... continued from above.
The influence of computers on Office Desks
Until the late 1980s office desks remained a place for paperwork and business negotiation. However, at the end of the decade the use of the personal computer was expanding and new office set-ups included a ‘kneehole’ credenza. This was a place for a terminal, computer, and keyboard tray.
It was during the computer boom that the need for paperwork space was truly an issue. Desks were beginning to be consumed by computer monitors, CPU’s, printers, cords, scanners, and more. This led to manufacturers adding additional items to office desks such as the modesty panels, multi-outlets, new cabling structures, and even grommets. Soon new designs also included the U-Shaped, that added a bridge work surface between the back credenza and front desk, as well as the L-Shaped desks.
In the 1990s office worker numbers skyrocketed and the cubical became a widely accepted office desk choice. This was an economical solution for putting more workers in the same space without shrinking the size of the work surface.