Folks aren't organized around departments anymore, but around clusters of activities. Technology also is changing. In recent years, many companies and institutions got caught without the capacity to implement new data and telecommunications technologies. Now they've wised up and lowered their expectations. A common mistake, says Bell-Reim, is to forget to evaluate the HVAC system.
Institutions also have to respond to consumer demands for convenience.
For hospitals, it means combining disciplines and co-locating equipment in one location for the patient's convenience, says Haggans, and that means not only rethinking electrical, data, communications and ventilation systems, but also reevaluating floor heights and structural supports to accommodate possible new technologies and equipment. Bell-Reim says an interesting result from the Oculus survey was that the biggest barrier to flexibility is lack of space. Many companies and organizations simply do not adequately plan for growth. However, as the need for technology and change in the office environment has skyrocketed, the technological complexity and portability of these furniture systems has also increased. As a result, flexibility now costs more than standard metal studs and drywall partitions, a fact which is becoming more apparent to owners around the country.