Technology : Laptops and Other Gadgets Changing Office Designs, Layout and Usage

Tablet

Laptop

The proliferation  and use of mobile computers and other gadgets e.g. laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc., has given companies and business owners many advantages and savings, because it has significantly reduced the required work space in their offices. With the increase in computing and processing capability of most mobile computers, there has been a shift from the bulky PCs to those of miniaturized mobile computers, thus eliminating PC tables and other office furnishings. The reduction of these big office furnitures has resulted to extra office spaces.

Years ago when PCs were the standard fixtures, a space in an office could only accommodate a few people with their assigned PCs, printers and connecting network of cables in their cubicles or big office tables. Now, the same space could accommodate more people using laptops, netbooks and tablets. A person with a laptop would only require a chair and a small table. Many offices now have community tables for their employees as workplace. Some have living room configurations with a common center table surrounded by comfortable sofas, and people literally used their laps as support for their laptops. These configurations also promote socialization and teamwork among the employees.

Offices with employees using laptops need more walls spaces, thus requiring designers to put more walls in their building designs.

Cloud Computing

The use of cloud computing, wifi connection and other wireless devices  have further reduced the need for space. Use of cables are becoming obsolete in offices. Mobile computers and cloud computing do not require physical presence inside your office to do your work. In fact many companies would allow their employees to work outside their office and even at home. Cloud computing also includes remote digital archiving and database. The use of digital files and high memory devices have also eliminated the use bulky filing cabinets which occupy a big part of the office, and has reduced paper use and printing significantly.

The decreasing demand and requirement for bigger office spaces have brought changes in office designs and building designs. Office design are turning offices into communal working areas instead of the common multiple separate cubicle layout  of offices.

These positive changes and effects in the office and business environments are brought about by these continuously miniaturizing mobile computers, gadgets, and the modern technologies of wireless communication, wireless computing and the internet.

Picture Source :
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computación_en_la_nube