Stakeholder interviews OutcomesInterviews are a good way to get up close and personal Insight into expectations, needs and attitudes with all the stakeholders. At the start of the process, it isof stakeholdersa good idea to talk to the decision makers in the variousRecommendationsdepartments involved (i.e. HR, IT, FM, CRE). What do they Keep the interviews focused on organizational see as the opportunities and challenges? How can theyneeds rather than peoples personal opinions. Consider further involvement of the contribute to concepts success? In addition, it will beinterviewees in the later stages the projectuseful to interview employee representatives (e.g. from(e.g. in focus groups or work groups). unions or workers councils) or a cross section of employees Evaluate whether the interview outcomes converge or diverge (e.g. differences between (e.g. a manager, a policy maker, etc.) to get their perspectivemanagement and employees?). on the concept. These insights can be used as input for Consider making brief video interviews for both the shaping of the concept and the related changecommunication purposes.management strategy.Social network analysis OutcomesSocial network analysis is a method for mapping and Quantitative data on interactions between analysing the social interactions in an organization. Thepeople and between teamsdata is usually gleaned from email traffic, surveys orRecommendations(wearable) sensors. The outcomes are visualized in web-like Make sure that the data (e.g. from email/social diagrams with nodes and ties that show who is in touchmedia/GPS trackers) are anonymized before they are analysed. Always ask users for their with whom.Such data will be relevant for organizationsconsent. keen to improve staff interaction or looking for particular Do not get bogged down in the (typically) gaps that need to be filled or silos that need to be brokenimmense quantity of data. Focus on general patterns and the interaction between groups down. These kinds of insights can then be used for rather than individuals. decisions on team adjacencies, circulation routingsDefine beforehand what the purpose of the or for the location of classic meeting spots such as analysis is and how it relates to the objectivescoffee machines. of the ABW concept.Q&ASiri Blakstad, Business Development Director at SINTEFHow important is it to conduct an analysis beforeTo what extent should users be part of the analysis implementing ABW? process?If your aim is to change the organizations workExtensively. When carrying out an analysis, you rely processes, analysis is of vital importance. You willon the users knowledge. Involvement can also help to need neutral facts for decision-making and for settingfoster user engagementbut only if it is well planned clear objectives. Furthermore, the analysis processand if it is clear to people how the outcomes will be used. is important because it helps to create an awareness of how and where things can be improved. In thatWhats the secret to successful user involvement?sense, the process itself is almost as important as theFirst, the process needs to be owned by the outcomes.organizations leadershipand not just the project team or the real estatedepartment. Second, as I mentioned Which analysis activities do you regard as crucial? earlier, you need to be clear about the purpose of their Occupancy studies are very useful for getting aninvolvement. The project will suffer if you involve people understanding of how people currently use space.and later choose to ignore their contribution. People Interviews and workshops are essential for discussingare smart and appreciate honesty.So, if there is no present and future work practices. room for any kind of co-creation, just say so, and put the emphasis on training and learning rather than concept development. 43