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Selecting and
purchasing new software doesn¡¯t have to be a drawn out and painful process for
facilities professionals. Save time, money, and headaches by keeping a few
simple guidelines in mind throughout the process.
First, it¡¯s important
to maximize the benefit of technology without having to spend months learning
the tricks. When choosing new technology, building owners and managers should
measure the effectiveness of their investment by the degree to which it can
deliver the results they want and need, including ease of use and the ability to
incorporate and continue to use data that has already been gathered.
Some
facilities managers may be tempted to purchase the same software that created
their floorplans. But computer-aided drafting packages, or CAD, which are
commonly used by architects, may not be the best option for space planning.
CAD¡¯s key emphasis is where to place walls and doors, rather than how to make
the most of the space inside. It¡¯s also expensive and difficult to learn. (Some
architects spend years learning the program.)
Instead, facilities
managers should look for less costly alternatives that can be mastered with
minimal training. How easy is it to get results? How intuitive is the user
interface? How many hours will it take to become proficient at this
program?
Find a program that meets your basic needs and that you feel
comfortable using, then start playing with the more advanced features. Imagine a
database that can ¡°talk¡± to a floorplan, automatically determining if a specific
file cabinet can fit into the specified corner – taking into consideration not
only the height and width of the cabinet, but the space required in order to
fully open the drawers; or technology that can render big floor maps with
post-it notes obsolete.
For facilities managers (most of whom have
already compiled extensive existing data) starting from a blank slate is a waste
of the data they¡¯ve spent so much time compiling. Not to mention a major waste
of time and money.
Consider software that can import database information
from a wide array of sources and relay it in a graphical format. Even people who
are good at reading databases and spreadsheets often have a hard time picturing
how all the pieces come together until they diagram it. There are even
easy-to-use programs that can automatically diagram the information as it comes
in from the database, saving you time, frustration, and, ultimately,
money.
At its best, technology eliminates the tasks that historically
have kept good managers from what they¡¯re best at: managing people and
resources. The trick is finding software that gives facilities professionals the
tools they need to get results quickly and easily.
So go ahead, demand more
from your software. You¡¯ll be surprised at the results.
Bill Holt is
product planner at Redmond, WA-based Microsoft Visio. |
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