So we in the software world have it easy. We don’t have to beg for $$ to update physical facilities. I’ve seen enough offices to see how facilities become outdated and even run down. So I recently had the chance to go to a client who had some new facilities and it got me to thinking about how technology could be used to create a better and more productive workplace. So if no one has coined Office 2.0, I officially lay claim to it. Now I’m not about to launch into a commercial but there are some things that can be pretty cool and fun to use. Here’s my list of a top 10 things that make a great office space:
- Well lit. OK, not a great start on the technology but the latest fluorescent lighting along with windows makes for a much nicer environment
- Gaming space
- Personal conference rooms. Conference rooms that hold a maximum of four people but still have a phone and table are fantastic. I can make a quick call without interrupting the people around me
- Big conference rooms………and plenty of them
- Lots of whiteboards. Yes, the old fashioned kind are really useful and combined with ever present digital phones with cameras, they are very nice.
- Touch screen directories tied to maps. For anyone who has ever tried to find someone’s cubicle, this can be useful.
- Touch whiteboards a-la Tom Cruise. I never thought about how useful they could be to use my finger to draw on the wall, change colors, finish a diagram and save it to my hard drive.
- Conference rooms tied to the corporate calendar. I love conference rooms that tell you the days schedule on the monitor by the door. I love rooms that light up a red light by the monitor to tell you if it’s scheduled or not. Of course what I really love is when it’s green and I can see how long it’s open while I sneak in to borrow it at the last moment.
- Big monitors. Better yet, two big monitors. We all deal with so much information and the ability to seamlessly view and interact with it is key. Consider this my request for two large monitors for my home office. I’m hoping my bosses at Perficient are reading.
- The top one I leave to you. What would be the coolest technology you’ve seen?
Oh, and don’t get me going on all sorts of energy saving options popping up inside and outside offices nowadays.
I’m not opposed to getting rid of cube walls and having rolling desks (with up to 2 large widescreen monitors of course). This would allow teams to arrange themselves in flexible ways, and allow the overall office to adapt more easily as it grows. People don’t print or use actual books nearly as much anymore, so cabinet requirements are minimal.
There should be secured wi-fi on the corporate network (with plenty of capacity), and employees should have laptops, tablets, etc. A desktop PC should be a special request. This would allow people to go into your small team rooms for their conference calls.
Offer all employees a wireless headset for their desk phones to prevent speakerphone noise pollution.
Depending on the type of company, you could also have strategically placed flatscreens showing various dashboards or news feeds related to the company or their industry.
I’m going to track these ideas and put up a new list of additional ideas. Keep them coming.