6 Steps to Design The Perfect Office Space

Transcription

1 6 Steps to Design The Perfect Office Space

2 6 Steps to Design the Perfect Office Space 01 APEX Design-Build Though it may seem daunting, designing a corporate office space is just like any other project you ve handled. The key to creating a successful outcome is breaking the project into small, bite-sized pieces. Organize your efforts into individual tasks, with measurable outcomes, and you re guaranteed to stay on track and always know what s next. You can begin the process by thinking of your design project in three distinct phases before, during and after. As you may have guessed, several steps exist within each phase. Let s discuss them: PRELIMINARY PHASE Reverse Engineer Your Plan It may seem counter-intuitive, but the best place to begin is at the end. Start by defining your desired outcome as clearly as possible. A word to the wise? Think big picture. You want a good looking space, but what else? What do you need this space to do for you? Remember, the most effective workspaces don t just look good they engage your employees, helping them work smarter, more efficiently and more productively. Consider the unique, day-to-day challenges your staff currently faces, the activities that need be performed and how you want to be perceived by clients. Keeping these thoughts in mind, draft a statement of intent, clearly state everything, big and small, you want to achieve in your new space (ie. more activity-based spaces for impromptu meetings, the procurement of bigger clients, a decrease in the time it takes employees to do X). Once you have your statement of intent, think backwards and jot down all tasks required to get there from where you are now.

3 02 Define Your Brand Identity Your brand identity could also be called your company culture. It s the consistent experience you want key stakeholders to have when interacting with your company. It s your values, your processes and your industry translated into a visual statement. Depending on the stage of your business, you may already have a clearly defined identity. If so, that s great! It will make the design process much smoother. Even so, you may decide it s time to revisit your brand and redefine it so that it better aligns with where you are heading. You can begin this process by creating an internal task force to brainstorm a list of adjectives you would like your brand to be associated with. Once you ve generated enough words, or statements, look for repeating themes. For example, you may have listed the words strong, dependable and accountable all similar in meaning. Try paring down your list to 10 or less. Now, take these words with you into your redesign process. Include Your Staff Though it may seem obvious, it s worth mentioning. Your best resource for designing the perfect office space will be your staff. If you haven t consulted with your employees recently on how they re feeling, what is working for them and what isn t, you re missing out on a wealth of valuable information. From the beginning, it s important to explain why you are making changes, how they will benefit the company as a whole and any potential challenges that may arise along the way. Once you have informed your staff, and answered any questions that arise, it s time to begin collecting feedback on what design changes they would like to see. There are several ways to do this including holding focus groups, conducting anonymous surveys and the creating of special task forces to keep pulse on internal attitudes. Just remember, their input is only useful if you use it!

4 03 DESIGN PHASE Collaborate With Experts Once you ve done your homework, it s time to collaborate with the carefully chosen experts who will help design, plan and execute the task at hand. Note: The above steps could have been completed on your own or with the guidance of experts in some situations. Most office design projects contain three main components: Interior design, architecture and construction. Traditionally, one would have to consult with 3 different individuals, or firms, from each discipline. Another increasingly popular option is to hire a design-build firm. At Apex, our goal is to provide clients with one qualified team of professionals to meet all of their needs. We begin by holding a detailed discovery session, before presenting a tailor made plan including everything from 3D renderings to budgets to timelines. Once a general direction has been decided, our team takes care of everything from start to finish. Monitor Progress The good news? As the client, your work is very minimal in this phase. Most of the decisions regarding color schemes, furnishings, architectural features etc. have already been made by this point. If you decide to work with a design build firm like Apex, you will be given one point of contact to communicate with throughout the execution phase. This person will provide you with routine budget reports, project summaries and answers to any questions you may have. If you decided to go the traditional route, you will likely have several different points of contact to manage. While this isn t necessarily a bad thing, it does require more organization. Regardless, do make it a point to check-in at agreed upon benchmarks and make routine site visits.

5 AFTER Monitor Staff Feedback Yes! You re finally in your new office. While you re enjoying your new space, it s important to continue monitoring staff feedback. For example, if part of your redesign involved switching to an open office floorplan, it will be important to keep tabs on how everyone is adjusting. Remember, your redesign wasn t just about creating a nicer looking space, it was about creating a company culture people want to be a part of. Continue to look for opportunities to bring your brand values into your office s daily routine. Take stock of improvements and unexpected critiques alike. And adjust as needed. Call APEX Design-Build today for a consultation on your project. We look forward to building your vision