Flexible working: what are the boundaries?

What has been called the ‘New Way of Working’ has now become the norm. Sharing the workplace has become much more common as access to a good work environment is more important than the ownership of it.

More people per square foot
A typical workspace costs around £10,000 per year, which makes the calculation simple: reduce the number of workplaces (in other words: the required amount of square feet of work space) and you will save a lot of money. A business case quickly arises: consolidation saves costs. From a cost perspective, this argument is clear.

However, there is a danger in sharing a workplace with an increasingly smaller area: a diminishing user experience and reduced employee effectiveness and satisfaction.

In terms of cost, salaries are typically one of the largest costs in most organisations. It’s clear that employees and their ability to work well together largely determine an organisation’s performance. That is why the design of the workplace is so important; organisations are keen to stimulate productivity and creativity in and around the workplace.

Success factors for the workplace
Which requirements must a workplace meet in order to be successful? Perhaps we can learn something from science. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the location of the City Form Lab, a research department that conducts scientific research into the design of urban areas.

The City Form Lab argues:

“One of the primary challenges of good city design is to maximise interaction between people and places while minimising friction.”

We can directly translate this to the work environment: A good work environment promotes interaction between people and their environment while minimising friction.

If you have too many people working together in one place, the friction increases. When there is no workplace available, a noisy colleague is distracting you, or the coffee stains of the previous occupier are still on the desk, decreased efficiency is quite likely. In other words: there is a saturation point beyond which further consolidation (more employees per workplace) is likely to be counter-productive. The cost savings will look great, but the work performance will lag behind.

The turning point
The main question is: Up to what point is consolidation sensible?

Finding this point is important to effectively manage the work environments. Measuring work productivity is the holy grail of workplace design and it continues to be the focus for sociologists, psychologists, and economists.

We can, however, gain some control by incorporating key information sources and relating them to each other. The starting point is to look at some key parameters: the availability of the desired facilities and the satisfaction with the workplace.

There is typically a lot of data on workspace availability – but often in different environments.
The higher the demand for a service, the greater the chance that this service will not always be readily available and the longer it will take to become available. In other words: your employees are looking for a space to hold a meeting, but all the suitable rooms are occupied or reserved.

Conclusion
Sharing the workplace is a trend that will continue. However, to prevent sub-optimisation, we must better understand where the boundaries lie. The basic technology for this is available; it is just a matter of applying this. Only when you know what your optimal capacity utilisation rate is, can you be truly flexible.

Erik Jaspers
Strategy & Innovation for Planon
Visit Planon’s website for information on facility management and real estate software.

Software is like house building

Software is like house building
We have been building houses since time immemorial. The building – or development – of software is a discipline dating back only a few decades. Despite their difference in age, the two subject areas have more in common than you would initially think. That is why I often use construction as an analogy to talk about user experience design for software.

A house is a collection of elements that all serve a purpose: walls form a partition between spaces, a door allows you to enter and exit, a window lets in sunlight and the roof keeps out rain and wind.

All these elements only become useful when laid out logically in relation to each other. An architect bases his design on the future resident and how this person organises and uses this house. It is important that the rooms are laid out as efficiently as possible and that the window is located where it benefits the resident the most.

The same applies to the design of software applications. In the early days of software design, the main focus was on functionality that gave added value to the users (the roof to keep you dry). Today, user experience is an important selling point and this experience represents more than a collection of independent functionalities alone.

New disciplines such as interaction designers, graphic designers and usability researchers ask questions such as:
• What objective does this group of users want to achieve with the use of this software application?
• What is the desired sequence of actions and system responses in order to achieve this objective as conveniently as possible?
• And how does the behaviour of the user interface, the visual design and language contribute to the user experience?

