Workplace Experimentation Program
Global Workplace Services
Creating a culture of thoughtful experimentation and intelligent risk-taking
“TAKING INTELLIGENT , RISKS ISN T JUST PART OF WHAT WE , DO. IT S PART OF WHO , WE ARE. IT S HOW WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE EVERY DAY.” Jim Morgensen VP, Global Workplace Services
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LEADING BY EXPERIMENTATION Being a member of a world-class organization with an audacious mission is a busy job for anyone. We try to learn and adapt to an ever-shifting landscape as new business trends surface and our lives get even busier. Rapid change is the new normal, and it’s not going to slow down; if anything, it’s accelerating. Innovation—meaning a thoughtful process of experimenting— is our only hope of keeping pace. It’s only a matter of time until we are individually impacted by these changes. The responsibility to innovate does not rest with someone else on some other team, initiative, or committee. Ultimately, we each need to adopt a new mindset of adaptability and problem-solving, if not to simply ensure we stay relevant in our own jobs, but to ensure our greater organization remains the innovator it has always been. Thriving in this new paradigm calls on each of us to exercise leadership over our small piece of the innovation pie. As we answer that call, we might find ourselves living in a future that enables more experimentation and creativity, and ultimately a more fulfilling work experience for us all.
The Experimentation Team
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845 WORKPLACE EXPERIMENTATION Program
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A PEEK INSIDE
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A Place to Learn 10 Our Vision
12 What We Do 14 Our Approach 16 Why It Matters
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18 845 Data Summary
The Evolving Workplace 24 Going Unassigned 25 Insights in Data 26 Piloting Change 27 Dynamic Workplace Environment
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28 DWE at a Glance
Featured Teams Experimentation in Action 38 Our Approach
40 Experimentation Process 42 Experiments Summary 44 Experiment Info Sheets
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A PLACE TO LEARN
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A PLACE TO LEARN
A Place to Learn
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More than a building, 845 Maude Avenue represents a commitment to learning. Within the walls hums a living machine of continuous iteration and discovery brought to life by a formal program, a thoughtful process, and a group of participants committed to taking that journey. By sacrificing their time and patience, the occupants of 845 allow us to leapfrog our learnings, accelerating the rate of discovery. But what is 845 exactly, what do we do here, and why does it matter?
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A PLACE TO LEARN
OUR VISION
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The Student Union space, just on the other side of the glass, provides an ideal environment to test the latest workplace solutions.
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WALKING THE WALK At LinkedIn, taking intelligent risks is a part of what makes us who we are. That’s not just talk for us; We are an organization that actually lives it. We’re discovering new and innovative approaches to designing workplaces everyday—providing better spaces for our employees and continually resetting the industry standard. Through these discoveries, we play an important role in co-creating the future of the way people work, and helping the world’s professionals be more successful and productive. Located at 845 Maude Avenue, Building 845 is LinkedIn’s 20,000 square foot home to our Global Workplace Services (GWS) team and was specifically designed to be a living and ever-evolving workplace experimentation lab. 845 provides a safe environment to experiment with spaces and services. The building is tasked with improving quality and effectiveness in the workplace, and sharing new-found solutions with LinkedIn’s offices around the globe.
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A PLACE TO LEARN
WHAT WE DO OUR FOCUS The GWS mission is to provide a phenomenal workplace experience, and this only gets done by pushing the envelope of what’s possible. 845 is continuously evolving through the testing of new products, services, systems, and ways of working. This takes the form of different workstations, phone booth solutions, conference room technology, privacy graphics, mobile whiteboard solutions, and utilization technologies, to name a few. Our experimentation process allows us to move quickly from idea to validated solution, prior to rolling out new solutions at full scale. Equally important, we capture and analyze our learnings. The feedback our team provides allows us to quickly iterate and improve concepts, or scrap them entirely before becoming too heavily invested.
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TEST ITERATE IMPROVE
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A PLACE TO LEARN
OUR APPROACH
FEEDBACK-DRIVEN Every decision we make is informed by user feedback. We take a blended data approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods including: Focus groups, user interviews, surveys, observation studies, and a variety of sensor data.
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LAYERS OF FIDELITY Rolling out one scale at a time minimizes negative impact as we progress from concept to prototype in the most efficient way possible. Minimizing both time and financial costs allows us more flexibility and agility in how we learn.
EVER-EVOLVING Just as each step of our experimentation process builds on the next, every experiment builds on the one before. Each experiment is drawn from our warehouse of feedback, or from lessons learned during previous projects.
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A PLACE TO LEARN
WHY IT MATTERS Workplace design has historically evolved on the time-scale of decades, generally only changing from lease to lease. Today, our work environments need to be readily adaptable at a moment’s notice in order to best serve the needs of employees. Ultimately, we hope to design not just offices, but ecosystems, able to actively respond to needs as they arise and organically evolve over time. By pushing the limits of what is possible at 845, we empower all LinkedIn employees to do their best work and fulfill our shared mission.
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+ Developed with our furniture partner, Haworth, our “Rolling Cube” offered our first foray into extending the office outdoors.
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A PLACE TO LEARN
845 DATA SUMMARY ALL DATA COLLECTED FROM JANUARY 1, 2018 TO DECEMBER 31, 2018
BUILDING
18,288
104
7,675
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332
TOTAL SQUARE FEET
SQUARE FEET OF WORKSPACE
CORD REELS
WALL PANELS
ROOMS
PLACES TO SIT
EXPERIMENTATION
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EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED
592 RESPONSES COLLECTED FROM NINE SURVEYS
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ACCESS
59,230 TOTAL BADGE SWIPES IN 2018
1,917 TOTAL VISITORS IN 2018
UTILIZATION
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Workstation utilization is CoWorkr’s primary utilization metric. Activity is
.
WORKSTATION UTILIZATION
generated when a human interacts with a space or seat where our sensor(s) are located. This data is collected at 1-minute intervals but is viewed on the app in 30-minute buckets. The resolution of this data can adjusted by using the Interval settings of 1, 5, 10, 15, or 30 minute buckets.
