Office design and data privacy

[edit] Introduction

The majority of architects feel frustrated by the constraints of data privacy when designing office spaces, a study has found: 72% of architects find data security considerations inconvenient when creating an office plan. The research suggests that architects want change, finding that 71% agree or strongly agree that factoring in privacy compromised their designs.

[edit] The importance of security in design

Architects do not view security as a top priority in the design process: when questioned they said data security was the fourth most important design consideration after accessibility, lighting and open plan design.

However, over two thirds (69%) agreed, or strongly agreed, that a good architect always considers data security when designing office space and meeting rooms. Additionally, 68% agreed, or strongly agreed, that data security should be of high importance to the architect.

[edit] Whose data is it anyway?

The increased demand for physical data protection appears to be driven by businesses. The survey found that 70% of those questioned agreed or strongly agreed that clients increasingly ask them to consider data security when designing space.

It’s no surprise that businesses are concerned, with one in three (34%) data breaches involving internal employees. Coinciding with a significant rise in co-working spaces, open-plan offices and hot desking, architects are being asked to deliver privacy in offices while ensuring the design remains visually appealing.

Ref Survey of 155 architects in the UK conducted by Censuswide in February 2020.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
• Open plan offices.
• Privacy in the built environment.
• Workplace as a Service WaaS