Stack planning overview

Stack scenario planning is primarily done by the space planner, and its graphical information views are beneficial in visually presenting alternatives or interactively creating what-if scenario plans with business management and workplace management teams.

Note: The Java applet plug-in is no longer supported in the foundation application. If you still require Stacking functionality, you must switch to the Stacking app in our UX framework. For more information, see the UX Stacking app.

Space supply is the existing and planned space inventory. Space demand is the projected space needs of the business units that are based on business goals and space drivers from the space forecasting process. By overlaying supply and demand, space fit and gaps are graphically identifiable. Then, fit can be improved and gaps that are minimized by dragging for graphical rearrangement of organizations between locations as a first step in macro level space planning.

Stacking is typically done at the department level and space classification level. The information that is aggregated might include area sums, space capacity by type counts, or people by type counts. The information that is aggregated does not include individual space, asset, or person details.

Stack planning is an interactive graphical user interface that is similar to a horizontal bar chart with the following capabilities:
  • Expand or collapse viewing panels and tabs for flexible viewing and easier navigation
  • Zoom and resize building stacks to easily view varying building sizes in one view
  • Analyze based on capacity and area
  • Store move sequencing data for implementation move planning

Workplace planners create and analyze scenario stack plans for a focus period that is selected from the planning periods that are established in the planning environment. During scenario creation, you select the locations and the focus period. The stack plan tool depicts both the supply (selected locations) and the demand (either the as is condition or the forecast data for the focus period).

Workplace planners deal with a huge amount of information. The graphical stack planning tool places that information into a format that is easy to understand and manipulate.

The inputs to the process include the following information:
  • The proposed location area/capacity forecast
  • The organization required area/capacity forecast
  • The scope of analysis (planning period, geographies, organizations, space class types, locations)
  • The available move type definitions (with estimated cost per headcount, area, and more)
Outputs include the following information:
  • The proposed moves
  • The proposed changes to location space class type
  • The total estimated move costs for the scenario
  • The proposed move sequences
Demand is the required area or capacity. Supply is assignable area or capacity. Capacity is headcount per location.

The goal of stack planning is to ensure that the demand is allocated across available locations within the capacity of each location for the selected planning period.