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WORKERS
77 PEAK
Of a selection of WorkPoints, this is the number of WorkPoints active simultaneously. This is a great metric for determining how many people use a space at the same time—for example, use this to estimate the average number of workers in a room.
The Peak is an event—date/time—in which the most number of seats were simultaneously occupied. Peaks are represented by a percentage of the total capacity (of selected seats). Use the peak to determine a specific high time. Peaks can also be seen by looking at the activity bar chart to visually identify high points of activity.
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The Evolving Workplace
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The Evolving Workplace
The Evolving Workplace
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As our world changes, so do the ways we work. Among the many ongoing experiments at 845 that explore this changing landscape, 2018 saw an especially dramatic evolution that was central to the space as a whole. The following section represents our journey through a fusion of old and new workplace practices—a step towards the workplace of the future.
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The Evolving Workplace
OUR LEARNING JOURNEY GOING UNASSIGNED At the close of 2017 we conducted a utilization study. In order to understand how our own utilization compared to the rest of the company, we leveraged sensor-driven data and a formal observation study of our organization.
The results showed LinkedIn to be typical of other tech organizations: Workstation utilization was hovering somewhere between 25-35% at any given time. This caused us to rethink how we were designing the space focused around the workstation rather than where people were spending most of their time. As part of this, we decided to move away from a 1:1 seat assignment to an unassigned environment. We decided to try this program out on ourselves in 845 prior to deploying it with any other teams to learn what works, and what doesn’t. We would iterate from there to find the ideal solution.
ADDRESSING PRIVACY IN AN OPEN OFFICE After moving to unassigned seating, we recognized the need for additional work modes and a need for more privacy within an open environment. We installed semi-enclosed “Sidecars”—small individual workspaces to try to solve for this. See page 50 for the results!
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INSIGHTS IN DATA After settling into the new space, we conducted focus groups, an observation study and a post-occupancy survey using Survature. Three key challenges emerged.
The three largest complaints were:
1. It was difficult to find team members. 2. Teams could not communicate effectively. 3. People felt less productive when not sitting with their team.
Analyzing the feedback, it became clear that the problem had little to do with the technical aspects of finding or communicating with people. The underlying concern was a feeling of disruption when not sitting with one’s team.
AGILE MEETING SPACES With no assigned seating, people stopped having quick informal meetings in workspaces. To test a solution for this, we prototyped an informal stand-up meeting space with rolling whiteboard and monitor. There was such high demand for the space that teams would try to reserve a spot for multiple days.
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The Evolving Workplace
PILOTING CHANGE In recognizing the importance of sitting with one’s team, we came up with a new question to build a hypothesis around: “How could we create an open office space, but still allow people to sit with their teams?” We turned an area of 845 into a prototype neighborhood space. Bookable for one week, a team could configure the space as they saw fit. We conducted observations for twelve weeks and then facilitated focus groups with the eight teams that utilized the space during that time. The “student union” neighborhood prototype was a big hit. People loved it and could not book it fast enough. It was clear this idea was ready to move to the next phase. In the focus groups, people spoke a lot about the ability to have their team together in one place. They also praised the flexibility of the space, though our observations showed minimal reconfigurations were performed by the teams even though they each received instruction on several potential configurations. The implication seemed to be that the freedom and ability to configure your space is important, even if it isn’t exercised.
TECH AT THE DESK We received many complaints about the tangle of wires needed to accommodate the many different types of technology in an unassigned environment. We converted every workstation in the building to USB-C only and upgraded everyone’s machines to be USB-C compatible. This small change had a tremendously powerful impact.
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DYNAMIC WORK ENVIRONMENT At the end of 2018, we began our office-wide transition to Dynamic Work Environment (DWE), a program created around the team-controlled neighborhood concept. We continue to collect further data via surveys, interviews, and focus groups to better understand the suitability of the change.
We now see an opportunity to encourage better
One of our key observations has been the phenomenon
1:1 assigned seating and free address that puts
of people creating an unofficial, assigned desk for themselves, denoted by the presence of personal belongings. It seems this may come from a need for a “home base,� or some kind of psychological anchor
collaboration by refocusing the psychological anchors, shifting them from individual desks into a shared team space. Doing this will hopefully eliminate the emotional and psychological need to have a personalized space, while allowing the desks to be utilized more efficiently. We are in the process of developing this concept, so keep an eye out for some prototypes coming to the space in the near future. We expect to uncover challenges with this new seating experiment. We are confident that they will offer a path to a hybrid space type in between the team dynamic first that just may represent the future of workplace design. We are already in the beginning stages of deploying similar programs to other locations across the globe.
in their workplace.
DUAL MONITORS IN OPEN OFFICE One unexpected result from moving to an unassigned environment was the disbursement of dual monitors throughout the environment. Interviews helped us categorize usage into three modes: Need to have, nice to have, and not needed. We were able to reduce our dual monitor setups from 50% to 30% based on work preference and observational data.
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The Evolving Workplace
DWE AT A GLANCE An overview of our key takeaways from 845’s shift to Dynamic Work Environment. In order to test whether the concept behind Dynamic Work Environment was successful on an actual floorplan, we applied this approach:
1. Assign a neighborhood (general area) to a team.
2. Place a community anchor centrally in the space. 3. Provide options to the teams with configurable space and furniture.
4. Use collaborative meeting and seating areas to create a soft boundary between teams.
1. HOUSE
2. ANCHOR
DESIGN + BUILD
3. YARD
KEY TAKEAWAYS HOUSE AND YARD
UNASSIGNED DESKS
A house represents the minimum
Unassigned seats within an assigned
number of desks for a neighborhood;
neighborhood are an ideal compromise
A yard is the maximum. Yards can
between assigned & unassigned seating
overlap, houses cannot.
allowing teams to decide if any seats are assigned.
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OPERATIONS + TRANSPORTATION
LEADERSHIP + REAL ESTATE + COMMUNITY
FOOD + EVENTS
WPI
SECURITY + TRAVEL
SOURCING
ANcHOR
PROXIMITY
TECH AT THE DESK
Emotional attachment to a desk is
In a dynamic environment,
A single USB-C cable that
reduced by giving teams a visible,
teams stay together even if
replaces a mess of wires at desks
functional representation of themselves.
there is generally low utilization.
makes everyone’s life easier.
