Project Planning? Start With Observations.

How do you make the most impact on your facilities with limited staff time and resources? One way to identify and prioritize opportunities is to start with a quick audit of your facilities. Some organizations have formal processes for this, but even if you don’t you can still learn from an informal assessment of your space.

Take a look at the following areas:

Building Exteriors

Make notes on the cleanliness and condition of buildings and grounds.

Sustainability and Environmental Footprint

Check water and power usage, which can give you insights on repairs or upgrades that can lead to cost savings that could offset the cost of the work. Next, review your chemical use and storage to see if changes to your chemical program can simplify cleaning processes or have an impact on your immediate environment.

Appearance and Experience

Look at interior spaces, walls, and floors through a visitor’s eyes. Are your facilities inviting to visitors? Are there areas where repairs, paint or floor care would make the experience better?

Processes and Equipment

Review cleaning processes to see if you can make better use of staff time to accomplish some of the projects you’ve noted. Organizations like the American Institute of Cleaning Sciences (AICS) have good information available on cleaning best practices to that drive efficiency and quality. Are your processes limited by aging cleaning equipment? Work with your equipment partners to understand how upgrading old equipment might speed processes and free staff time for additional projects.

With a list of observations about your facilities, you can begin prioritizing projects based on the work that will have the most immediate and biggest impact on your facilities. Then as resources become available, you can make decisions with confidence!