This approach – in which the user and the design of user interfaces are the focal point – is driven by a trend which is sometimes also referred to as user-centred design. Following the rise of mobile apps and web applications such as Google Docs and Gmail, consumers have more than ever become used to extremely user-friendly solutions. Whereas a decade ago, it was not unusual for software to be delivered with a user manual or extensive training, these days it is more important than ever before for software and apps – also for the business market – to be plug-and-play and user-friendly.

Jumping back to the comparison of building a house: you expect that the kitchen and dining room are adjacent. And the water supply and discharge of a washing machine should be installed in the utility room or attic and not in the living room.

Early in the development phase, development teams are made to think about what a user needs and how he or she is going use the software. It is no use designing functionality first and reviewing the whole thereafter. Here, the same principle applies when installing sewers or the water supply: how and where strongly depends on the ultimate function of the space that will be built on top.

This comparison can be drawn parallel to the different levels of user interaction design. In addition to the function of a space, or the manner in which the resident uses it, you can only start painting and wallpapering once the walls have been erected. In other words, the look and feel of the user interface depends on the functionality and the manner in which a user will be using the software.

User-centred design is about understanding the user. Hence it is important to define different groups of users: not everyone uses software in the same manner. By involving users in the (design) process from an early stage on, you are in the best possible position to meet their requirements.

Planon Accelerator™ 6.0 was developed on the basis of this thought. Planon’s team of user experience designers and developers subjected the design and user-friendliness of the software to a critical review and implemented many improvements. In order to prevent that a resident needs to go back to the front door in order to flip the light switch for the bathroom, various functionalities in the menu were moved to more logical places. As a result, the latest release of the Planon software is even more intuitive and straightforward than previous versions. Various homepages have been set up for different groups of users: self-service users use a different interface than specialist users. As a result, every type of user enters through a front door which opens up into a space in line with his/her needs.

In essence, Planon Accelerator™ is still the flexible, state-of-the-art IWMS solution users have grown accustomed to. However, the new user interface ensures users can use the software to its full potential and that it is easy on the eye, just as an architect would set out to achieve.

Robert Eijlander
Product Manager User Experience Design

Planon – Real Estate and Facilities Management Software

Maintenance Management viewed through digital glasses (and three other scenarios)

Maintenance Management viewed through digital glasses (and three other scenarios)

Imagine a world in which everything and everyone is linked together. A world where digital information is always available and everything is measurable… where machines automatically report their faults… where you – with a tablet or digital glasses – can visualise an information layer over the physical world.

We are only on the brink of this change, but the onward march of connectivity and ‘The Internet of Things’ (where everything is connected to – and communicates with – everything else) continues to impact our personal and professional lives. Smart-Phones, Smart-Watches, digital and virtual glasses (like Google Glass and Oculus Rift) are all online, providing you with the information you need, when you need it. The work of a maintenance engineer is changing. Compare it with virtual maps like Google or Apple Maps on your smartphone: within a few years these applications have replaced those awkward, foldable maps.

But, how is the maintenance engineer’s job changing? How can technology help now and what lies around the corner?

Scenario 1: explore a building virtually
Imagine if, before visiting a site, a maintenance technician can virtually explore a building – perhaps to enable him to decide what tools or spare-parts he may need. It’s already possible to create a 3D environment using digital photos. On receiving a fault report, an engineer can take a virtual tour of the relevant building, and, for example, find out in advance what keys he will need. Or determine his route in advance, so that he is in the right place more quickly and does not get lost.

Scenario 2: add an extra layer of information
Imagine if an engineer could carry an instrument that could provide information about the technical installations he is passing and indicate whether they have a fault or not. The engineer would be able to work proactively to resolve a fault before it has even been reported. With the same instrument the engineer can also check the key details of an installation.

The number of faults resolved during an initial visit rises, so that the faults process becomes more efficient. For a given faults portfolio, it then becomes possible for fewer technicians to carry out the same work.