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featured teams
OUR TEAMS ARE THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO AT 845.
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FEATURED
TRANSPORTATION
TEAM:
VISION
MISSION
To bring everyone together through
To ensure everyone can choose from
exceptional transportation experiences.
multiple transportation options.
VALUE PROPOSITION
1 2 3
Create an advantage
Maximize the use of
Ensure long-term
commute experience.
people with less.
cost effective services.
by crafting a great
space by moving more
stability by supporting
FEATURED EXPERIMENTS Scoop
Bike Parking
increased engagement.
to encourage more biking, but the scope
More on page 63
of change was larger than its priority.
Our carpooling partner app successfully
We explored new bike parking solutions
More on page 61
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featured teams
FEATURED TEAM:
BREAKROOMS
VISION To nourish and unite LinkedIn’s professionals in an engaging and inclusive manner through the breakroom space.
MISSION To create an ideal breakroom experience and to amplify happiness and productivity.
FEATURED EXPERIMENTS Flatbread Machine
Seraphim Coffee Maker
Bulk Snacks
essentially a keurig of tortillas
making pour-over coffee, but learned
breakroom allowed for more
and learned the product wasn’t
efficiency wasn’t everything.
snacks in less space and for
ready for prime time.
More on page 62
more sanitary conditions.
Food staff tested what was
More on page 51
We tested a more efficient method of
A bulk snack dispenser in the
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FEATURED TEAM:
WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE + INNOVATION (WPI)
VISION
MISSION
To create a phenomenal
To maximize employee experience
employee experience.
by driving innovative solutions.
VALUE PROPOSITION
1 2 3
Strategic oversight
Drive research initiatives
Continuous
and engineering.
based solutions.
improvement.
of workplace system
to provide evidence
performance
FEATURED EXPERIMENTS Mist
Density
Reception Tech
utilization data using people’s Wi-Fi
conference room utilization,
worked together to pilot a
connection data to understand the
we found a new tool that was
reception kiosk that showed
number of people in the space.
effective but difficult to install.
promising direction.
More on page 52
More on page 57
More on page 66
WPI piloted an app to get better
Seeking better insight over
WPI and Global Security
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Experimentation in Action
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Experimentation in Action
Experimentation in Action
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A culture of experimentation is the heart of innovation. Rather than leaving it to a single program or committee to design and conduct these experiments, we are focused on facilitating successful experimentation across all of our business units and with every member of our organization. By sharing our findings, we learn faster and inform our next experiments. We’ve been busy over the last year, but we’re just getting started!
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Experimentation in Action
OUR APPROACH 845 houses the Global Workplace Services Experimentation Initiative, run by the Design + Build Workplace Experimentation Program. Through this formal program, we hope to improve outcomes and elevate the workplace experience for all LinkedIn employees globally.
INTELLIGENT RISK-TAKING Run experiments that are well informed and offer valuable returns.
CREATING A CULTURE
THOUGHTFUL EXPERIMENTATION
Nurture an intrinsicallydriven mode of operation.
Employ a standardized and ever-optimized methodology for experimentation, rooted in research and testing.
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Experimentation in Action
EXPERIMENTATION PROCESS This is how we learn. Our systematic approach to workplace experimentation and optimization allows us to get welltested and well-documented outcomes.
MAKE AN OBSERVATION, then clearly define the problem statement. Focus on identifying the problem, not guessing at potential solutions based solely on observation.
ESTABLISH A BASELINE by measuring the current state. What are you measuring and how are you measuring it? Are you measuring the correct metrics to support your problem statement?
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DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS about how things work. This hypothesis is an attempt to answer your problem statement with an explanation that can be tested.
CONDUCT THE EXPERIMENT by devising a structured procedure to test your hypothesis, then follow it carefully and collect new data. Is your procedure effective at testing for the variables you are tracking?
ANALYZE THE DATA from the experiment and draw conclusions. Compare the new data against your original baseline metrics. Do the results support your hypothesis?
REPORT THE FINDINGS by compiling the results of your experiment, then communicate the data, your conclusions and their implications in a final report that is easily accessible.
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Experimentation in Action
EXPERIMENTS SUMMARY
FURNITURE
WORKSTATIONS
Mobile White Board – pg. 46
3x6 Huts – pg. 50
Our furniture partner Haworth helped us to
We tested semi-enclosed “Sidecars” as an alternative
successfully prototype mobile whiteboard
workspace for more privacy in an unassigned
solutions with added features.
environment, but needed further refinement.
Conference Room Table – pg. 59
Tech at the desk – pg. 56
Our custom designed conference table better
We swapped the mess of wires at desks for a single
integrated AV components, though the first
USB-C cable and life got a lot easier for all of us.
iteration needed some work on its proportions.
Outdoor Patio – pg. 64 We effectively piloted an outdoor meeting space that everyone enjoyed throughout the summer.
GLASS TREATMENTS Casper Cloaking Film – pg. 60 This privacy film proved to be an ideal
SPACE TYPES GWS Unassigned Seating – pg. 45 We moved the GWS team to unassigned seating to understand its impact and gained insight about dynamic seating.
Student Union Pilot Space – pg. 54 We tested what neighborhood seating could
solution for conference room privacy, though
look like using a bookable space in the Student
still a little too pricey for global rollout.
Union, to rave reviews.
Conference room film – pg. 49
Agile Meeting Space – pg. 55
We experimented with a variety of tints and texture
We tested a new type of informal stand-up
applications to refine conference room privacy. We
meeting space. It went well, but we wanted to
learned many lessons.
develop the idea further.
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SIGNAGE WAYFINDING
DIGITAL AV SYSTEMS
Bike parking – pg. 61
Sound Masking – pg. 47
We explored new bike parking solutions to
We tested a method of sound masking in
encourage more biking, but the scope of
conference rooms and found a viable solution
change was larger than its priority.
to underperforming rooms.
Food Waste Initiative – pg. 65 A cross-functional team came together to gather data and educate others about what we can do to reduce food waste.
