, what is used occasionally and which equipment normally stays on the desk.
Use that list to make a simple equipment sketch. Include the screen’s stand or support, the keyboard, pointing device and any documents or other items needed for the task. A desk’s advertised width does not tell you whether those things can be arranged usefully together. Keep their actual dimensions and adjustment information with your notes.
Consider the components together
OSHA’s monitor guidance treats the screen in relation to the desk, keyboard and chair. That is a useful planning principle: moving one component can change the questions about another. A screen position that looks tidy in an empty-room photograph may be less practical once the usual task and equipment are present.
Start with a familiar task and observe what you actually do. Can the material be read without moving other items every few minutes? Is the equipment you use most often positioned where you expect it? Record the observation rather than assuming that a neat arrangement is suitable for every person or kind of work.
Check the adjustment questions
Find the manufacturer’s information for adjustable components you already have or are considering. Note what can move and how the adjustment is intended to be made. A monitor support, desk surface and chair may offer different ranges or restrictions. Keep those details separate from a general description such as “adjustable workstation.”
If the workstation is shared, another user may need a different starting position. Make the adjustments easy to identify in a handover note and avoid presenting one person’s settings as universal targets. HSE guidance considers the whole workstation, the task and individual requirements; a planning article or software result does not replace that assessment.
Review one change deliberately
Choose a single practical change to discuss or try within the equipment’s instructions and workplace arrangements. For example, clear space for the documents used in a particular task, then note whether the new position creates another question about the screen or keyboard. Keep the reason for the change with the observation.
Review the setup again when the equipment, task or user changes. Where comfort, access or suitability is uncertain, involve the appropriate responsible person or professional rather than treating this guide as a diagnosis. A useful outcome is a clearer equipment plan and a short list of questions, not a claim that a workstation has been certified.