Introduction

Facility planning is concerned with the design, layout, and accommodation of people,
machines and activities of a system or enterprise within a physical spatial environment.
Furthermore, Huang states that facility layout design determines how to arrange, locate, and
distribute the equipment and support services in a manufacturing facility to achieve
minimization of overall production time, maximization of operational and arrangement
flexibility, maximization of turnover of work-in process (WIP) and maximization of factory
output in conformance with production schedules. (Aoyama et.al, 2010)
In this study, the researchers focus on how to obtain an effective office layout
specifically at the Office of the Chair in School of Engineering at the Colegio. The Office of
the Chairs is one of the most essential and important rooms in an academic institution not
only for students but also the faculty staffs. It is where the chairpersons do their important
role in helping faculty in the department and how they do in consultation with others
(http://www.cornellcollege.edu/academic-affairs/chair-handbook/role-of-department-chairs.s
html, 3 August 2015). Hence, it is also like any other room in an institution that serves a
significant position in the academic development. Space is a vital resource that must be
utilized effectively for better management flow and movement of faculty staffs and students
and allowing quick access to their frequently used materials.
In another related study, Cynthia & Megan (2008) confirmed a strong and positive
relationship between quality of school facilities and student achievement in English and
Mathematics. In Nigeria, it is the general opinion of people that private schools are better in
terms of the availability of human and physical facilities and consequently students
performance than public schools. This situation has made many parents to enroll their
children in private secondary schools. Experience has also shown that most students who
secured admission into tertiary institution such as Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and
Universities are from private secondary schools.

The aim of this study is to enhance the present facility layout of the office of the
chair, to identify factors that minimizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the people
working in the chair's room, alternatives for the improvement of facility design of the chairs
office, to eliminate the risk, and stress in the present facility layout, and to maximize the
space within the room. The proponents needs to present an optimize facility layout design
that is beneficial for the chairpersons, dean, employee, faculty and student at the Colegio.

Problem Statement, Methodology and Objective

The scope of this study is about enhancing the office space layout and design of the
chairs office that are mainly used by the program chairs in engineering and frequently pass
by the employees, dean, faculty and students. The board room inside the office is included in
doing the activity chart but it is not emphasize because the other group is already assigned for
that.
The office of the chair is divided with 6 divisions as for the 6 program chairs and one
waiting area. Spatial requirements refer to the space requirements in terms of dimensions,
accessibility and safety.
Although most facilities in its early stage are planned considering its space and
position of the objects inside the room, it may require improvement in the future to match up
with its changing needs. The purpose of this study is to propose an efficient layout and
optimize space utilization. By addressing the offices problems regarding to its possible areas
for improvement, the researchers can determine a better layout that can improve their
working environment.
In this study we will have a focus group discussion to further analyze the data
gathered. For the methodology of this study the proponents will conduct an interview to the
program chairs, data gathering, and measuring the area.

School of Engineering
Office of the Chairs Layout

FLOW OF PATTERNS

Flow within the Facility

Flow within a facility considering the locations of the entrance and exit (On adjacent sides).

ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP CHART

Activity relationships are the key input in dealing with facilities design. It includes
the organizational, flow, environmental, control, and process relationships.
The activity relationship diagram is also called the affinity analysis diagram and it
shows the relationship of every department, office, or service area with every other
department and area. It helps to organize departments that need to be close to each other in
relevance

of

importance.

(http://www.manufacturingterms.com/Activity-Relationship-

Diagram.html)

Table 2. Rating Table

Table 3. Code and Reason Table

Figure 1. Relationship Chart

RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM

The main purpose of the relationship diagram is depicting spatially the relationship of
the activities or equipment within a facility. Constructing this often requires compromises,
especially when not all closeness ratings are satisfied.
TRADITIONAL PROCESS

The traditional process is the manual cut-and-try method of lay outing to adequately
satisfy the closeness rating. In here, the designer is the one to judge whether the design is
appropriate.
Figure 2, shows how the group managed the Office of the Chairs in School of
Engineering with regards to the curriculum similarity rating using the traditional process.

BE

ME

EC
E

IE

RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM (TOTAL CLOSENESS RATING)

CP
EE
In here, each relationship ratings are given numerical values. The sum of these values
E

is called the total closeness rating. The total closeness ratings of the equipment are evaluated
to identify how they are going to be arranged. Those with X relationship are automatically
placed last.
The table shows the total closeness rating through similarities in the curriculums and
information flow in the office. Having the largest TCR, the ME Chair was chosen first. The
order of arrangement goes as the ME Chair, followed by the IE Chair, EE Chair, Basic
Engineering Chair, ECE Chair, and CPE Chair.

Table 4. Total Closeness Rating Table

ME
Chair
BE
Fig. 4. Block Layout using TCRChair

CPE
Chair
IE
Chair

ECE
Chair

EE
Chair

SPACE AVAILABLE
The total area of School of Engineering Office of the Chairs is 24.17 sqm. The layout
must be able to maximize the space available. However, there are several constraints that
must be taken into consideration.
1. The design of the room
The room is not a typical box-type room. One side of the wall is not straight in
pattern due to location conference room between the Deans offices, making
the accessible area for the equipment smaller.
2. Wall attachments
Some
No.
1
2
4

LENGTH
(meters)

Equipment
WHITEBOARD
CHAIRS TABLES (6)
CABINET

2.50
1.50
2.70

WIDTH AREA
(meters) (sqm)
0.10
1.70
0.46

0.25
2.55
1.24

equipment (such as the whiteboard and cabinet) is needed to be installed onto

walls. Therefore, they cannot be placed in the middle of the room.

SPACE RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM

The space relationship diagram makes use of REL diagram, replacing the unit squares
with space templates. Space templates are based on the actual dimensions of the equipment
within the laboratory.
The table shows the sizes of area needed.

Note: Chairs Table is 1 entity as for the 6 program chair

Results and Discussion
In Figure ,through the Activity relationship chart, the spatial requirement and the space
available the proponents satisfies the problem. Based on the first alternative (curriculum
based), M.E., I.E., and Basic engineering are absolutely necessary to be closed to each other,
EE and ECE has also a closed relationship. And CPE
Summary and Conclusion
The analysis of this study is focused mainly in optimizing the office space
requirement in the office of the program chairs in School of Engineering.
Recommendation

References

Role of Department Chairs Retrieved from: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/academicaffairs/chair-handbook/role-of-department-chairs.shtml

Facility Management Retrieved from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/EqInc/Facility-Management.html
Duties of Chairs and Academic Program Directors (1996-1999) Retrieved from:
http://www.udel.edu/provost/chr-ad/duties.html