FIXTURES + EQUIPMENT Flatbread Machine – pg. 51 Food staff tested what was essentially a keurig of tortillas and learned that the product wasn’t quite ready for prime time.
Fruit Merchandising – pg. 53 We tested to see if the location, visibility and accessibility of fruit affected consumption rates and learned it did.
Seraphim coffee maker – pg. 62 We tested a more efficient method of making pour-over coffee, but found that there was
mist – pg. 52 WPI piloted an app to help us get better utilization data, but it relied on engagement which was hard to maintain.
Density – pg. 57 Seeking better insight over conference room utilization, we found a new tool to be effective.
Oblong – pg. 58 We tested presentation software, expecting Minority Report level features, and found that it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
Scoop – pg. 63 The Transportation Team was able to successfully increase engagement on their carpooling partner app through this test.
Reception tech – pg. 66
greater value in the slower process.
WPI and Global Security worked together
Byte food – pg. 68
promising direction but wasn’t quite the one.
We piloted a new food vendor that could better track consumption, but it proved tricky for most users.
to pilot a reception kiosk which showed
Dual monitors – pg. 69 We ran a study to better understand how people were using dual monitors and were
FLOORING
able to reduce installation by 50%.
Scanalytics – pg. 48
VC in Phone Booth – pg. 67
We attempted to understand space
We placed a Cisco DX-70 in a framery phone
utilization with under-the-floor sensors,
booth to provide VC capability. Positive
which had some technical difficulties.
feedback has encouraged more exploration.
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Experimentation in Action
NEVER STOP LEARNING, NEVER STOP EXPERIMENTING.
EXPERIMENT INFO SHEETS
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Unassigned Seating SUMMARY
START DATE
We moved the GWS team to unassigned seating
July, 2017
to understand its impact, resulting in insights that will inform a more dynamic seating solution.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Under-utilized space is not providing an
Utilization for assigned seating showed
effective workspace and impacting the
between 20-30% and collaboration
quality of the employee experience.
was limited.
PROCEDURE
HYPOTHESIS
We moved the GWS organization into LinkedIn’s
By moving to an unassigned seating model, we
first totally unassigned seating environment. We spent six months gathering utilization data, conducting focus groups, observation studies,
can increase utilization, workplace satisfaction without increasing real estate requirements.
user interviews and surveys. 6 MONTHS OF: GATHERING DATA FOCUS GROUPS OBSERVATION STUDIES
UTILIZATION WHEN ASSIGNED: 20-30% UTILIZATION WHEN UNASSIGNED: 60-80%
USER INTERVIEWS SURVEYS
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Our hypothesis was supported in part and we
Unassigned, while a more efficient use of
achieved more efficient space utilization which
space, caused considerable disruption to work
increased to 60-80%. However we recieved
patterns and was hard to manage operationally.
complaints about challenges sitting with one’s team and technology issues at the desk. Utilization
Continued testing with a new hypothesis
was improved but satisfaction decreased and we
that remains unassigned but allows teams to sit
learned we needed a more thoughtful solution.
together could be effective.
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Experimentation in Action
Mobile Whiteboard SUMMARY
STAR DATE
Our furniture partner Haworth helped us
October, 2017
to successfully prototype some mobile whiteboard solutions with added features.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
We generally employ fixed whiteboards in our
Off-the-shelf mobile whiteboards are small
spaces and have recieved feedback that there
and lacked features which could better
is a desire for teams to take whiteboard notes
facilitate meeting effectiveness.
with them.
PROCEDURE We tested and refined multiple iterations of a mobile whiteboard that also included coat racks, shelving and a video monitor. We collected feedback from people via whiteboard notes, user interviews and observing the utilization and
HYPOTHESIS By providing a solution that is mobile, but also
location of the whiteboard over time.
supports the facilitation of meetings, we can
FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
for employees, as well as potentially reduce
WHITEBOARD NOTES USER INTERVIEWS
reduce friction between switching work modes inefficient conference room utilization.
OBSERVATION STUDIES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The new whiteboards were heavily utilized and
The more it looked like a whiteboard, the less
frequently moved around from place to place.
the additional features were used.
We received many positive comments and requests for additional pieces.
We will next be testing a similar version, where the utility as a whiteboard is de-prioritized and
Positive Comments
it is more easily used as a team gathering point in a new space in 2019.
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Sound masking SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested sound masking in conference rooms to see
November, 2017
if it would limit the amount of sound transfer between rooms and found that it is an adequate solution when corrective construction is not an option.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Conversations in adjoining conference rooms in
Tests performed to measure the speech
a completed building are clearly audible between
privacy potential rating showed rooms
rooms. This is distracting and provides little privacy.
scoring below the industry standard. The scores indicated that the rooms had no or poor speech privacy.
PROCEDURE
1 2
We measured ambient background noise (NC). We measured sound transmission through partition (NIC).
HYPOTHESIS Increasing the background noise in a conference room will increase the speech privacy potential rating and limit the ability to hear conversations in adjoining conference rooms.
Conditions: same rooms, same time of day, same equipment. Test done per ASTM E336 standard.
RESULTS Sound masking can be used to fix a poorly performing room or space. It is effective in
ANALYSIS The general sentiment of feedback was that it worked well. Rooms tested saw an average increase in sound quality of 11%.
raising speech privacy by 4-16 points based on this experiment. Current guidelines are sufficient to provide speech privacy if the rooms are built correctly. The Sound masking product used for this test
INCREASE IN SOUND QUALITY:
11
was LogiSon.
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Experimentation in Action
Scanalytics SUMMARY
START DATE
We attempted to understand space utilization
November, 2017
with under-the-floor sensors, which had some technical difficulties.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Gathering utilization data is tricky but plays
We don’t currently have a tool that tracks
a critical role in the effective design and management of our workplace portfolio.
where employees travel throughout our offices anonymously.
PROCEDURE We deployed a tool called “Scanalytics” under the carpet in conference rooms and workspace that would record data about the foot traffic in that room. The goal was to use this data to interpret utilization anonymously.
