Firstly : NO you don't have to do it once and have it set in stone.
YES, we do and it will be literally set in stone. Once the design is in place, the concrete to be poured will make many alterations, such as new external cabling, venting or ducting next too impossible.
A secure but non-hardened environment is much cheaper, 'normal' and easier to alter than a bunker.
Yes. Except we need....a bunker, so as much as I'd like to run the operation out of our local Starbucks, that is not an option. Nor is using the bunker only on special occasions.
Don't talk to us:talk to the people how are actually doing the crisis-handling at this very moment.
Umm... Yeah. And a lot of those people (I used to be one) spend a lot of time on Slashdot.
Thanks for the management consultant type advice, but if you referred to the dollar figures I've quoted thus far, perhaps you can give us just a little bit of credit? I mean, "Using big bucks to create a control room is just a waste of money if you do not know how it is going to be used."
Thank you, although it's obvious that a number of those (usually with the strongest opinions) seem to have worked in a secure underground bunker known as their parents' basement...
Hahaha.... It's a relative's website and I should probably update my.sig which dates back to the nineties before it could even be considered Google bait.
I hear you. This post (which I am *thrilled* made it to the front page) is largely to obtain a second opinion for what we've been advised by 'experts', who ultimately aren't spending their own money, they're spending ours.
I hear what you are saying. FYI in my original post, I mentioned CTU as well as MTAC (from NCIS) as examples of 'cool'.
We are totally committed to making it about function and efficiency (comfort) before 'wow factor'. However we would like to have a bit of that as well, for what could otherwise be little more than an ordinary office with a bunch of monitors.
I would also like prospective employees to think 'wow' as well. A key aim will be to maintain that comfort and have them post on Slashdot years later about the 'most awesome office they ever worked in'. Or something like that...
Happy employees are good employees is good business...
If I could afford it, I'd be sitting at a Xybix desk right now.
Not standing?
We've looked at motorized desks. The seem cute but having spoken to people who invested MASSIVE cash in them, their users seldom if ever adjust them. I asked their management for an opinion and they were adamant that they were a waste of money. Moreover, they've had a hard time maintaining a consistent look with various proprietary furniture that needs to be replaced over time and they suggested avoiding bespoke furniture wherever possible and keeping it simple.
I am however considering having a standing workstation or two to achieve a similar aim, if an operator wants to stand upright to work. They can all hot-desk, so this isn't a big deal.
I think control rooms are a little archaeic and beyond that just plain dumb. "Let's put all the really important people in one place so that they can see each other when they talk to them because that's more important than business continuity
Why on Earth do you think we haven't considered business continuity?
Is there *any* business which doesn't tend to put large groups, if not all of their people in the same place for most of the time?
Control rooms as a concept are a relic of the cold war and are as useful as the 27-volume encyclopedia set in my basement.
It's ironic the number of/. posts which bitch that management never consulted staff before designing workspaces. So I go and do exactly that, and then there are a number of people on this thread complaining about that instead!
Go figure.
Suffice it to say, if you were dropping as much coin as we are, believe me, you'd want as many opinions on some things as you could lay your hands on. Our designers and experts are loving this thread by the way and I am flattered that it made it to the front page of/.
It's ironic the number of/. posts which bitch that management never consulted staff before designing workspaces. So I go and do exactly that, which results in people like you bitching about it.
If you were dropping as much coin as we are, believe me, you'd want as many opinions on some things as you could lay your hands on.
Can you explain what you mean by "any controls and monitors should be separated by an aisle where you have desks and computers"? I'm having trouble picturing it.
Slashdot Mirror
Spaceballs-ish.
Evil will always triumph over good. Because good is dumb.
Firstly : NO you don't have to do it once and have it set in stone.
YES, we do and it will be literally set in stone. Once the design is in place, the concrete to be poured will make many alterations, such as new external cabling, venting or ducting next too impossible.
A secure but non-hardened environment is much cheaper, 'normal' and easier to alter than a bunker.
Yes. Except we need....a bunker, so as much as I'd like to run the operation out of our local Starbucks, that is not an option. Nor is using the bunker only on special occasions.
Not a problem. They have their very own toilet and kitchen facilities within the secure space.
Don't talk to us:talk to the people how are actually doing the crisis-handling at this very moment.
Umm... Yeah. And a lot of those people (I used to be one) spend a lot of time on Slashdot.
