Leveraging data, tech firm transforms its space planning model

A major U.S. tech company recognized that it needed a fresh approach to space planning to support its flexible work policy. After the introduction of hybrid and remote work, office attendance had become highly variable at each of the company’s sites, making it impossible to predict how much space would be needed for a future site based on headcount alone.

Adding to the complexity, team- and product-based events had become increasingly central to the company’s way of working. Large groups of people would show up to a site for one or more days, creating significant peaks and troughs of office usage that pushed traditional space planning to the breaking point.

Building on a five-year relationship with JLL, the company turned to us for support in revolutionizing its enterprise workplace strategy. The client worked alongside our Global Consulting and Global Design team to move beyond a static, headcount-based approach to a dynamic, demand-based model built for the hybrid work era.

In a fast-paced, five-week engagement, we joined forces to lay the groundwork for a completely new planning model, one that fundamentally rethinks how the client calculates its space needs. Whereas traditional space planning is based on static ratios—such as one conference room per 100 employees—the new strategy focuses on estimated demand for a site, including projections of future growth.

A comprehensive review of existing data was the first step in transitioning to the new model. Looking at the entire portfolio, our teams analyzed more than five million data points including occupancy, badging, sensors and event registrations to generate insights. This analysis considered whether individual sites would serve mainly as offices or event venues, assigning a different planning approach to each type of site.

The next step was to translate this vast amount of data into strategy and decisioning. We developed an algorithm that estimates the footprint and room count needed for a new workplace, drawing on inputs such as attendance patterns, work styles, event frequency and growth assumptions. This innovative space planning tool, unusual for such a large-scale portfolio, enables the company to model its future site requirements with unprecedented precision and nuance.

The company also rethought its physical footprint through the lens of flexibility, leaning on design experts to illustrate future space opportunities. For instance, it was discovered that a medium-sized meeting room could be transformed into a multi-purpose boardroom or workshop-style room with a small increase in square footage. We also worked together to visualize conference suite and amenity concepts that meet the standards of a high-end hotel, transcending corporate office norms.

The project’s challenging timeline added another layer of complexity, demanding efficient processes and quick, yet thorough, analysis. We also had to find creative ways to apply the new metrics to sites that were already being designed and planned based on the old model.

To speed the process along, our teams held collaborative working sessions to review data results, discuss strategy options and make swift decisions. This approach allowed for immediate stakeholder feedback and ensured that the final recommendations were both data-driven and aligned to the client’s vision.

Today, this leading technology company benefits from a transformative new planning framework that overcomes the limitations of the traditional headcount-based model. The new enterprise workplace strategy supports the company’s approach to flexible work and events, allowing for more confident planning of future sites despite large, unpredictable fluctuations in office usage.

By leveraging our strategy, analytics, and design expertise, this collaborative, forward-thinking client positioned the overall global portfolio strategy for success, long into the future.