Foot traffic sensor data
HYPOTHESIS Deploying a tool that can provide more specific room or space utilization data will help us better design and manage spaces according to how they are used.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Upon installing the system, we could never
While this tool is good in theory, it still needs to
get it to work correctly or report accurately.
have the bugs worked out. The tool is designed
We received no actionable data.
for retail applications and cannot decipher between office furniture and feet and ultimately, X
No data received. OK
we did not receive any actionable data from it.
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Conference room film SUMMARY
START DATE
We experimented with a variety of tints and
November, 2017
texture applications to refine conference room privacy. We learned many lessons.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
We have not defined preferred solutions for
Current film standard was a four inch band
conference room privacy, and this plays a big
running horizontally across the glazing at a
role in people’s comfort using a space, as well
height of five feet.
as our office aesthetic.
PROCEDURE We applied several different solutions to six conference rooms including full coverage color films, frosted films, and patterns and left them in place for a period of three months, eliciting feedback through user interviews. TESTED NEW SOLUTIONS:
HYPOTHESIS By testing an array of conference room film options, we will be able to determine the ideal standard practice for our global spaces.
COLOR FILMS FROSTED FILMS PATTERNS
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Through our user interviews we were able to
The most successful film designs used a pattern
determine that being able to see into a room
to break up an image and discouraged people
was an important part of discovering if the
from casually looking into the room, but allowed
room was in use or if it was the correct room
people to see who is in the room when necessary.
for a meeting. We also found that full height color films felt overbearing and obnoxious. USER INTERVIEWS
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Experimentation in Action
3x6 huts SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested semi-enclosed “Sidecar” workstations as an
December, 2017
alternative workspace for more privacy in an unassigned environment, but needed further refinement.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
After moving to unassigned seating, we recognized
Options for more privacy within the open
the need for additional work modes and a need for
space environment had been to camp in a
more privacy within an open environment.
drop-in room or to work from home.
PROCEDURE We partnered with a furniture company to implement some 3x6 “Sidecars”—small individual workspaces. We collected feedback via user interviews, iPad surveys, and focus groups, and sensors to monitor utilization.
HYPOTHESIS Providing a space that gives people more privacy and facilitates more focused work
FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
USER INTERVIEWS IPAD SURVEYS
will free up conference room space and make people feel that their space needs are better met.
FOCUS GROUPS UTILIZATION SENSORS
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
While utilization of the units was high, we found
Alternate private spaces felt like a step in the
that this largely had to do with the availability of
right direction, with further refinement needed
workstations in the areas where the products were
before being ready for broader deployment.
deployed. We received a lot of feedback about the functionality of the units needing to be improved.
Need to Improve FUNCTIONALITY
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Flatbread machine SUMMARY
START DATE
Food staff tested what was essentially
January, 2018
a keurig of tortillas and learned that the product wasn’t quite ready for prime time.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Employees need a variety of healthy snack options,
Packaged foods, or prepared foods
but food often spoils quickly.
that need to be refrigerated.
PROCEDURE We placed a flatbread machine from Flatev in the breakroom for one month (January 16th through February 15th) and captured data via I-Pad during the duration of test. Then vendor partners and Flatev founders captured and logged live feedback. FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
IPAD SURVEYS LIVE FEEDBACK
HYPOTHESIS Offering employees an option that provides hot food on demand will mean less food waste and greater consumption of fresh food.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
While feedback was generally positive, there
Technical issues with the product and the
were still some issues with maintenance.
considerable amount of counter space required outweigh the benefits. We decided not to roll this product out globally.
MIXED RESULTS
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Experimentation in Action
mist SUMMARY
START DATE
WPI piloted an app to help us get better
February, 2018
utilization data, but it relied on engagement which was hard to maintain.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Utilization technologies aren’t quite giving us the
Current methods of gathering utilization
data that we would like to see, and this limits our
data relied on badge-swipe data, which
ability to understand what is and is not working in
could be highly inaccurate and didn’t
our spaces.
give us the desired level of specificity.
PROCEDURE We implemented the Mist app and had a launch event to get the product activated
HYPOTHESIS
on users devices. We tracked results via the
We will be able to better understand how
product dashboard.
the space is being utilized using Blue Tooth beacons installed in the building. These beacons also have Wi-Fi capability and could potentially replace our existing infrastructure.
ANALYSIS Blue tooth connection data
The POC was successful with results as promised: 3 meters 93% of the time, 1 meter 75% of the time.
93 75
3M 93% OF THE TIME
1M 75% OF THE TIME
RESULTS The Blue Tooth data was accurate and worked well. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi component of the beacon did not work as well as our existing wireless access points and we decided not to deploy this beyond the experiment.
53
Fruit merchandising SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested to see if the location, visibility and
February, 2018
accessibility of fruit affected consumption rates and learned that it did.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Fruit seems to be consumed less than other non-
Fruit display was often off to the side, in a
healthy snacks, and if the fruit is not consumed in
less visible location than other snacks.
time it spoils quickly. In the most recent March 2017 Break Room Survey, of the 1328 responses, 70.6% said that fruit was the MOST important snack to them. The next most important snack was “Healthy Snacks� at 59.3%.
PROCEDURE We placed fruit in more prominently merchandised, obvious and accessible locations in 580 Mary for two weeks (January 29 through February 9) conducting morning and evening observations.
HYPOTHESIS CONDUCTED OBSERVATIONS DURING MORNING
+
More prominent display of fruit will increase consumption.
EVENING
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
During the observation period we saw a marked
With the apparent success of this experiment,
increase in fruit consumption.
we decided to review and revise the merchandising plan for fruit globally, We began placing fruit in places that encourage
increase in consumption
consumption and enhance both employee experience and well-being.
54
Experimentation in Action
Student union pilot space SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested what dynamic neighborhood
February, 2018
seating could look like using a bookable space in the Student Union, to rave reviews.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
An unassigned seating environment is a much
Post-occupancy surveys showed that people
more efficient use of space, but considerable
wanted better access to their teams, and
disruption is caused by teams not sitting together.
observation studies showed that teams were using conference rooms for team meetings.