Scenario 3: remote help with digital glasses
Imagine that an engineer is issued with digital glasses (such as Google Glass). This would leave his hands free to work whilst simultaneously reading information on the glasses, and let a back-office specialist help solve the problem. Collaboration becomes easier and faults can be fixed more efficiently.

Scenario 4: machines that think
Imagine if faults could be reported – and even resolved – by machines themselves. Many systems already contain sensors that can indicate if there’s a fault. The ‘Internet of Things’ makes it possible for equipment not only to report a fault itself, but it could also indicate the solution.

Is all of this still a vision of the future? The technology already exists, so it’s not inconceivable that it will also be applied in Maintenance Management.

It all depends on users’ willingness. Applications like ‘Layar’ (an interactive print app) have been around for a while, but have yet to be embraced by the public, as there’s no real need for them (yet). It’s different with professional applications. If organisations can work more efficiently and save time and money, then that’s usually the motivation to adopt them.

At Planon we are ready for this new connected world. We have smartphone apps, integration with sensor technology, BIM integration and more. Contact us if you’d like to find out more.

Nico van Dijk
Product Manager Maintenance Management

Facilities Management & Social Media – what do you need to know?

Facilities Management & Social Media – what do you need to know?

In any industry that changes as rapidly as facilities management, it is vital to keep track of the latest news and developments. In the ‘old days’ traditional media would be the first source of information for many FM professionals. Whilst they still exist and continue to be relevant, social media have partially replaced journalists as the primary source of industry news. LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs are platforms that are often first to identify and report on developments.

The downside is that there are so many of them, that it can be difficult to separate the useful sources from the others. Therefore we have compiled a list of LinkedIn groups, Twitter profiles and blogs that can help you…

LinkedIn
Facilities Management Professionals International
Professionals from around the world share their latest news and insights with peers.
36,000+ members

British Institute of Facilities Management
This group is used to help facilitate discussions on key topics within the facilities management (FM) industry and to keep members updated with what is happening within the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM). 21,000+ members

The Building Futures Group
The Building Futures Group is a trade association, membership body and a training organisation that educates, represents and supports service providers, service users and end users, as well as individuals and employers operating within the Housing, Property, Cleaning, Parking and Facilities Management sectors. The Building Futures Group was established in 2014 following the merger of Asset Skills, the Cleaning and Support Services Association and the Facilities Management Association.
16,000+ members

The FM Network
One of the largest facilities management LinkedIn groups in the UK, where best practice and challenges are discussed.
7,000+ members

Twitter
@FM_World
FM World is both a magazine and online news channel, from the British Institute of Facilities Management.
Followers: 7,000+

@ThisWeekinFM
An online news service for corporate real estate, support services and facilities professionals.
Followers: 1,000

@TFMTweets
Today’s Facility Mgr keeps facility management professionals up-to-date on the latest practices, products and services in the field.
Followers: 3,000+

@TheFMJ
The official magazine from the International Facility Management Association (@IFMA).
Followers: 3,000

You can also follow these hashtags to find related discussions on Twitter:
#BIM
#CAFM
#IWMS
#facilitiesmanagement
#FACMAN

Blogs
FacilityBlog – Today’s Facility Manager
FacilityBlog was the first blog for FMs in 2005, and is still going strong.

Blog FMJ – Facility Management Journal Magazine Blog
The official blog of the IFMA.

Facilities blog | FM World
Hosted by the British Institute of Facilities Management, Facilities blog shares the latest news and developments in the market.

FM Guru Blog
Martin Picard is the founder of FM Guru Consultancy & Training. On this blog, he shares insights and top tips.

Planon’s  channels
Planon also manages a LinkedIn Group and various Twitter accounts, including @Planon_UK and @Planon_INT. On this blog, we will keep sharing our views of the industry with all facilities management and real estate professionals.

This list is of course just the tip of the iceberg. If you have other recommendations then please add them using the comments section.

Paul Raybould
Online Marketing Manager for Planon

Are you – as facility or property manager – focusing on the right things?

