Nicholas Miles — Editor-in-Chief & Methodology Owner

Nicholas Miles owns the scoring methodology and editorial standards behind DeskGearHQ — the framework that decides what earns a recommendation, how every 0–10 score is calculated, and when a guide gets refreshed. He is the editor bylined on every guide on this site, and the same editor listed on the author page as Nick Miles.

Methodology responsibility

The DeskGear Score

He defines and versions the site-wide 0–10 composite: Expert Consensus at 30%, Effectiveness at 25%, Build Safety at 20%, Durability at 15%, and Value at 10%. Formula v1.0 has been in effect since 2026-05-01; a weight change bumps the version and recalculates every score on the site.

Source selection

He approves the six-category source stack every guide draws from — trade-review publications, ergonomics and industrial-design research, specialist deep-dive sources, manufacturer documentation, retailer and marketplace data, and practitioner communities — and sets how heavily each category counts. Sources are named by organization and author in body prose so readers can check them.

Category scores

Each buying guide also carries a category-specific score with its own weighted components — 48 of them are published today, each with its formula documented at /metrics. He signs off on the components and weights before a guide ships.

Editorial standards

He sets what the site will and won't claim: no testing-lab claims, no paid placement, disagreement between sources documented rather than averaged away, and a dated refresh signal on every guide. The full list is on the methodology page.

Update policy

Pricing and availability are checked at least monthly, and more often on high-volatility categories — monitors, mechanical keyboards, ergonomic chairs. Every guide shows the dated lastProductCheck that check produced.

The source stack is reviewed quarterly for new trade-review releases, ergonomics research, and BIFMA standard updates. When the sources behind a guide move, the guide is updated to follow them.

The score formula is versioned. When factor weights change, the version moves, every affected score is recalculated, and the guide's updatedDate moves with it.

Correction policy

DeskGearHQ corrects factual errors with attribution and without obscuring the original. A wrong score, a misattributed source, an inaccurate specification, or a product that is no longer what the guide says it is — all of it gets fixed on the page rather than quietly reworded.

To report an error, email editor@deskgearhq.com with the guide URL and the specific claim that needs correcting. Source suggestions are welcome on the same address.