PROCEDURE We created a pilot space for neighborhood-style seating within the Student Union seating area in 845. We outfitted the space with a kit of parts a team would need to function in that space effectively, including:
HYPOTHESIS By providing people a space where they can sit
WHITEBOARDS
MOBILE DESKS
with their team, and leaving desks unassigned
MEETING SPACES
ANCILLARY SEATING
within that space, we can better facilitate team
We then invited teams to book the space for one
workflow and will achieve improved self-reported employee satisfaction with the space.
week at a time and instructed them about the numerous potential options available to them.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
We tracked the space over 12 weeks with 10
Our results from this space were overwhelmingly
different teams. We monitored how the space
positive and confirmed that by giving dedicated
was utilized and which customization capabilities
space that a team could outfit and use in the way
the teams took advantage of. At the end of each
they saw best, we could solve many of the problems
week, we conducted a focus group with each
associated with unassigned seating. We are still
team to understand their view of the space and
continuing to seek a clear understanding about
to dive deeper on what could be improved.
when and why users reconfigure their own space.
55
Agile meeting space SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested a new type of informal stand-up
February. 2018
meeting space. It went well, but we wanted to develop the idea further.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
In an unassigned environment, conference room
Current options for team meetings
utilization increases as teams seek out a space
were conference rooms or open
to hold team check-ins and project meetings.
collaboration areas which lacked privacy and degraded focus.
PROCEDURE We created a space that was specifically designed for short informal meetings, complete with a whiteboard, monitor and other essentials. We gathered data via whiteboard notes, an iPad survey, and observations for two months. FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
WHITEBOARD NOTES IPAD SURVEYS
HYPOTHESIS By providing a space designed specifically for brief team meetings, conference room utilization will decrease and ad-hoc collaboration quality will increase.
OBSERVATIONS
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The response to the space was overwhelmingly
The hypothesis was supported and small
positive, with teams even informally booking the
conference room demand was reduced. We
space for extended periods by indicating so on
are applying the findings to our guidelines and
the whiteboard.
current space designs.
Overwhelmingly Positive Comments
56
Experimentation in Action
Tech at the desk SUMMARY
START DATE
We swapped the mess of wires at desks
February, 2018
for a single USB-C cable and life got a lot easier for all of us.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
In an unassigned environment, each workstation
The existing workstation setup had seven
needs to be able to accommodate any computer
different wires, and took anywhere from
setup. This leads to a mess of wires and cables
60-90 seconds to connect, with varied
at the desk top, which increases the time it takes
rates of success.
to connect equipment, confuses employees and degrades the office aesthetic.
PROCEDURE We implemented two desks with a singlewire solution available to those with a USB-C capable device. Initial feedback was so positive that we immediately created two more USB-C workstations and collected feedback via observation and an iPad at the desk. FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
HYPOTHESIS A single-wire solution will decrease the time to connect, and employee experience and workplace aesthetic will be improved.
OBSERVATION IPAD AT THE DESK
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Overall feedback was positive. This was our only
A single USB-C cable proved to be a
experiment with no negative comments received.
significantly superior solution. We converted all workstations in the building to the single-
exclusively Positive Comments
wire solution, which also meant upgrading everyone’s devices to be sure all occupants could use the same workstations.
57
Density SUMMARY
START DATE
Seeking better insight over conference room
March, 2018
utilization, we found a new tool to be an effective option to anonymously gain and understanding of conference room utilization.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Current utilization measurement modalities lack
Current methods of gathering utilization
the room-level specificity that we need, which
data relied on badge-swipe data, which
is crucial to understanding how we design and
could be highly inaccurate and didn’t
manage space.
give us the desired level of specificity or any conference room utilization data.
PROCEDURE
HYPOTHESIS
We deployed Density units in seven different
By deploying a solution which can provide
cafés and in 845 Maude.
accurate counts to room utilization, we can better understand how the space is used and better tailor our methods to support that.
7
DEPLOYED IN 7 CAFES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
We were able to obtain accurate counts for
We decided that we want to integrate API
breakfast lunch and dinner and utilization data
into the data warehouse, develop the café
for conference rooms.
dashboard, and begin predictive analytics for cafe counts.
OBTAINED COUNTS FOR: BREAKFAST
+
LUNCH
+
DINNER
58
Experimentation in Action
Oblong SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested presentation software, expecting
March, 2018
Minority Report level features, and found that it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Employees spend a lot of time conveying information
Most presentations were delivered in
through presentations, often with remote employees. This can often be static and boring, which reduces
powerpoint via bluejeans.
effectiveness and engagement.
PROCEDURE We implemented a solution called Oblong which promised to provide capabilities such as seen in the movie Minority Report easily sharing, toggling and moving between documents. We collected feedback by way of user interviews and also by simply testing the functionality of the tool itself.
HYPOTHESIS Providing a solution which extends and improves presentation capability could make meetings more effective.
ANALYSIS We kept the system in place for about a year and elicited feedback through user interviews and personal tests over the course of an estimated 500+ meetings. FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH:
RESULTS
USER INTERVIEWS PERSONAL TESTS
The Oblong technology came with big promises and a great sales pitch, but we generally felt it failed to live up to the hype. We are confident it will mature into a valuable product over time, but
500
During an est. meetings
for now, the technological and AV complexity
+
it adds, such as requiring people to prepare presentations in a totally different way, reduces any benefit it could potentially provide.
59
Shermer conference table SUMMARY
START DATE
Our custom designed conference table better
March, 2018
integrated AV components, though the first iteration needed some work on its proportions.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
With standard conference room tables and setups,
Current conference room tables
managing the AV components can be messy, leading to a poor aesthetics.
had no capacity to store or conceal AV equipment.
PROCEDURE
HYPOTHESIS
We partnered with Nienkamper to create a
By providing a conference table solution
custom table that integrated components and was custom-tailored to our desired standards.
in which the AV components are better managed, the overall aesthetic and employee experience will be improved. WISH TO IMPROVE: EXPERIENCE
+
AESTHETIC
ANALYSIS Approximately 900 people used table during the feedback collection process and we received 80 responses.
