| Today, modular open office panel systems are | | | | Systems," provides a more thorough treatment of |
| offered by a variety of manufacturers. Office | | | | that topic in today's technology-pa ked offices. |
| managers and planners are confronted with a | | | | 

A Look at Some Trends |
| bewildering array of designs and price options. | | | | Today, many businesses are spending more on high |
| Purchasing decisions have grown more complex with | | | | technology office equipment than on industrial |
| the need to accommodate the massive increase in | | | | machinery. An office without a computer is more the |
| intelligence being accessed by employees. The term | | | | exception than the rule. Moreover, employees |
| "computer-intensive workspace" describes a totally | | | | frequently have intelligent peripherals such as |
| different environment than that of 30 years ago | | | | modems, printers and fax capability in their own |
| when a telephone, electric typewriter or shared word | | | | workspace, or if not, have access to shared facilities. |
| processing systems comprised office technology. | | | | Meanwhile, organizations where personnel spend a |
| Managing technology in the workspace has become a | | | | bulk of their time out of the office are turning to |
| science of its own. For example, there are standards | | | | alternative solutions such as "hoteling" to achieve two |
| that govern the design and placement of voice, data | | | | objectives. One is to lower real estate cost; the |
| and video cabling upon which employees depend for | | | | other is to reduce the number of workstations below |
| high-speed Internet access, for file sharing on their | | | | the number of employees, who reserve space in |
| firms Local Area Networks (LANs) and to | | | | advance when they're in the facility. While these |
| communicate with other company locations, | | | | actions result in efficient space utilization, they call for |
| customers and suppliers via intranets and extranets. | | | | greater flexibility in furniture and equipment to |
| These concerns have become more critical with the | | | | accommodate the changing needs of the staff in an |
| introduction of the "fluid workspace." Today's office | | | | ad-hoc environment. |
| floor plans are far from static. Work areas expand, | | | | Companies are also reducing the average amount of |
| contract and reconfigure to meet the ever-changing | | | | floor space per employee to approximately 200 |
| needs of a business. | | | | square feet today from 250 in the middle of the |
| Modular office furniture and wall systems - and their | | | | 1990s, according to the Building Owner and Manager |
| cabling infrastructure - must accommodate these | | | | Association. Added to this is an increase in what is |
| Moves, Adds and Changes (MACs) quickly, | | | | called the corporate churn rate. The International |
| inexpensively and reliably. Systems must be designed | | | | Facilities Management Association reported that the |
| to conform to proposed OSHA standards related to | | | | average corporate relocation rate is now 44%, |
| health problems associated with intensive computer | | | | meaning that in any given year, 44 out of each |
| use, and to address work-related disorders such as | | | | hundred employees move within the facility. |
| carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injuries. | | | | Other trends relate to softer factors that |
| These conditions affect millions of workers and cost | | | | nevertheless can play a major role in the ultimate |
| companies billions of dollars in lost productivity and | | | | success of an organization. Highly skilled workers will |
| disability payments. For the most part, the office | | | | always be in demand, and because of that, have an |
| furniture industry has largely been unresponsive to | | | | influence on the way offices look. Monolithic cubicles |
| these dramatic changes in the workplace. Many | | | | of "Dilbert" fame can act as a deterrent to attracting |
| manufacturers are constrained by obsolete product | | | | qualified personnel. Instead, forward-looking firms are |
| designs, marketing and distribution methods dating | | | | installing office systems that allow workers to put |
| back to the 1970s and 1980s. | | | | their own signature on their workplace in terms of |
| This article takes a close look at modular furniture | | | | varying panel heights, the use glass panels, marker |
| systems and provides guidelines to help office and | | | | boards, shelving and other accouterments. This new |
| information technology managers make educated | | | | "residential" approach to office design helps attract |
| purchasing decisions. It will examine first costs and | | | | employees and make them feel more at home on |
| lifetime costs of a system, cable management, | | | | the job, instead of a numbered peg in a monolithic |
| ergonomics, construction details, lighting, accessories, | | | | hole. |
| privacy, and other concerns impacting the purchasing | | | | will help business owners and operators make smart |
| decision. While the paper will broadly focus on cable | | | | choices in Office Cubicles and Office Furniture for |
| management in office systems, a companion paper, | | | | their offices and selecting the right systems |
| "An Introduction to High Performance Cabling | | | | furniture.Smart and Beautiful Office Furniture. |