Working with the Utilization Matrix – Part 2

In part one of this series I discussed getting the client to identify usage ranges; upper and lower limits of how many people might be involved in various uses of the space.  As a way to validate that data, I pointed out that you could count the X’s across and down.  Counting across gives a tally for each use.  Counting down gives a tally for each user or group of users.  Those two sets of data gave us a starting point for considering the potential consolidation of spaces to serve multiple needs.  The diagram below is the result of where we are at this point.

Utilization Matrix with Limits, Counts, and Consolidation Ideas

I mentioned prioritization and space requirements as two likely next steps.  Let’s look at space requirements first.  We have an upper and lower range for number of people for each function.  Using twenty-five square feet per person and a guide, we can calculate the average space requirement per use.  The graphic below shows our utilization matrix updated with the average square footage required by use.

Utilization Matrix with Average Space Requirements

There are a couple of things to keep in mind.  First, the active play area may not work well using a twenty-five square foot rule of thumb and an average usage.  We probably should find out what “active play” means and how much space the client thinks is appropriate rather than apply a formula (I am going to assume at this point the client wants at 20 by 40 square foot area for children’s play area).  Second, averages don’t always work well.  This is especially true in the smaller areas.  The uses at the bottom of the list happen to be the uses that have the highest frequency; one, two, or three times per week.  We should probably use the upper limit for as a guideline for those spaces since they occur often and there are quite a few of them.  Making some adjustments, we have a new Space Needed column with adjusted square footages:

Utilization Matrix with Adjusted Space Requirements

This creates an interesting new way to layer the usage as shown below:

Utilization Matrix with Space Requirements Sorted and Grouped

Allocating a specific amount of space to active play and using the upper limit of users for space requirements increases the space requirements per use but there is one important factor to keep in mind.  These spaces can serve more than one purpose in most cases.  Just because an area is set aside for sunning does not mean it cannot be used for space during a summer party with the neighbors.  The spaces overlap both in purpose and in reality as shown in the graphic below:

Overlapping Space Utilization

The question is if the active play area will be separate or will it overlap and serve as some of the overflow area for large groups:

Overlapping Space Utilization with Play Area Alternatives

We need at least 750 square feet for the combined group areas and 800 square feet for the active play area.  If the clients have that much space available, there really isn’t a need to prioritize from a space standpoint.  However, if space is limited, the client will need to prioritize and make decisions about how important that play space is and can it serve a dual purpose.  The point is, the utilization matrix gives us an analysis framework, but we still need to work through specifics with the client.  Those specifics include priorities and granular detail about the uses and users of the space.  It may be that the client’s definition of a large group includes many children.  In a large group event, those children would use the active play area, which would reduce the demand for the remaining necessary large group space.  Those are the details you have to get from the client, understand, and work into your space utilization analysis.

Keep in mind that there may be other reasons to prioritize.  Budget may be one of them.  That being the case, you could go through the same exercise and add a column for budgeted cost per use.  Any other criteria can be used to sort, group, or expand the utilization matrix.  There may be other criteria you want to consider.  Some examples include: distance from the residence, exposure to sun, need for privacy, noise, etc.  The graphic below shows the utilization matrix updated for usage by time of day:

Utilization Matrix Expanded for Time of Day Usage

This expanded matrix above may gives us ideas about requirements for lighting.  In may also provide insight into space positioning to either take advantage of the sun during the day or shade during the afternoon and early evening.  Any particular variation of the matrix expanded for some particular type of data may give you insight into an issue or factor you need to consider in your design.  Looking at a variety of issues may indicate conflicts that require the client to again prioritize what is most important to them.  For example, creating sunning area may use space that is significant for other uses that require shade.  The client has to decide how important that sunning area is versus forgoing comfort is other usage situations.

As you may have gathered, this utilization matrix was created in Microsoft Excel.  Once the basic matrix is complete, it is a simple matter to copy the worksheet tab to create a new or modified version of the original.  You can reuse your original matrix as many times as necessary to analyze all of the factors you think are important or crucial for the project.

The utilization matrix raises questions.  That is a good thing because it gives you the opportunity to get clarification from your client.  It also gives you information about relationships between how the space will be used and who is using within different contexts.  It may provide insight into how space adjacency should be applied.  There may also be insights into specific issues such as where you need to consider lighting, screening, and other design elements.

