PdK Consulting: Alliances

Environmental Psychology

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Jacqueline Vischer PhD.
Buildings-in-Use
Environment Psychologist
271 Lincoln Street
Lexington, MA 02176
Phone: (781) 674-3186
Fax: (781) 674-1489
E-mail : vischer@total.net
E-mail: biubeu@wn.net

An environment psychologist, Dr. Vischer teaches design at the University of Montreal.

Harvard Business Review published a wonderful case study written by Dr. Visher:

"Will This Open Space Work?"

Author: Jacqueline Vischer
Click on the name for more titles by an author

Northern Oil is moving offices, and CEO Fritz Schumacher wants to make the most of the move in this fictional case study. He believes that adopting an open-plan work space will reinvent how the company works, not to mention cut costs. Facilities manager Sasha Pasternak also supports the open plan. Her job would be easier, and her budget would stretch further, if Northern had standardized workstations and used partitions, not walls. And she likes the way the new design flattens the organization: everyone has the same amount of space and the same ergonomically sound furniture. The new building would have more conference rooms and just-in-time work spaces for employees who worked mostly off-site. And although she knew that initial meetings between the architects and Northern employees hadn't yielded much support for open space--people were attached to their private offices--she expected that people would warm to the idea. But when the new design was unveiled, employees were less than enthusiastic. They hurled questions like, How will workers concentrate if they can't shut their office doors? How will people have confidential meetings with their boss? And why would people stay at Northern when the competition offers them private offices? There was even talk of circulating a petition refusing to move to the new space. A week later, the architect presented revised plans to the project group. The new options would add costs and reduce the amount of space savings, but offering a choice to employees might make them feel less threatened. What should the project team do? Five commentators offer advice.

http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/prod_detail.asp?99312.html

She is also the author of a remarkable book which no Real Estate Executive or Facility Manager should be without:

Workspace Strategies : Environment As a Tool for Work by Jacqueline C. Vischer

Editorial Reviews
From Book News, Inc. , May 1, 1996 Environmental psychologist and executive director of Buildings- In-Use, Jacqueline C. Vischer offers a practical assessment of the issues and concepts that influence the planning and designing of work spaces. Intended for architects, engineers, interior designers, business and property managers, and administrators. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Great book., September 17, 1998 Reviewer: A reader from Boston, Massachusetts This book is unavoidable for those who think of the workspace more in terms of an investment than a liability. The relationship between the workspace and the corporate strategy might become vital for a company's success and survival. Dr. Vischer presents a very sound theoretical framework coupled with real life experiences that enrich the framework.

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