Architects Hulme Chadwick & Partners have teamed up with Product Marketing Lab to convert its software program analysing a company’s space requirements for MS-DOS personal computers enabling the client to analyse their requirements for themselves. The program, originally written for a Concurrent Computer Corp Masscomp 5000 workstation, is based on a methodology developed by Hulme, called organisational modelling. The method uses the structure of a company as a model for its space requirements, irrespective of the building occupied or being considered for expansion. Criteria such as inter-departmental relationships, the space requirements of different jobs, technology requirements and growth projections, as well as a simple headcountspace per square foot ratio are used to build a database. Using computer aided design techniques, the personal computer can then produce ideal layout plans for each department and the company as a whole. The program is aimed at companies with at least 500 employees. Hulme, based in London and Product Marketing which is Middlesex-based have formed Organisational Modelling International to handle the product which they hope will give managers and board members a greater understanding of the complexity of geographic expan-sion plans – before they start work on the building. The simulated layouts which take into account all the factors can be used as a company brief for the architect. And by up-dating it as the company changes the property manager can track what changes will need to be made to the premises. The package offered includes help with database building, through questionnaires to company employees, help with interpreting results, a management manual, disks and manual. The software needs a 20Mz 80386 box with 100Mb of disk and costs UKP15,000 for the initial software, with a UKP10,000 annual support fee.