As with many other tools I have mentioned, a utilization matrix really only makes sense on projects of a certain scale.  However, once you hit that point, it can be extremely useful is sorting out how the client wants to use the space versus what you need to design to meet that need.  Once you have the basic structure of uses and usage it is easy to expand the matrix to evaluate other issues.

Working with the Utilization Matrix – Part 1

Once I have gathered both sets of data for my utilization matrix, my next step is to get the client to approximate how many people are involved in the group functions.  I usually ask the client to give me a range.  The result gives you a lower and upper limit of how many people are involved in each activity.  I also ask about frequency; how often does this activity occur.  A sample is shown below:

Utilization Matrix with Lower and Upper Limits

It is clear that the special events and parties involve many more guests, which imply the need for overflow space.  These events do not occur very often; six per season.  In this case, season means May to September.  The next largest requirements to accommodate guests are children’s activities and entertaining.  The chart below shows the uses sorted and grouped:

Utilization Matrix with Lower and Upper Limits Sorted and Grouped

Another way to evaluate this information is to tally the number of items in each Use (row) and for each User (column).  That tally is shown below:

Utilization Matrix with Counts

It is clear looking at the column totals that the husband, wife, and children drive the needs.  This is expected.  Gatherings with close neighbors and in-laws are the second largest group of drivers.  Also expected is the uses with the largest number of users are the special events and parties.

There are opportunities at this point to start looking for potential ways to combine spaces to serve multiple needs.  The chart below adds a series of columns to the right that show some potential groupings of spaces:

Utilization Matrix with Limits, Counts, and Consolidation Ideas

Some of these groupings may make a lot of sense and may be incorporated into the final design.  However, before going any further there some other things we should be looking at and considering.  One is the client’s priorities.  Another is space requirements.  In my next post, I will use this same utilization matrix to begin looking at those two issues.

Developing a Utilization Matrix

Getting a client to articulate how they want to use their space can be a challenge.  However, if you can get them to really think about it and dig into what they currently do and would like to do, you can get a very substantial list of functional requirements.  Assume you spend thirty minutes questioning the client and getting them to really think about all the ways they use their backyard and would like to use it in the future.  You might get a list of uses like this:

• Read paper w/ coffee in morning
• Relax with glass of wine
• Evening by fire pit
• Family BBQ
• BBQ with close neighbors
• Summer party with neighbors
• Special events with extended family
• Special events (i.e. party)
• Entertain in-laws
• Play games / active play
• Play cards / board games
• Hang out with school / team friends
• Read and relax
• Light gardening
• Sunning
• Children team party
• Maintenance / upkeep

If you can get a substantial list like this, you are far ahead.  The question that remains is who is using the space during these activities.  This also requires the client to carefully think about each activity and determine who is involved and how many family members, relatives, guests, etc. are typically part of that activity.

You might end up with a list of participants such as this:

• Husband
• Wife
• Older children (13+)
• Younger Children
• Close Neighbors
• Other Neighbors
• In-Laws
• Extended Family
• Children’s Friends
• Children’s Friends Parents

You can use these results to create a utilization matrix that combines both of these sets of data; what and who.  You should end up with something like this:

Utilization Matrix

A matrix like this gives you a lot of data and a lot of opportunity for analysis.  Each intersection point with an X marks a required need that must be met for one or more of the users.  At this point, we do not know how many people are involved in these activities so it is hard to evaluate the scale of the needs.  We do have some sense of the range of activities and where some the priorities are.  Also, remember that the client (husband and wife and children) are really the drivers.  All other users are invited, occasional users.  That has an impact on priorities.

The table of X indicators can be sorted or rearranged in different ways to glean some meaning out of the pattern of X’s.  This may help in subsequent analysis.

One obvious step would be to look for opportunities to consolidate some of these activities into common spaces.  The fire pit area could serve a dual purpose as an intimate seating area.  The active play area could provide overflow space for large gatherings.  There are opportunities to create spaces that serve more than one purpose.  More analysis can help make those determinations.

The client may be asking for more than the space can physically accommodate.  In that case, this matrix can be used as a tool for the client to make decisions about importance or priorities.  Tallying the number of X’s in the table for each need and for each group of users will give you some sense of importance and scale.  However, those tallies are not precise measures.  Graphing some of the data may help in the analysis and may help uncover some patterns in the data.

My next couple of posts will deal with further analysis of this matrix.  Some of the techniques mentioned above will be explored in more detail along with some other types of analysis.