ELEMENTSof the SMARTOFFICE

THE SMART OFFICEOver the last few years, the term “smart”has been used more and more frequentlyto describe the technology that hasbecome integrated into our daily lives.Now, smartphones and smartwatches arepractically ubiquitous, smart cars arestarting to hit the pavement and smarthomes are becoming the norm.

The “smart” trend is becoming equally aspresent in our workplaces as well. Smarttechnology is making the transition fromour personal lives to our workplace, andin doing so, this technology is reshapingthe modern office. It is not only changingthe way we meet, present andcollaborate, it is changing the physicalenvironment in which we work as well.

And because of this rapid infiltration ofsmart technology, it is important to be upto date on this rapidly evolving technology— a seemingly daunting task. But don’tfear! PGi is here to present you with theelements that are beginning to integratetogether to build one incredibly smartoffice of the future.

SMART FURNITURELet’s start with the physical environment.Today’s office has been reshaped many timesover the last few decades. Once built withclosed-off offices and conference rooms,today’s workspace typically consists of openspaces built for collaboration. Cubicles wallshave been torn down and replaced with shareddesks or unassigned seating areas.

And while the physical setup of theseenvironments has changed, so has the furniturewe use on a daily basis. Cue ambientintelligence technology (AmI), a paradigm builton pervasive computing and human-centricinteraction design. Together, thesecharacteristics create an abstract network ofdevices that can anticipate and change inresponse to your behavioral patterns; recognizeyou and your situational context; and areintegrated into the environment.

And while this technology has been apparent insmart homes for years, its place in theworkplace is becoming more popular than ever.Companies are utilizing this technology to helpconfirm your presence in conference roomsand to indicate your presence at your desk andin the office.

Not only has this type of tech helped withunderstanding employee behavior inside theworkspace (like which conference rooms areactually being used during the day), but it hasgiven companies an opportunity to save onenergy consumption — a $38 billion a year bill.

SMART FURNITURE

Moreover, other examples of AmI are just hereto make our office a little more comfortable.Like standing desks that remember yourparticular adjustment settings, or chairs thatcan register your heart rate and can cue musicto relieve your stress. In the future, it is nothard to believe that furniture in our offices willhave the ability to communicate from one roomto another, adapting to employee’s specificneeds and requirements as they walk aroundtheir office.

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SMART MEETINGSEveryone has a love/hate relationship withmeetings. At times they’re inherently importantfor project completion, and at other timesthey're so pointless and inefficient it is mind-numbing. But what if the guesswork ofscheduling meetings, taking notes and followingup was taken out of the equation? Wouldn’t thatmake meetings that much more pleasant andefficient?

Smart meetings are a new paradigm ofmeetings that aim to act as productivity tools intheir own right – instead of being productivityantagonists. These types of meetings will takeon the meticulous and often tedious tasks ofdaily meetings.

Before your meeting even begins, artificialintelligence tools could take over schedulingrequirements. These scheduling tools work likea personal assistant, scanning each member’scalendar to find the right time and place foreveryone to meet, ultimately saving you theaverage seven emails it takes to set up ameeting.

During the call, the most obvious manualprocesses to be displaced is the taking anddistributing of notes or minutes. This type ofservice will evolve from mere transcription toproviding breakdowns of deliverables to duedates and notifications, all automatically sent torespective meeting attendees.

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SMART MEETINGSNotes and recordings of a smart meeting would beimmediately available within a shared workspace.Additionally, automated tagging could make iteasier to find said notes at a later date — puttingan end to email chains titled, “What Did I Miss in theMeeting?”

Smart meetings are all about efficiencies — allabout avoiding the estimated $37 billion lost eachyear due to inefficient meetings. As the pivotaltools that make up smart meetings continue toevolve, our perceptions of meetings will continue toevolve as well, creating a better, moreinterconnected process rather than the busywork-generating clutter on our calendars.

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SMART PRESENTATIONSGone are the days of flipping through slide decksof boring, two-toned colored graphs and terribleword art. The future of presentations has takenon a more engaging and collaborative feel,especially over the last few years. It’s no secretthat virtual reality (VR) has steadily become one ofthe most sought after pieces of consumertechnology. But VR isn’t far off from becoming acornerstone in changing the way we hostconference calls, present information andcollaborate together.

One company, WorldViz, is already trying tochange the way we present information with theirvirtual reality platform, Skofield, which is in alphatesting. The tool utilizes VR’s inherent ability toprovide user “presence” within a virtualenvironment to bring people together in a virtualmeeting setting.

This type of technology could be especiallyimportant for the manufacturing sector;disparate teams will be able to bettercollaborate on the design of products, leadingto increased output and reduced cost.

SMART PRESENTATIONSSkofield represents just one example of how VRmight reinvent the global workplace andcollaboration. VR technology has the power toimprove collaboration and productivity whilefacilitating increased concentration through VR’simmersive environments.

While VR might seem like a long way off, thewidescale adoption of virtual reality technologymight arrive sooner than expected. Goldman Sachshas predicted that VR hardware will be an $80billion industry within the next 10 years. Andthough VR might appear to be an expensiveendeavor at this point in time, as VR technologyimproves and becomes more available, it will alsobecome more affordable.4

LEARN MORE

To learn more about thedifferent technologiesbecoming prevalent inworkplace of the future,check out our newestfree eBook, 2017 Future ofBusiness Collaborationand visit our blog atpgi.com/blog.

REFERENCES1. “R&D 100: Smart Sensors Mean Energy Savings,” Energy.gov, July 23, 2013,https://www.energy.gov/articles/rd-100-smart-sensors-mean-energy-savings.

2. “The Software Secretaries,” The Economist, September 12, 2015,http://www.economist.com/news/business-and-finance/21664071-technology-firms-are-competing-become-consumers-personal-secretaries-big-implications.

3. Drake Baer, “$37 Billion Is Lost Every Year On These 12 Meeting Mistakes,” Business Insider, April 9,2014, http://www.businessinsider.com/37-billion-is-lost-every-year-on-these-meeting-mistakes-2014-4

4. Sena, “How The Growth Of Mixed Reality Will Change Communication, Collaboration And TheFuture Of The Workplace.”