Office Zone Assignment for Non-Adjacent Workstyle Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The varying number of employees in the office due to telework options leads to inefficient use of office space, with potential interference between different work styles and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A zone assignment system that assigns zones to users based on their schedules and intended use, ensuring non-adjacent zones are used for different work styles to minimize energy consumption and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users are allowed to select any zone freely in an unassigned seating system, then flexibility in working style is improved, but space utilization efficiency deteriorates due to varying attendance from telework
Solution Approach 1:
The zone assignment system dynamically adjusts zone assignments based on varying attendance patterns caused by telework. The assigner automatically assigns zones according to usage schedules obtained from the obtainer, adapting the seating arrangement to the actual number of people coming to the office on different days, thus maintaining both flexibility and space utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system obtains usage schedules from users and uses this feedback information to make informed zone assignments. The assigner processes the usage schedule data to determine appropriate zone assignments that optimize space utilization while respecting user preferences and work style requirements
2Productivity
If users with different intended uses are assigned adjacent zones, then space utilization is improved, but harmful factors increase due to disruptions between different work styles
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different assignment rules to different zones based on the intended use of users. When a user with a first intended use is assigned a first zone, the system specifically assigns a non-adjacent second zone to users with different intended uses, creating local quality differences in zone assignment strategy to prevent disruptions while maintaining overall space utilization
3Device complexity
If the same zone is assigned to users with different intended uses, then device complexity is reduced, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to interference between different work activities
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements differentiated zone assignment strategies based on user intentions. By assigning non-adjacent zones to users with different intended uses, the system creates spatial separation that reduces interference between different work activities, while the automated assignment process keeps the overall system complexity manageable
Data Source
AI summary
A zone assignment system includes a schedule obtainer that obtains usage schedules of users each indicating the intended use of a space by a user; an assigner that assigns each user a zone to use, based on the usage schedules obtained; and an outputter that outputs an assignment result indicating the zone assigned. The assigner assigns a first zone out of the zones to the user, among the users, who has a usage schedule indicating a first intended use as the intended use, and the assigner assigns a second zone out of the zones to the user, among the users, who has a usage schedule indicating a second intended use as the intended use, the second zone being a zone not adjacent to the first zone.