Ooh, Natural Light! What Project Managers Can Learn From Open Floor Plans

What’s better than looking across your kitchen and seeing your big, bright living room, expansive dining area, and sweeping view of your lush backyard?

Logging into your portfolio and seeing all your projects in one place.

Point being, project managers can learn a lot from a major design trend that’s been all the rage in real estate: open floor plans.

According to home design blog The Spruce, an open floor plan is “a dwelling in which two or more common spaces have been joined to form a larger space by eliminating partition walls.” As Rocket Mortgage reported, over half of Americans prefer this open layout. And Realtor.com found that homes with open floor plans appreciate over 7% each year.

It’s easy to see why: open floor plans offer greater visibility, flexibility, and flow throughout a space — giving you a clear, real-time view of your domain in one glance. 

If that sounds refreshing, it’s because that’s exactly the kind of solution project managers need in order to improve workflow and productivity.

More specifically, here are four things project managers can learn from open floor plans — and apply to their PPM solutions.

1. Break down silos for better flow

Open floor plans break down walls and doors, creating a free-flowing space where people and ideas can move around without restrictions.

According to home design blog MyDomaine, “The open floor plan’s greatest strength may be how easy it is to navigate. People can seamlessly move from space to space — or occupy two different corners without feeling separated.”

Project management platforms should offer the same kind of uninhibited openness, breaking down silos between teams and projects. This way, data can flow smoothly and project managers can share updates and information with ease.

2. See everything you need in one glance

With an open floor plan, you can step inside your house and have full clarity across your entire space — seeing everything from one spot.

As real estate listing platform NewHomeSource put it, “Whether you’ve got little ones running around, furry friends that like to get into trouble, or have just watched too much true crime, open concept designs allow you to assess a certain space with just a quick glance.”

Similarly, project managers need open sight lines across their entire portfolio. Otherwise, they’ll just waste valuable time manually checking and updating each task. With a bird’s-eye-view of your full ProjectMap™, you can track progress with ease and keep teams aligned across your whole portfolio.

3. Improve communication and collaboration

It’s obviously easier to call someone when they’re in the same room as opposed in a different, walled-off room at the other end of the house. That’s just another benefit of open floor plans: more seamless communication and, as a result, improved relationships.

As HGTV reported, “An open layout makes [sense] for hosts and guests alike. While you’re setting up your crudités and concocting your signature drink, your guests can be at your buffet or on your couch and still take part in conversation with you. And you can maintain a feeling of togetherness…”

In the same way, it’s important for project management platforms to foster communication and collaboration between all involved parties: project managers and higher-ups, project managers and team members, and individuals across organizational departments who are working towards a common goal.

4. Easily adapt to future changes

Now for what might be the most valuable advantage of open concept floor plans: flexibility. When you’re not tied down by a set floor plan, you can modify the layout as you wish. Having a big dinner party? Push your couch to the side and add an extra table and chairs. Tired of the TV over the fireplace? Switch it to another wall and open up your living space. Want to see your backyard from your remote office? Move your desk in front of the windows.

The problem for project managers is, this is a core functionality that many PPMs are still missing: the ability to adapt to real-time changes. That’s where Proggio is different.

As a project portfolio management platform, Proggio gives you the tools to respond quickly and easily when things change — without messing up your whole workflow or leaving you with hours of manual updates. So you can immediately make changes, notify stakeholders, and stay on track towards your goals.

Open floor plan, open future

If your PPM feels stuffy and siloed, it might be time to start some renovations and treat yourself to a platform with an open floor plan. Because, let’s face it, a lot of platforms are stuck in the olden days of traditional data structures and walled-off teams. Now, it’s time to infuse your workspace with a more modern, airy, and streamlined approach.

Along with adaptivity, Proggio can help you take advantage of all of the benefits described here: clarity, flexibility, communication, and collaboration. So you can have a clear, comprehensive view of your portfolio at all times and be ready to adapt to new opportunities as they arise.

Sound like a remodel you could use in your life?

Book a demo to get started with Proggio.