Are you – as facility or property manager – focusing on the right things?

“Thank you for all the great work you’ve done this year. Can you do the same next year, but with ten percent less budget?”. If you recognise this question, you might ask yourself whether you are being sufficiently strategic. If you truly want to be beneficial at a strategic level, it is not about saving money, but about actually delivering added value. But what exactly does the added value consist of?

This is a question which is regularly discussed within the occupational group and to which the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is attempting to formulate an answer. Following IFMA’s 2013 World Workplace, the organisation has released the ‘Facility Management Trend Report: Emerging Opportunities for Industry Leaders’, which explains what property and facility managers should or could do to be better recognised for their value.

Changing world
The world around us is in a constant state of change. With change comes uncertainty. A term often applied for this is ‘VUCA’ (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity). Controlling these aspects is part of daily life. As Darwin put it: “It is not the strongest that survives, it is the one that is the most adaptable.”

Do property and facility managers have to adapt? And if so, to what and how quickly? These are key questions in our field of specialisation. In an answer to this question, the Facility Management Trend Report identifies three strategic points of attention.

1. Leading the conversation: increasing FM’s impact on the C-suite
Property and facility managers should engage more in activities which positively influence the creativity, productivity, efficiency and the recruitment and retention of top talents. This begins by obtaining a deeper understanding of the essence of their own organisation and its strategy. Every organisation is different and every organisation will have different requirements for and expectations of accommodation and related service provision.

2. Speaking the right language: FM’s direct connection to business priorities
Simply connecting accommodation and facility policies with the goals and key activities of the organisation isn’t going to get you there. Formulating this policy in a comprehensible manner is just as important. Communicating in your own FM jargon generally has an ‘alienating effect’ on the rest of your organisation.

3. Building the future of FM:
To continue formulating effective answers to aforementioned challenges, the facilities organisation must continue to develop itself on three points:

• Building talent: Have we employed the right people and are they developing themselves in the areas where we expect or notice change?
• Building integrated systems: Do we have the right information at the right time to identify the necessity to change and subsequently take the right decisions?
• Building agility and change management processes: Are the corresponding processes in place to effectuate the decisions and/or implement the changes.

Added value: product management?
When we look at the current, formal definitions of accommodation and FM, we see that their focus lies on aspects of the constructed environment and internal services. But is this truly the core to your right to exist? Or are there more important matters you could (in part) assert responsibility for? We often concentrate on what we have to do, and ask ourselves less often why we should do it. Or, what other things we could do, in order to add more value.

Why do we need buildings? And FM services? Within organisations, work is the factor that creates value. Producing goods, providing services, inventing new products and innovations are the driving force behind the economy.

Offering a relevant environment (by any definition) that enables people to optimally carry out their creative work, is therefore an activity with strategic aspects. It is possible that in a few years time a dedicated building will no longer be required for this or only a fraction of your current property portfolio.

It is about posing existential questions. If you cannot explain what strategic part you play, you will never be in the picture at C-level management. If you wish to remain responsible for the furnishings, please continue to focus on this work. If you truly wish to be important within your organisation, you must first be able to explain why you are important. It is not up to me to answer that question, but it is vital to everyone in our field to reflect on it. Consequently you will seldom be asked to save ten percent.

Erik Jaspers
Product Strategy & Business Innovation
Planon – CAFM, IWMS and facilities management software

A BIM in the management phase? Start with these six questions

A BIM in the management phase? Start with these six questions

The Building Information Model (BIM) seems unstoppable. This digital, three-dimensional model is gaining popularity during the design and realisation of buildings, and contains more and more information about things such as the composition of the building, the properties of components and even the activities schedule.

No wonder building managers are highly interested in these models. Whereas they used to receive stacks of paper drawings and documents from a contractor upon completion of a building, they now receive the BIM more and more often. However, a lot of building managers are wondering how they can use them, and whether the data can be loaded into their Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) system. The answers to those questions are not simple. And to be honest, these are even the wrong questions – but more about that later.

