The Users experience

1
The Users experience

• Mary Hunt, Head of Business Services, The Open
  University

2
Early involvement

• The briefing process
• Selection of Consortium
• Library visits

3
Morale boosting events

• Celebrating stages
• time capsule burying
• Topping out ceremony
• completion Xmas party
• Visits to the building site

4
Project personnel

• Director of Library Services - Project Board
• Library Manager (Building Project) Client
  Design Review meetings workshops throughout
• Senior Librarian (Facilities) client review
  meetings up to start on site and workshops
  throughout
• New Building Co-ordinator office
  administration, communication, access to project
  document management system, attended social events

5
Being part of the team

• Good relationship with the client adviser and
  other members of the team
• A sound structure
• Involvement with artwork procurement

6
Internal communication

• Regular bulletins on progress
• Web pages with a webcam
• Briefings weekly during migration period
• New library information pack for staff

7
Success of the building

• Comments from OU staff after visiting for the
  first time
• Improvements for Library staff
• Post completion review

8
Post-completion review

• What has been the major success for the users?
• Stress free move
• Attractive building and space
• On time, on budget and IT working on arrival
• All being together
• Toilets
• Overall satisfaction is 73 compared with 70 in
  the summer of 2004

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What might have been done differently?

• Disability access and clashes between (for
  example) disability needs and fire regulations
  need to be considered very early
• Sell the benefits of open plan to users before
  the project starts and manage space expectations
• Security

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