May 2019
Dear colleagues,
The core purpose of the Space Management Working Group is to develop practical options for the department’s senior management to consider implementing to maximise the efficient and effective use of space across all NDPCHS departmental buildings.
The Group is making steady progress on our audit of desk use so we can build a complete picture of how people use department buildings. While we are working to improve the quality and accuracy of data, our initial assessment highlights the need for novel approaches to improving our use of space. Two areas in which we might trial such approaches were identified: our meeting rooms (including PI offices) and hot-desking at desks which are currently unallocated.
As the department grows, this ensures staff and students can continue to work flexibly across our buildings if needed. It also means we will have bookable space for ad-hoc meetings as well as space for visiting academics, student placements and casual workers.
Since we have limited meeting room space, the current system we have in place to manually book a PI office relies on emailing PAs, which is a time-consuming task. There is no system in place for booking hot desks.
Electronic booking system trial
After discussing several options, it was agreed that we would revisit trialling room sensors in meeting rooms in the RPC and Gibson Buildings, as well as in the small PI offices in the RPC Building, subject to PI agreement. This system would provide information on whether reserved meeting rooms are actually used, since anecdotal reports suggest a high rate of no shows. An electronic booking system could additionally be installed in PI offices which would mean staff and students will be able to easily identify and reserve unoccupied PI offices for meetings.
It was agreed that individual working patterns are important and should be taken into account as well as the need to develop specific parameters for how this system would work for us. The proposal would be put to the occupants of the relevant offices for discussion.
We will be meeting with the supplier, OccupEye, at our next Space Management Working Group Meeting on 11 June to discuss this proposal further.
Unallocated desks made available during the recent move were also discussed, such as those on the second floor and the CEBM office. We agreed to trial a booking system until these desks become permanently allocated - this system will not rely on the use of sensors. This, too, will be discussed further with the supplier on 11 June. The Library will continue to be available for anyone to use on a casual basis.
Group members have been tasked with discussing these proposals amongst their teams, so we can understand views and field questions from across the department before our next meeting.
There will also be a discussion on this at the upcoming Department Open Meeting on 18 June. You are welcome to send in your questions in advance for the Q&A. https://oxford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/open-meeting-18-june-2019
Ground floor fire-damaged room
Following an extensive refit after last year’s fire in the RPC Building, the ground floor office adjacent to the kitchen is now occupied by the EBM DataLab team.
Kind regards,
Space Management Working Group
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Next meeting: 11th June, 1-2pm. RPC Meeting Room 1