BIM in management
About 70% of building costs are incurred during the management phase of a building. The automation of building management leads to a lot of efficiency gains, and that is where a BIM can add value. For instance, these models contain a bill of materials. This is a list of components that, when combined, form the building; for example the number of exterior doors of a certain type, the number of square metres of wall brick work, the number of square metres of paint work, the type of central heating system, etc.

It is obvious that this information is useful and handy for a building manager. However, how can they use the information from the BIM to schedule maintenance and estimate the costs, for instance? The answer to that question depends on different factors. It is therefore important to ask a number of other questions first.

1. What is it that you wish to achieve with the BIM?
During the management phase, a BIM can be used for various purposes: from estimating the management costs to scheduling maintenance work. Every purpose demands different things from the model. Would it be enough to retrieve a bill of materials from the model once, or should the model be kept updated throughout a building’s management phase?

2. Who supplies the model?
The BIM is always a combination of multiple sub-models. Furthermore, both the architect and the contractor provide input for the model. Make sure you make one party (preferably the contractor) responsible for supplying all sub-models, and make it clear in advance which requirements this data should meet, such as space coding, room functions and component coding. This makes it easier to read this data into the CAFM system and increases the usability of this data.

 3. How complete and up-to-date is the model?
A BIM is not always updated in accordance with the actual realisation of a building (as built). That would give you a false start. You therefore have to analyse the completeness and topicality of the model before copying the relevant data into the CAFM system.

4. What information from the model do you really want to use?
Not all data from the BIM can be used during the management phase. It is therefore important to determine which information from the model you really need and where this data will be managed. By way of example: from a management point of view, there is no need to know the reinforcement of a concrete floor. What would be interesting to know is how many square metres of floor and ceiling finish there are in a building, making it possible to correctly schedule maintenance of plaster work and paint work.

5. Which modelling software was used to create the BIM?
There are quite a lot of differences between the systems used during the construction phase. If you want to update or change the BIM during the management phase yourself, you will need to buy the necessary modelling software. However, this does require very specific expertise and in practice, consulting the BIM will suffice.

6. Who will be using the data and the model?
Different users have different needs. That applies to both the BIM and the CAFM system. The maintenance manager is interested in systems, technology and structural information, while the accommodation manager wants to know which indoor walls are mobile and which are structural. It is important to organise these systems in such a way that users can consult and manage the information that is relevant to them fast and effectively.

The answers to these six questions do not guarantee that a BIM can be used during the management phase, but they do form an important starting point. It is particularly important to ask these questions during the design phase and to coordinate them with the architect and contractor in time. After all, it enables the client to formulate requirements early on in the process, making it possible for data to be transferred to the CAFM system after completion.

BIMs will be designed for the construction phase, but if you ask the right questions in time and set requirements to the right parties, you can save yourself a lot of time and energy. By linking a BIM to the CAFM system, data can be automatically read into the CAFM system. This prevents manual data entry as well as errors, and it reduces the effort of having to reuse data from the BIM.

Eelco de Bruijn
Product Manager Space & Workplace Management

Seven steps to prevent post-implementation blues

The following blog was written with cmms (computerised maintenance management system) software in mind, but equally applies to any new implementation.

A blank surface, drawing instruments and several brilliant ideas. From the drawing board an architect can design a fantastic building with all sorts of new features. It appears to be the ideal situation for creating something new, but what if after the relocation, a user is not aware that the window opens differently, or there is too little daylight in the workplace, or in fact there’s too much sun so that people can’t read their screens? Enthusiasm then gives way to frustration, just when an employee actually wants to enjoy his or her new workplace.

