MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

Resource distribution systems
It is not entirely clear whether the predominance of open plan working
had, strategically, such a philosophical root or whether it was largely
financially driven:-
I think that the financial imperative became obvious -- that you
did not have to do anything to the building if you just made it
open plan. You could then get any number of staff in without any
difficulty whatsoever. (Interviewee C)
But there seems little doubt that ex-CPSA staff found it difficult that
they were required to occupy open plan space in the building that they
had occupied when the previous design had involved largely cellular
space:-
It is a big change moving from cellular space to open plan space
and there was tremendous resistance to that, from the ex CPSA
support staff as well as the officers. (Interviewee B)
At regional level, the analogous system in one regional office had clear
central constraints imposed but, after that, it was much more
consensually managed:-
Basically we set up a team, a project team, which I didn't take
any part in that; the office manager took a part in. There were
five members of staff appointed to the project team. They were
charged with looking at what we required in the new building,
what sort of accommodation and what the requirements were
within it, what we want in terms of the Communications
technology front and to look at processes. What processes do
we currently run where we could run them more efficiently in a
single office? Because we are all storing the same things in
different buildings. So looking at how we can become more
efficient in a single building. That has worked quite
well……………….. They (Administration staff) wanted an open
plan office. Some of the officers didn't. They had to be told that
that was the majority view, that is what we're going to do. They
wanted new furniture. They wanted it to be on a single floor,
which we have achieved as well. And they wanted to have the
sort of facilities like meeting rooms, which we will have, a
modern IT system which we will have, a new telephone system
which we're going to have. So in terms of general layout and
what they wanted inside it, they are going to get that. I think
they will love it. I think the officers are worried about it. They
have not got these walls around them. It's amazing. So I just
said to them, I don't care what your views are, I am going with
the majority view of the staff and that is the way we're going to
go. (Interviewee M)
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