Course: Manage Projects and Ensure a Safe Workplace

Week 5: Develop Project Plan (Element 2)

Project Goal 2: Design an office environment that stimulates creativity.

"Workplace" is a general term, which is used for the entire physical environment for work and refers to the whole building, whole floor etc. that an agency occupies. The workplace contains numbers of workspace areas that may include OFFICES and/or WORKSTATIONS, TECHNOLOGY STATIONS e.g. printers,copiers, FORMAL MEETING ROOMS, INFORMAL RELAXATION SPACES e.g. quiet zones, 'CAFE' FACILITIES, CREATIVE ENHANCEMENTS e.g. aquariums, galleries, RECEPTION AREA.

All businesses are different and it makes sense that businesses need different workplaces. The relationship between specific organisational and business characteristics and a resultant "best" workplace model is complex and requires careful analysis.

Your workplace and the atmosphere surrounding you determine the way you work and explore your imagination. The more inspirational your workplace is, the easier it is to break the creativity block and discover new ideas.

Read the following articles and develop an understanding of alternative workplace models and the criteria for designing an innovative workplace environment. You will then use this information, together with the results from your flexible work practices planning, to draw a bubble map to illustrate your office spaces and then transfer these spaces to your actual office plan.

Resources to help you design you new office.

Go to this week's forum and and answer its question.

Go to this week's portfolio activity