The same thing often happens with the implementation of new software such as Integrated Workplace Management System software (IWMS), Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) or Customer Relationship Management software (CRM). A great deal of time and money is invested in the preparatory phase, but little thought is given to what should happen afterwards. Of course the preparatory phase is wonderful and exciting, and parties such as management, IT and purchasing are keen to provide their input. The trajectory following the selection phase is often regarded as just user negativity, because the new system has been fully thought through and everything will run smoothly…

Surely?

In fact it’s only after the implementation that the real work begins: the utilisation phase. It’s time for the day-to-day work, employees get down to it and those involved in the selection phase barely think about the system anymore. It quickly becomes clear that expectations have not always been met, and users feel they have been let down. In practice it appears that the new solution does not match the day-to-day reality perfectly, because in practice the work actually happens differently than was imagined at the start on the drawing board. You can best describe this period as the ‘post-implementation blues.’

Where staff actually want to enjoy a system which simplifies the work, the user is in fact held back by the system. How can you prevent the employee feeling let down or underwhelmed following implementation of a new system? Here are seven steps to prevent post-implementation blues for CMMS and other software implementations:

1. Implement in phases

Don’t opt for a ‘big bang scenario’ in which everything is renewed, but implement in phases. Use quick wins and then scale up.

2. Take resistance into account

Every change is accompanied by resistance, because people have to work differently than they are used to. Create a role within the company to supervise the change process.

3. Make the benefits clear

As management you may certainly have clear objectives, but employees have to work with the new solution day in, day out. Give them an insight into what the benefits will be for them, for example working more effectively and saving more time for the more enjoyable aspects of the work.

4. Do something with user feedback

Only listening to employee feedback is not enough; it makes sense to create a role which will actually follow through on the concerns. What’s involved are often tiny issues, but they may make a world of difference to the end-user in his or her day-to-day duties.

5. Use ‘best practices’

Why develop an entirely new system, if you could instead implement proven success stories? Investing less during the implementation phase leaves scope for more focus on the utilisation.

6. Celebrate the success

If you receive an initial report following the implementation, does it show the work is being done more efficiently, or have costs been reduced significantly? Then celebrate and communicate the success, and thank people for their role in the process.

7. Stay involved

It’s important that the manager continues to be involved after the selection phase. It remains his or her project.

These are seven steps to prevent the ‘post-implementation blues’. The result is a CMMS (or other software) system which works well, with satisfied users. And of course that’s music to the ears of every manager.

Do you have other suggestions to avoid post-implementation blues? Add them to the comments section below.

Jos Knops
Global Marketing Director for Planon
Visit Planon’s website for information on facility management and real estate software.

The complexity of managing a growing project portfolio

Projects are inspiring – the feeling of starting something new, organising the kick-off, presenting your plans to the client and your team, ensuring that expectations are realised, managing your budget, your planning, your scope and ensuring the quality of the project’s outcomes…

Projects are forming an increasingly greater part of the modern workplace. Activities that do not belong to the core process of the organisation are outsourced, and this often includes the operational tasks of real estate and facility managers. The internal team becomes smaller, organisations lease buildings with flexible contracts, and initiatives around The New Way of Working are rolled out. Whereas previously emphasis was placed on the implementation and management of projects with an internal team, the focus is now on managing a project portfolio with a mix of internal people, suppliers and external advisers.

It is important to keep an overview of projects. This not only concerns the 10 or 20 current projects managed by the internal team, but all projects within the organisation that you wish to keep track of. You not only need to keep an overview of the current projects, but also of projects planned for this year, next year or an unknown term.

Operational projects or investment projects
Project management is often a supporting process. Organisations have become accustomed to managing smaller projects themselves, such as relocations, events or small structural alterations. Project management on such a small scale is achievable, particularly since these types of operational projects are funded by annual budgets. Moreover, operational projects are generally managed by the operational department.

