How to write a fit-for-purpose office design brief

The pandemic redefined the purpose of the office and provided businesses with the unique opportunity to rethink their workplace requirements. Instead of asking ‘why people are no longer coming into the office’, businesses are asking ‘what makes a workplace worth visiting’, and for many that means taking a step back and rethinking the purpose of the office for them.

Writing a fit-for-purpose office design brief:

Throughout the last two years, our in-house design and build team Dthree have focused on helping and advising clients to navigate their way through the immediate uncertainty and evolve their thinking regarding office design.

We believe that people are a business’ greatest asset, and as a result, their primary concern. The pandemic has underlined this more than ever, with every business, globally, prioritising the wellbeing and safety of staff, not only as a legal right but as an important tool to help strengthen morale and work culture – thus improving productivity.

Engaging staff with inspirational yet functional working environments has become a central requirement of the office, especially for those that will work from it. Accordingly, functional ‘working design’ sits at the heart of our project management process and everything we do.  We believe that an expertly designed space is not just about how it looks but just as much about how it works. It’s no secret that these are the sentiments of occupiers too. If your space doesn’t speak to these principles, then it’s not speaking at all.

In order to have a true understanding of your office requirements, every business must answer the following questions:

What are your employee needs, professional and personally?

As you start planning for a change to your office, whether that is a workplace relocation or a refurbishment, it is crucial to narrow down and identify your requirements. A thorough analysis of your workspace demands, will help you explore the variety of options available to you before you land on a finalised decision as to what you will require going forward. Understanding your employees working and professional needs will help you to shape a people centric workplace strategy by which your office plays a crucial role in promoting.

What are your current pain points?

Take time to establish what currently works for your business, and more importantly what doesn’t. Using this information to write a thorough plan will help you ideate and structure your brief better, and therefore work with the designers from the get-go to iron out your ‘must have’ office essentials before delving deeper into the detailed design.

What is your workplace design strategy?

The advanced planning for a workplace design strategy will help identify and incorporate any finishes and materials that best suit your needs to the businesses overarching strategy. It will also help you scope the market for understanding the differences in cost for sustainable materials versus others.

What is your budget?

A well-thought-through brief will help when trying to estimate the costs of a fit-out, as knowledge of the desired layout, level of finish, and expected functionality of the space will narrow the ballpark of costs you would expect to fall within. There is no exact guide to calculating expenditure, as several external factors are involved, but Dthree is here to help advise based on our vast experience of delivering these types of projects.

Next steps…

Some clients know exactly what they want when it comes to their office space but need help making this a reality. Others know what they need in terms of functionality but nee guidance on the design. Whichever category (or other) you fall into, the team at Dthree is here to help find the correct solution for you. Our best-in-class design team work closely alongside our clients from conception to completion and beyond. We take ownership of all the details, ensure the design is delivered to the highest standard and ensure a good working relationship throughout the project.

If you need help creating a workspace that best represents your business and people, get in touch with our team today.

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How to write a fit-for-purpose office design brief

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