Thanks for the management consultant type advice, but if you referred to the dollar figures I've quoted thus far, perhaps you can give us just a little bit of credit? I mean, "Using big bucks to create a control room is just a waste of money if you do not know how it is going to be used."
We are investing millions. Are you serious?
Thank you, although it's obvious that a number of those (usually with the strongest opinions) seem to have worked in a secure underground bunker known as their parents' basement...
Hahaha.... It's a relative's website and I should probably update my .sig which dates back to the nineties before it could even be considered Google bait.
Believe it or not, you have just created a valid reason to have a spinning company logo visible. Until now, it was kitsch. Now, it's a feature!
I hear you. This post (which I am *thrilled* made it to the front page) is largely to obtain a second opinion for what we've been advised by 'experts', who ultimately aren't spending their own money, they're spending ours.
Trench advice greatly appreciated.
Yes, but then our staff get called NOCCERS and people go 'heh'.
If you think I'm taking this too serious, then why did you get the idea you needed a bunker-like control room
Because we don't have a choice in the matter. If we did, trust me, the place would have windows.
Approved and escorted visitors are not a threat.
Others who we don't fully trust e.g. prospective clients, can view via CCTV or an observation deck, both controlled by the operators.
I hear what you are saying. FYI in my original post, I mentioned CTU as well as MTAC (from NCIS) as examples of 'cool'.
We are totally committed to making it about function and efficiency (comfort) before 'wow factor'. However we would like to have a bit of that as well, for what could otherwise be little more than an ordinary office with a bunch of monitors.
I would also like prospective employees to think 'wow' as well. A key aim will be to maintain that comfort and have them post on Slashdot years later about the 'most awesome office they ever worked in'. Or something like that...
Happy employees are good employees is good business...
We were going for more of an MTAC thing, but it's all good...
I don't want to have to hang up my own phone. I want to be able to make the "cut" gesture across my neck and have someone else hang it up for me.
And the Girl Guides do nice stuff also.
The point is, 4Chan is not Reddit.
If I could afford it, I'd be sitting at a Xybix desk right now.
Not standing?
We've looked at motorized desks. The seem cute but having spoken to people who invested MASSIVE cash in them, their users seldom if ever adjust them. I asked their management for an opinion and they were adamant that they were a waste of money. Moreover, they've had a hard time maintaining a consistent look with various proprietary furniture that needs to be replaced over time and they suggested avoiding bespoke furniture wherever possible and keeping it simple.
I am however considering having a standing workstation or two to achieve a similar aim, if an operator wants to stand upright to work. They can all hot-desk, so this isn't a big deal.
I think control rooms are a little archaeic and beyond that just plain dumb. "Let's put all the really important people in one place so that they can see each other when they talk to them because that's more important than business
continuity
Why on Earth do you think we haven't considered business continuity?
Is there *any* business which doesn't tend to put large groups, if not all of their people in the same place for most of the time?
Control rooms as a concept are a relic of the cold war and are as useful as the 27-volume encyclopedia set in my basement.
You should really get out of your basement.
Note to self: No Triffids in the control room.
Damnit!
I am the OP.
It's ironic the number of /. posts which bitch that management never consulted staff before designing workspaces. So I go and do exactly that, and then there are a number of people on this thread complaining about that instead!
Go figure.
Suffice it to say, if you were dropping as much coin as we are, believe me, you'd want as many opinions on some things as you could lay your hands on. Our designers and experts are loving this thread by the way and I am flattered that it made it to the front page of /.
Ideas are ultimately just that.
It's ironic the number of /. posts which bitch that management never consulted staff before designing workspaces. So I go and do exactly that, which results in people like you bitching about it.
If you were dropping as much coin as we are, believe me, you'd want as many opinions on some things as you could lay your hands on.
Fishtanks strike me as overpriced screensavers.
Sorry. Our operators won't have access to CD-ROM drives.
you should be able get everywhere you want in the room by rolling chair
We are aiming to be fully wheelchair accessible, so that should take care of that.
Thank you Homer :-)
Can you explain what you mean by "any controls and monitors should be separated by an aisle where you have desks and computers"? I'm having trouble picturing it.
I'd also watch the cool factor stuff. A lot of the stuff that looks really neat on TV actually sucks in real life.
We know.
Glass and chrome are the best example.
Also, on TV they only have to pay for the bits facing the camera. The rest is all plywood set design. Money is an issue.
There's a million more details.
I'll wait.