It becomes a different story altogether when the number of projects increases or when the projects become bigger; such as lease extensions of large office buildings, sustainable investments or large renovation projects. The financial impact of these types of projects is greater and the financing sources are different. Multiple money flows such as budgets, financing, subsidies and funds come together with information flows and orders. Managing the project portfolio with respect to planning and budget becomes more complex, certainly when several project leaders use their own methods and resources. The danger is in losing control and track of the situation.

The need for insight
In order to provide employees with the necessary structure to help them manage these bigger, often more complex projects, it would be wise to move from Operational Project Management towards Capital Project Management. Large investment projects require appropriate funding, greater involvement from senior management, and specific insight into the four areas of budget, planning, risks and deployment of people. It is of particular importance when using subsidies or public funds to demonstrate where the various funds come from and how they will be used in order to ultimately justify the costs.

Capital Project Management places emphasis on the management of financial flows in order to timely identify any issues and ensure immediate action is taken. Now that real estate and facility management are shifting to a leaner operations management, it is recommended that organisations focus on Capital Project Management. This concerns the integrated management of the project portfolio with key information on budget, planning, risks and scope for security, accountability and decision making.

Smart interaction of these four aspects leads to a project that is delivered within budget and on time, and to a project that keeps its promise. Projects are inspiring.

If you would like to know more about Capital Project Management then Planon’s white paper is available to download now.

David Stillebroer
Product Manager Real Estate Management & Sustainability Management

Predict the future with Big (Fast, Varied) Data

‘Big Data’ is probably one of the biggest buzz words in IT right now. At the same time, it is often a misunderstood discipline, starting with the definition. Big Data is not just about large amounts of data, as you might expect, but it’s also about predicting the future.

Because what would you say if Big Data enabled you to predict, fairly accurately, when a meeting room is available, how many employees are coming to your facility tomorrow and what their preference for lunch is? Or exactly how long it will take you to get to the office tomorrow, or the best type of transport to use?

But first, let’s go back to basics: what is Big Data, and, above all, what isn’t it? Gartner defines it as follows:

‘High-volume, high-velocity and high-variety information assets that demand cost-effective, innovative forms of information processing for enhanced insight and decision making.’

The adjective ‘big’ actually only points to the aspect of high volumes. And rightly so: we are storing more and more data digitally. To make a comparison: in 2020 we will store fifty times more data than in 2010 and, for the time being, that exponential growth will continue to grow.

But just as important is the tremendous speed with which data becomes available (high velocity) and the various manifestations (or formats) available (high variety). Actually, we should be talking about, big, fast, varied data, but that doesn’t sound as good.

There are roughly two ways to analyse data. You can first determine what you want to measure: for example, whether the occupancy level of meeting rooms in an organisation decreased during the financial crisis. You can then search for data in order to answer that question: in this case, you will need a summary of the number of meeting rooms and the number of reservations over the past 15 years.

This is how data helps you find an answer to a question. But the best thing about data is that it can also give an answer to a question that you have not even asked. If you have access to a lot of data, business analytics enables you to go in search of possible correlations between various factors that are available in your datasets. You might discover that it is not the crisis but the percentage of men compared to women in a department that mostly influences the occupancy level of meeting rooms.

If you know how to predict an event from the past (occupancy level of meeting rooms) with data from the past (percentage of men compared to women), then the next step is as logical as it is simple: with today’s data you can describe future patterns. This is also referred to by the term ‘Analytics’; a development that emerged in the consumer market and is focused on marketing and the prediction of consumer behaviour.

During our webinar about Big Data we elaborated on the definitions around Big Data and analytics, and the importance of Big Data for housing management and facility services. Large amounts of data are being stored within Real Estate and Facility Management systems, and that will only continue to grow in the years to come. Additionally, other data sources can be used. What can you gain from this as an organisation? What types of data are relevant, what kind of applications and what is required in this regard?

Erik Jaspers
Strategy & Innovation for Planon
Visit Planon’s website for information on facility management and real estate software.

Three questions to avoid irreversible outsourcing