Monday 24 October 2016

Space on Demand research

Workspace of your own . . . wherever you are . . . whenever you need it. Office space for your company . . . wherever you are . . . by tomorrow. Meeting space . . . wherever you are . . . this afternoon. This is space on demand. Workspace becomes a service, not a property transaction.

Coworkspaces and ‘space matchmaker apps’ could revolutionise the way in which office workspaces are accessed and used. This is one of the main findings from a new British Council for Offices research report “Space on Demand” launched last week. AMA’s Alexi Marmot led the research project and presented its conclusions at WeWork’s South Bank office.



‘Space matchmaker apps’ and ‘space on demand’ (terms coined by the authors) describe a growing set of technology applications and platforms that match people seeking space to spaces seeking people. 

‘Space on Demand’ reviews the growth of both coworkspace and space matchmaker apps, and examines the underlying reasons for their growth. The report identifies the scale of change to date and identifies the impact of space on demand for property investors and developers, for urban planners, corporate occupiers and office space users.

One million people are predicted to be members of coworking spaces globally by 2018. The rise of coworking can be explained by growing demand for office space coupled with the power and ubiquity of digital tools and data, and the rise in flexible working.

Coworkspace is a way for companies to outsource their requirements for space, infrastructure and its management. It often comes bundled with other services. Sociability, connection with others, flexibility, and a cool, non-corporate atmosphere, design and layout are all part of the appeal and the marketing.

Matchmaker apps allow customers to find and book space and operators to manage the space. They also help coworkers in a particular community to engage with one another for business or social reasons.

The report argues that these are disruptive innovations. Companies providing digital platforms that enable peer-to-peer exchanges are, in some cases, outstripping traditional market leaders. The potential benefits of better using property resources, and reducing time and energy wasted in unnecessary commuting, are profound. Yet the sustainability benefits offered by coworkspaces and space matchmaker apps have been little noticed or understood.

Alexi's presentation was followed by a lively panel discussion featuring Cal Lee of Savills, Nigel Fuller from Legal & General and Leesman's Chris Moriarty, ably chaired by Steve Lang of Savills.

Friday 7 October 2016

Work On The Move 2 book launched at World Workplace, San Diego


IFMA Foundation has published the sequel to Work on the Move at IFMA's World Workplace Conference in San Diego. Alexi Marmot contributed the chapter on workplace trends around the world to Work on the Move 2: How Social, Leadership and Technology Innovations are Transforming the Workplace in the Digital Economy



The new book is the collaborative effort of 15 international experts in the fields of workplace strategy, human capital, real estate, technology and business. The book helps organisations prepare for the future of work, workers and the workplace.

The concepts shared in this new book help companies understand how to achieve critical workplace transformation in today’s digital and shared economy.  Showcased are 17 case studies of great workplaces around the world with an emphasis on their impact on the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.

Topics covered include: the latest global workplace trends, leadership changes, as well as the changes occurring in social responsibility; the increased importance of employee well-being; the silo-busting going on in real estate, human resources, information technology, and facility management groups to lead workplace change; new technologies being experimented and deployed for greater productivity and engagement of workplace professionals; and a day in the life of a future ‘placemaker’.  

Co-editors Nancy Johnson Sanquist and Diane Coles Levine had a vision for the first edition of Work on the Move, to “raise awareness within the facility management profession and create a vibrant movement of disparate, forward-thinking professionals dedicated to improving the workplace.”  This book was the catalyst for the creation of the IFMA Workplace Evolutionaries (WE), and two Workplace Strategy Summits; the first held at Cornell University and the second in cooperation with University College London. 

The vision for the second edition is wider: to raise consciousness and create alliances between the various professions involved (human resources, finance, information technology etc) to work together to create high-performing workplaces

Sponsored by FM:Systems, Kimball Office, Planon, and Trimble, as well as other organisations, 100% of the proceeds of the book will support the mission of the IFMA Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative (GWI).

Visit the Work on the Move website workonthemove.com for more information and to share your thoughts, ideas and case studies.

Monday 25 January 2016

AMA’s work with Sheffield Hallam’s Learning Centre features in new UX book


AMA design director David Jenkin has contributed to a new book about the way users experience library spaces and services. David, together with Bea Turpin, Deborah Harrop, Edward Oyston, Maurice Teasdale and John McNamara, considers what makes an informal learning space, based on work for Sheffield Hallam University.
Sheffield Hallam University Adsetts Centre. Image © AMA

AMA won a competition to help Sheffield Hallam upgrade the Adsetts Learning Centre at the heart of the campus.  As part of a three year, multi-phase project, AMA’s designs integrated exciting and engaging social learning and group study spaces into a wider mix of learning facilities. Increasing clear views across spaces and adding colour highlights further enhanced the environment. Helpdesk facilities were improved and new worksettings, including shared meeting booths and presentation rooms, were positioned in prime space liberated by relocating staff.

Commenting on the project, David Jenkin said: “Using evidence from occupation surveys and involving both students and staff in the process allowed AMA to transform the building into a totally student-focussed facility, providing a whole range of different places for study.”

Sheffield Hallam students responded very positively to the upgraded Learning Centre. In the 2013 National Student Survey, 89% of SHU’s students praised the library and its resources with one commenting: “It's a place you really want to study in - as soon as you walk in you're in the mindset to work, in a really comfortable environment.”

The editors of User Experience in Libraries point to growing interest in building a more complete picture of user experience: “Librarians are now employing ethnographic and human-centred design techniques to explore how users are interacting with library services. These methods involve us observing our users, participating in their environments and recording their choices, activities and culture in a more holistic and detailed way than ever before.”

User Experience in Libraries, subtitled Applying Ethnography and Human-Centred Design, is edited by Andy Priestner of Cambridge University and consultant Matt Borg. Incorporating contributions from librarians, anthropologists and designers from the UK and the US, the book offers guidance, analysis and case studies of user experience research and seeks to ignite interest and enthusiasm in this “emerging and game-changing field” that has the potential to make a significant impact on the way librarians currently deliver services. It will be published by Ashgate in April.


http://uxlib.org/uxlibs-the-book/
UA-53860150-2