In the second of a two-part series this week, officeinsight contributor Stephen Witte continues his exploration of innovators in apps for the design industry. Part I introduced apps using the Internet of Things for operating building systems, activating rest pods, lactation pods or work pods, and reserving micro hotel rooms.
Knowing there are apps that can help find a Mamava pod or a Sleepbox location begs the question, ‘What about when I’m looking for a desk at work or where has my team quartered?’
This week, Mr. Witte continues his work by highlighting an app from the furniture manufacturer Innovant that pairs wireless charging with desk and peer-locating services that operates anywhere there’s a cellular signal.
It’s called HotDesk. Through its HotDesk app, Innovant provides users wireless charging paired with desk and peer-locating services. The charger prompts a signal from an app-enabled device that shows colleagues which desks are occupied and who is working where.
Bruce Wells, Innovant’s Director of Marketing and Design, says simplicity and value to the end user are what makes HotDesk unique. “HotDesk works without Wi-Fi, it lets users find open desks quickly or find the other members of their team,” said Mr. Wells. “And a bonus for facilities management is occupancy information.”
HotDesk is among the innovations making possible what Mr. Wells calls agile working. This is open seating, free-address in the office versus the conventional one-desk, one-user model. Supporters of agile working praise its versatility for individual and team collaboration. More than a few end users are experimenting with agile working using Innovant’s furniture with HotDesk, according to Mr. Wells.
With mobility comes battery-powered mobile devices that need recharging. This is where Innovant identified an opportunity. A furniture-integrated wireless charger is Hotdesk’s one and only hardware component. Desks so-equipped become HotDesk-enabled through a subscription service. The monthly fee is based on the number of desks installed. The HotDesk app for users is a free download.
The app’s feature for finding desks and coworkers involves uploading floor plans. “There’s a nominal upfront investment to load the floor plans and identify locations on HotDesk,” said Mr. Wells.
“This is a very new implementation of technology in the workplace,” said Mr. Wells. “Our clients are easing through the transition.” That’s made much easier with HotDesk because its installation and operation involve a minimal maintenance effort on-site. Its simplicity shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of powerful features.
“Users see what desks are open without lost time in walking around the facility,” said Mr. Wells. “Finding your team, your colleagues or team leaders is easy with a floor plan on the app that shows their locations.” The simplicity of use extends to the app, which has but two settings – one to change the password and the other to activate a mode called ‘Anonymous.’
The ’Anonymous’ setting cloaks one’s identity from HotDesk, showing only a desk in use but not by whom. “There are times people don’t want to be found,” said Mr. Wells. Privacy protections are built into the system, something of interest to all current and future HotDesk users.
For all it does, HotDesk doesn’t remember people. Once users opt to check out from a desk, HotDesk only knows the desk was used and for how long – it won’t remember the name of the user. HotDesk can’t find anyone unless their device is on one of the system’s chargers.
The data HotDesk records is presented on a dashboard showing utilization and occupancy trends. Leaders and planners have the benefit of aggregated historical data for decision-making. “As an example, a site with 700 desks may record 470 as a peak number of users,” said Mr. Wells. “That information can influence what leadership does with real estate holdings and furniture purchasing.”
There are varied opinions from technologists about the social, political and economic influences of the sprawling digital connections between man and machine. A pair of studies from Pew Research says that the benefits of living a digitally-connected lifestyle outweigh the drawbacks.
In opening a 2017 study, the authors contend the Internet of Things will continue its expansion as a vital link to resources, services and opportunities. However, the authors note “wide concerns about cyberattacks, outages and privacy violations.”
Authors of a 2018 Pew Research study asked tech experts and scholars about their personal experiences in the cyber universe. The responses broke both ways. Pluses were ease of global connections and career-oriented opportunities, countered by trust tensions.
In ways, history is repeating itself. That is, if today’s digital trust tensions compare with the public’s shaken trust in banks when they were increasing targets of robberies.
One source cites a bank robbery in Liberty, Mo., on February 13, 1866, as America’s first. The robbers got away with $60,000, over $1.5 million today. As banks increased security, criminals changed their techniques, and yet, banks remain in business with generous holdings.
Think back to downloading that first app, compared with today. How do the levels of trust compare? A recent study revealed social media apps are less trusted, with more trust expressed toward apps from Google and PayPal.
As to apps for the design industry, trust that some are here, and more are coming. You can take that to the bank.
As researcher, writer and commentator, Stephen Witte reports and advises on trends shaping the future for the A&D community, manufacturers and distribution channels. His background includes corporate roles in product management, product development and public relations. He can be reached at stephenmwitte@gmail.com.