The following are tactical steps necessary for pulling together the various areas of planning (space, services and technology) to successfully finish the project planning. This is the last step in the planning process and one that will require the entire project team members to come together, discuss and prioritize to fully integrate the different pieces and realize the vision.

Working together

• Get people in the room together from different areas to jumpstart integration process and establish ongoing cross-functional committees where needed
• Identify critical dependencies across groups and disciplines and confirm with all stakeholders (e.g.: interfaces between furniture, technology, and power or staff and serviced space types)

Ensuring Needs are met

• List key factors that guides decision-making (e.g.: mission, vision statements, priorities, strategic plans, user activities, user needs) and check back final decisions to ensure that all are met.
• Write down the priorities that have been established and check final decisions as they are made to ensure that top priorities are met and that higher priorities do not give way to lower priorities. Clearly identify your priority items so you can respond to changes (e.g.: more/less funding)
• Conduct design reviews with key user groups, stakeholders, and other people who have given input. Use design reviews to explain decision-making process, verify decisions, and answer remaining questions. Check back with people who gave input so they can see how you’ve addressed their needs (and understand where they cannot be met, to manage expectations)

Putting the pieces together

• Test planned adjacencies, locations, and services by describing user experiences (e.g.: writing down actual paths and planned activities). Use prior tools, such as customer journey maps, to analyze the planned experience.
• Check service blueprints to ensure that the necessary spaces and technology will be available at service points and that an adequate number of staff have been allocated or will be hired.
• Ask concrete, simple operational questions (e.g.: if this projector breaks, who fixes it?) to get people thinking about use and work relationships