Time and the Research Environment

Efficiency in task performance.

Published October 2007 Time is the new concept for design of research space.

The new, new design concept for research space is to minimize the TIME that research staff people spend doing frequent and repeated research tasks. TIME is a function of equipment location, and saving 30 or 60 seconds for a repetitive procedure is a “big deal” to researchers. This then means clustering certain pieces of equipment and reducing travel distances. To plan a truly efficient research building, do “shadow studies” in which you actually watch and record what people do in a facility.

- From Tradeline’s College and University Science Buildings 2007 conference.