Understanding What the Organisation Needs from Its Facilities

It helps an organisation understand exactly what it needs from its facilities and ensures that FM services are designed around those needs.

Step 1: Identify Who the Demand Organisation Is

First, identify who actually needs and uses the facility.

• In a single-occupier building, it may be one organisation. 

• In a multi-tenant building, there may be several organisations. 

• In a group company, different business units may have different facility requirements. 

Clearly identify these organisations and the people who have the authority to explain their requirements.

Step 2: Understand the Organisation's Activities

Do not start by asking, "What FM services are we currently providing?"

Instead, understand what the organisation actually does in the facility.

Ask:

• What activities take place here? 

• When do they take place? 

• What does each activity need from the facility? 

For example:

• A trading floor may need continuous power and internet connectivity but may not be very concerned about the appearance of common areas. 

• A client-facing office may place high importance on cleanliness and appearance. 

• A laboratory may require strict temperature and environmental controls. 

Different activities have different needs, so providing the same level of service everywhere may not be effective.

Step 3: Identify What Is Critical and When

Determine which requirements are critical and when they are needed.

Some spaces or systems are so important that their failure could stop business operations. These should be treated differently from less critical areas.

Also consider operating hours. A system that must work continuously during business hours may not need the same level of service overnight.

Treating everything as equally critical can unnecessarily increase costs.

Step 4: Make Requirements Measurable

Requirements should be clear and measurable.

For example:

❌ "Meeting rooms should be comfortable."

✅ "Meeting rooms should maintain a defined temperature range during occupied hours and meet a specified availability level."

Measurable requirements make it easier to deliver, monitor and demonstrate performance.

Step 5: Speak to the Right People

Do not consult only the people who control the budget.

Also speak to the people who actually use the facilities.

Different departments may have different requirements:

• IT – system reliability and resilience 

• HR – employee experience and accessibility 

• Health & Safety – legal and safety requirements 

• Finance – cost and budget considerations 

• Occupants/users – practical day-to-day needs 

Step 6: Clearly Manage Conflicting Requirements

Different requirements may conflict with each other.

For example:

• Finance may want lower costs. 

• Employees may want better services. 

• Sustainability goals may require changes that affect both cost and service levels. 

These conflicts should be discussed, decided and documented.

This also protects the FM team. If a service is reduced because of a budget decision, there is a record showing that it was an organisational decision—not an FM failure.

Step 7: Convert Requirements into Services

Turn each requirement into a clearly defined FM service and service level.

There should be a clear link between:

Organisation's Requirement → FM Service → Service Level

Check this in both directions:

• Every requirement should have an appropriate service supporting it. 

• Every service should have a genuine organisational requirement behind it. 

If a service has no clear requirement supporting it, it may be unnecessary and could potentially be removed to reduce costs.

Step 8: Review Requirements Regularly

Demand analysis should not be a one-time exercise.

Review it whenever there are significant changes, such as:

• New occupants 

• Changes in working hours 

• Changes in business activities 

• Office or facility redesign 

• Significant changes in employee numbers 

• Changes in working patterns 

Even when there are no changes, record the review date and conclusion.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Starting with existing FM services instead of understanding business activities. 

2. Defining requirements that cannot be measured. 

3. Consulting only budget holders and ignoring facility users. 

4. Treating every space and system as equally critical. 

5. Resolving conflicts informally without documenting decisions. 

6. Providing services that cannot be linked to a genuine requirement. 

7. Failing to review requirements when the organisation changes.