900 80
used the table
Responses
RESULTS While the table now represents a more tailored solution, the gains that it creates will probably not match the increases in cost of production and logistics to implement the table on a global scale. We will continue to investigate solutions to better respond to this ongoing concern.
60
Experimentation in Action
Casper cloaking film SUMMARY
START DATE
This privacy film proved to be an ideal solution
April, 2018
for conference room privacy, though still a little too pricey for global rollout.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
When designing conference rooms, we often
Conference room film solutions did not
have to create a balance between privacy and
obscure screen content. In situations where
visibility, resulting in a compromise either way.
privacy was critical, a frosted vinyl was added, reducing visibility completely.
PROCEDURE
HYPOTHESIS
We implemented Casper Cloaking Film on
A conference film that can block the
the conference room glass of our largest conference room, Starfleet.
information being displayed on screens while still allowing people to clearly see into the room would mean that no compromise between privacy and visibility is necessary. ELIMINATE COMPROMISE BETWEEN PRIVACY
+
VISIBILITY
ANALYSIS Every person’s response was not only positive but dramatic. The film did a more than adequate job of concealing screens, while still allowing people to see into the room well enough to understand who was using the space. Overwhelmingly Positive Comments
RESULTS While this is an idea solution, the current cost makes it prohibitive and it is used for special use cases.
61
Bike parking SUMMARY
START DATE
We explored new bike parking solutions
April, 2018
to encourage more biking, but the scope of change was larger than its priority.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Many bicyclists like to park their bike near their desk
Current bike parking was located
for added security. The value of employees biking to
outside of secured badge-access
work is high because it takes cars off the road.
areas, and sometimes even outdoors.
PROCEDURE We spent several weeks gathering data on current bike parking utilization and user behavior. We analyzed baseline information from 15 locations in seven buildings.
15 7 IN
LOCATIONS
HYPOTHESIS Providing solutions that support employees parking their bikes in their workspace would encourage more people to bike to work.
BUILDINGS
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Ultimately we discovered that the data-set for
Due to this increased requirement of investment,
bike-parking is very large and would take greater
we decided that the benefits would not outweigh
discovery and understanding of what to measure
the costs until we could define a more specific
and how, in order to get meaningful data. This
problem and devise a more efficient experiment.
would require a considerable investment of time and resources.
62
Experimentation in Action
Seraphim coffee maker SUMMARY
START DATE
We tested a more efficient method of making
April, 2018
pour-over coffee, but found that there was greater value in the slower process.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
Pour-over coffee is increasingly popular but
Pour-over coffee was typically made with
takes a lot of time, energy and specialized
the traditional method, which can take
knowledge to make.
an employee several minutes to make a single cup of coffee.
PROCEDURE We placed a Seraphim automatic pour-over coffee maker in the 845 breakroom for a period of two months.
2
tested for 2 months
HYPOTHESIS An automated pour-over experience will be more widely accessible and will save employees time.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
We determined that the time difference
Through conversations we found that the
between the Seraphim system and making
experience of making the pour-over coffee was
coffee by hand was not significant, due to the
part of its charm. Even though the new system
time to needed to become familiar with the
produced gains in efficiency, it would defeat the
system and the potential for errors.
purpose for those using it.
NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE
63
Scoop SUMMARY
START DATE
The Transportation team was able to
May, 2018
successfully increase engagement on their carpooling partner app through this test.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
An increase in carpooling would lessen
Methods of commuting to work typically
the burden on our bus program and other
included solo driving, carpool, vanpool,
transportation initiatives.
commuter bus, bike, and various means of public transit.
PROCEDURE We conducted activation events that encouraged people to sign up for the scoop app.
HYPOTHESIS Conducted activation events
Launching a coordinated campaign will lead to an increase in signups and utilization of our carpooling app.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
Through these coordinated events and
By conducting similar events in the future
associated campaigns we saw a huge
we can increase employee engagement in
increase in sign-ups and engagement.
these types of programs, which will aid them in managing their commutes and have the
increased sign-ups + engagement
added benefit of reducing the stress on our transportation programs.
64
Experimentation in Action
Outdoor patio SUMMARY
START DATE
We effectively piloted an outdoor
June, 2018
meeting space that everyone enjoyed throughout the summer.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
California has great weather and could
Existing outdoor seating areas were not
possibly support an office environment
generally near workspaces or specifically
which extends outside.
outfitted to support work.
PROCEDURE We set up a test space in the back patio of 845 and monitored usage on sunny days, checking four times a day at random intervals.
4
HYPOTHESIS By provding an outdoor environment that supports work, we will see positive psychological and sociological effects from the new workplace experience.
TESTED 4 TIMES A DAY
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
While collecting data we saw that the space was
The most common use of the patio was for small
utilized every day without exception. The space
meetings of 3-5 people. It was also utilized as
became especially popular on warm days after 2pm.
a space for 1:1 meetings, to take phone calls, and as a team collaboration space where team members were not necessarily working on the
Consistent use of the space
same things, but were enjoying socializing while working together. We plan to continue to expand upon this experiment soon.
65
Food waste initiative SUMMARY
START DATE
A cross-functional team came together to
June, 2018
gather data and educate others about what we can do to reduce food waste.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
We observed that many dishes still had food on
We assumed that employees were serving
them at the dish pit in Brick & Mortar. We knew that
themselves too much food, which is why it
there was post-consumer food waste but we didn’t
remained on their plates at the dish pit.
know the cause.
PROCEDURE
1 2 3 4
HYPOTHESIS
We accurately measured post-consumer food
Understanding why people are wasting
waste and logged daily meal period totals.
food will allow us to directly address those
Employees were surveyed to better understand the why behind their food waste.
Survey findings were used to create sprints.
reasons, dramatically reducing the total pounds of post-consumer wasted and improving operational efficiencies.
Sprints included things like three sizes of salad bowls, simpler sandwich combos, tasting
We implemented six-week sprints and measured the results.
spoons, smaller cut vegetables, the Love Food Hate Waste Tracker Board and attention to the seasoning of food.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
From 223 responses, we learned that the top
Overall the sprints improved food waste, but the
three reasons employees waste food are:
best improvements came from the tracker board visually tracking the progress daily.
