CREJ - Office Properties Quarterly - March 2017
Technology is an essential element in every commercial workplace today, and it should be a catalyst for enhancing innovation and communication. A successful workplace should include technologies that support collaboration and engagement in a variety of spaces ranging from an individual workstation to a large conference room and everything in between. Ideally, these systems should be so human centered, easy to use and seamlessly integrated the clients don’t even notice the details of the technology but, instead, simply focus on getting their work done. Unfortunately, workspaces fitting this description are generally the exception rather than the norm. Most interior designers attempt to design workspaces as holistically as possible. However, because of the conventions of the modern design process, it’s rare that they can extend their vision beyond the physical environment. The technology systems usually are not part of their scope. This can have the net effect of these systems being “bolted on” in the 11th hour, resulting in a disjointed user experience and, potentially, a significant lack of worker engagement and use. Most audiovisual components used to create these systems are just that – components that are meant to be grouped together in a larger system to fulfill a specific function, such as presentation or collaboration. The manufacturers rely on AV system designers or system integrators to put them together. This often happens in a vacuum, late in the process, with little coordination between the architect and the end user. So details regarding the flow of the room, acoustics, lighting and integration into the supporting furniture often are missed or never addressed, resulting in a technology system that, while fulfilling a certain functionality requirement, misses the mark of the overall desired experience and vision of the end user. In addition, the technology industry itself is changing rapidly. Nontraditional technology manufacturers, like contract furniture manufacturers, continue to invest in and integrate sensor technologies into their furniture and workplace frameworks that go beyond basic functions to provide actionable space-utilization data. This data is invaluable for facilities personnel, workplace strategists, architects and end users in terms of assessing how functional and successful a workspace truly is. For instance, there are height adjustable tables that can now include a sensor to generate data showing how often the end user is standing versus sitting, how often they are at their desk versus away and other metrics designed around the individual. There are several room scheduling display systems that go beyond just simple room booking functions to offer real-time, room-utilization data through integration with iBeacon Bluetooth networks. These systems can detect user presence and identity and generate realtime “snapshots” of how effectively a given space is being used and, optionally, who is using it. In a nod to an increasingly mobile workforce, it is now possible to manage booking of hoteling stations, in realtime, through the use of dedicated scheduling apps and mini-displays. Workers want frictionless meeting spaces that support information sharing and presentation, where they can easily interact with local and remote participants, and where the surroundings, furnishings and technologies are all working in concert. One easy solution to this situation is to start a conversation during the conceptual stage around what technology clients are using today, how they are using it and what they want to do tomorrow. The resulting information will dramatically alter the workspace design. If these conversations happen early in the design process, among qualified technology professionals and the architects and designers of the workspace, the odds of achieving a fully integrated, technology-enabled workplace that delivers an exceptional user experience are much higher.