1. DIDN'T ENJOY TASTE 2. INCORRECT SALT LEVEL 3. FOOD WAS BLAND Many employees expressed that while they appreciate the fancy items some days, a simpler alternative is desired.
We were able to successfully reduce postconsumer waste by 13%. We will now take best practices from this location and apply it to the remaining four cafes in the South Bay. Our goal is to reduce post-consumer food waste by 20% before the end of 2019.
66
Experimentation in Action
reception tech SUMMARY
START DATE
WPI and Global Security worked together to pilot a
July, 2018
reception kiosk which showed promising direction but wasn’t a solution we decided to roll out globally.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
It was difficult to record information about guests in
The average wait time in 605 was more than
the building and whom the guest was visiting. It was
one minute, and more than two minutes
also hard to control the visitor check-in process and
during peak hours. Event registration and
it was not possible to pre-register visitors. There was
check-in were a manual process. Manual
also no way to check in a guest afterhours.
processes such as updating information and generating reports took hours.
PROCEDURE
1 2 3
Options were reviewed with IT & Security. Four systems were shortlisted based on LinkedIn’s requirements and value drivers. We worked with key stakeholders like
HYPOTHESIS
Facilities, Ops, Food, Transportation and
Pre-registration would substantially cut down
the data team to understand how visits
wait time and check-in time for the visitors.
affected their programs.
Having a host scan their badge to pick up
We trained reception on how to use the new system and reporting features and sent Comms out to all POC users.
guests would provide increased security and accountability. A better reporting tool for the receptionists would provide enhanced security.
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The events scheduling and check-in features
2800+ guests checked in using the new system,
allowed hosts to better manage events, and
including 300+ that checked in using the QR
the kiosks allowed hosts to receive guests after
code on their mobile device. 315 guests were
reception hours without compromising security.
pre-registered and invited through the email check-in invite. The average check-in time was
The Windows OS kiosks were hard to lock down
around one min per guest, similar to the current
securely and some new features caused confusion
LobbyConnect system. The technology is
and increased time, as did adjusting the camera.
promising but we need to iterate further on the hardware and workflow. We will be testing again in the near future.
67
VC in the phone booth SUMMARY
START DATE
We placed a Cisco DX-70 in a framery phone
August, 2018
booth to provide VC capability. Positive feedback has encouraged more exploration.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
The framery phone booths are great, but
The current framery phone booth has a
there’s not enough room to put your laptop
shelf which is 42 inches from the floor, so
on the shelf comfortably, and it makes for
it sits below eye level, and is 11 inches
awkward angles for video conferencing.
deep, which does not leave enough room to comfortably set a laptop.
PROCEDURE First we simply set a DX-70 up on the shelf of the framery unit, and left a notebook to receive feedback. After positive responses, the main complaint was that it took up so much room, blocking the shelf entirely. So we mounted it directly to the wall of the booth at eye level.
HYPOTHESIS If we install a CISCO DX-70 video conferencing system, this will dramatically improve the video conferencing capability in these booths.
Collected Responses in a Notebook
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The feedback on the VC phone booth was
Framery now makes a phone booth pre-cut
positive and users really enjoyed the booth, yet
for a VC unit and we’ve just installed it.
the utilization of the booth was similar to non-VC
We’ll continue to investigate further if this is
phone booths directly next to it. Utilization was
something we’ll deploy globally.
44% compared to 46% and 51%.
68
Experimentation in Action
Byte foods SUMMARY
START DATE
We piloted a new food vendor that could
September, 2018
better track consumption, but it proved tricky for most users.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
We noticed a lack of accountability in our cold
There was no way of knowing how many
storage snacks and thought it could be contributing
snacks are consumed by how many people.
to waste.
We could only track consumption at the inventory level.
PROCEDURE We employed a system provided by Byte foods which involved new refrigerators which automatically locked and required employees to provide a code to open the refrigerator. During the test period we conducted breakroom observations and user interviews. Additionally, many people voiced their opinions via email.
HYPOTHESIS By utilizing a system that required a unique code to access, we could get better data on how much
DATA COLLECTED THROUGH:
OBSERVATIONS
is being consumed per person.
USER INTERVIEWS EMAILED FEEDBACK
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The access codes were cumbersome and many
While this system represents the right idea, we
employees were not able to completely enroll in
need to explore other means and methods of
the program during the trial period, leaving them
achieving it. We are looking into other options
to piggyback on others or share codes to access
that can achieve the same results without causing
the refrigerators.
the type of user experience issues experienced during this test. CUMBERSOME USER EXPERIENCE
69
Dual Monitors SUMMARY
START DATE
We ran a study to better understand how
September, 2018
people were using dual monitors and were able to reduce installation by 50%.
OBSERVATION
BASELINE
We noticed that the second monitor at
The current disbursement of monitors in
dual monitor-equipped workstations was
the space was 50% of workstations.
rarely utilized after casual observations.
PROCEDURE
HYPOTHESIS
We spent two weeks conducting a manual
If the majority of dual monitor workstations are
observation study, obtaining regular counts
not being utilized, we could decrease the ratio
of monitor utilization and then noting the
of singles to duals in the space.
disposition of that utilization, including whether or not any monitor was connected, if both were being utilized and how they were being utilized. We then followed up with 60 user
OBSERVATION STUDY
interviews of a random sampling of personnel
UTILIZATION COUNTS
utilizing dual monitor workstations.
DISPOSITION NOTES
+ ANALYSIS
60
user interviews
Through our observation study we were able to determine that people were utilizing the second monitor less than 50% of the time. In our user interviews we were able to split users into three categories based on their self-reported perspective on dual monitors: Must-Haves, Nice-to-Haves, and Not-Needed. We found that roughly 60% of users fell into the “Not-Needed� category, with around 30% in the Nice-to-Haves, and less than 10% reporting a critical need for dual monitors.
RESULTS Based on our findings we reduced the number of dual monitor work stations by 50%, reducing IT infrastructure costs, improving the aesthetics of the space by reducing clutter and improving sight lines in the open office.
Go experiment
Global Workplace Services