Program–the third step in qbiq's wizard–empowers you to state the requirements for your new floor plan using qbiq's user-friendly planning system.
The extent of design capabilities available in the Program stage depends on your initial Program Type selection:
Planning - Concept
Tenant Specific Planning - Detailed
Tenant Specific Planning - Concept
Visualize - 3D Tour (Only)
Planning - Concept:
If you initially chose the Concept option under Program Type before launching qbiq's wizard, now you will proceed to configure three key elements of your floor plan profile.
Opting for this route offers several advantages, including its speed and simplicity in submission.
The planning process relies on qbiq's AI planning system, making it a convenient and quick option. It is ideal if you want a hassle-free floor planning process without delving deep into designing details. However, if you want more control over the floor planning process and wish to manage design elements comprehensively, we recommend selecting either Tenant Specific - Concept or Tenant Specific - Detailed from the outset.
Floor Plan Profile:
Planning Style - The Planning Style determines the structure of the three planning alternatives.
You can choose up to all 3 options:
Mix - You will receive a floor plan containing open spaces and offices.
Offices (i.e., Closed rooms) - You will receive a floor plan with offices only.
Open Space - You will receive a floor plan of open spaces only.
You will receive a floor plan for each category if you choose all three. In other words, qbiq will design an Open Space floor plan, a second floor plan with Offices only, and a third plan with a Mix of offices and open spaces.
If you choose one category, your three planning alternatives will be based solely on that choice. For instance, If you select only the Open Space category, you will receive three different Open Space floor plans.
If you choose two categories, your three planning alternatives will be divided; two floor plans will demonstrate designs based on one of the categories. The third floor plan design will be based on the other chosen category.
Note:
We recommend specifying which categories should yield two floor plans in the text box. Otherwise, qbiq will randomly determine which category will receive two floor plans. For example, when you choose Open Space and Offices as your preference, qbiq will generate a single floor plan for Open Space and another one for Offices. qbiq will randomly design the third floor plan for either Open Space or Office, unless you specify in the text box that you require two floor plans for a particular category.
Important!
Do not select the Open Space and Offices categories if you want each of the three floor plans designed with open spaces and offices. In such a case, make sure you select only the Mix category.
Industry - This is the soul of your floor plan's design. When you select a specific industry, qbiq's AI will generate three floor plan alternatives that grasp its latest trends. Your options for industry selection include:
Accounting/Law Firm
Biotech
Call Center
Co-Working
Energy
Engineering
Finance/Insurance
Government
High Tech
Other - If you select this option, use the General Notes in step five–Summary to specify the industry.
Seatcount - This represents the number of employees and guests expected to be accommodated on the premises. You can choose either option:
Specify Seatcount - Submit the number of people expected to be seated based on your client's information. Submitting an accurate number is significant because it sets the benchmark for variables such as the offices' dimensions, the number of chairs and desks arrangements, and the shared facilities' capacity. For example, if your client expects 40 employees on-premises, submitting the number of seats will ensure that qbiq plans 40 workstations accordingly.
Let qbiq Decide - Selecting this option means that qbiq will calculate the number of employees the floor plan will accommodate. You can choose this option if you do not have information about the needed number of seatings and if, at this stage, your floor plan is driven towards showcasing preliminary floor plan design alternatives. This flexible approach allows qbiq to help you determine the optimal seating arrangements based on the available space and your client's requirements.
Once you complete configuring your Concept Program, tap Next to advance to the fourth step of qbiq's wizard–3D Tour, where you will choose your 3D Tour designs.
Tenant-Specific Planning - Detailed
This step allows you to dive deeper into the floor plan design. You can define the needed departments, choose facilities, configure their measurements, and place them on the layout. While the Tenant Specific-Detailed takes longer to plan than the Tenant Specific-Concept, it empowers you with design flexibility through a user-friendly item selection of shared facilities, support areas, offices, open spaces, workstations, and more.
Configuring A Tenant-Specific - Detailed:
Option 1: Using the Floor Plan Profile
Begin with the Floor Plan Profile on the left-hand side to define layout characteristics.
Once completed, tap the Generate Program button.
Close the Floor Plan Profile panel by clicking the blue arrow.
Select amenities via Room Types.
Option 2: Skipping the Floor Plan Profile
Skip the Floor Plan Profile stage by clicking the blue arrow and immediately begin selecting amenities directly through Room Types.
Note:
When working on a multi-floor plan in the Program step, defining the floor plan profile and amenities selection apply to all floors. The Stacking stage further helps in fine-tuning each individual floor.
Floor Plan Profile:
Planning Style - The Planning Style determines the structure of the three planning alternatives.
Choose one of the following options:
Traditional - This planning style offers the traditional closed offices for enhanced privacy and focus. It is commonly seen in Legal, Accounting, and Financial firms.
Modern - This planning style is an open space layout that supports collaborative work. It is commonly seen in High Tech, Start-ups, Creative, and Consulting companies.
Co-Work - This planning style blends closed offices with open space. It is ideal for companies that need collaborative working areas as well as private rooms. This can also serve as a floor plan for multiple tenants.
Open Space Desk Style - Select the seating form within the open space.
Workstations - features L-shaped desks
Benchings - features a regular desk setting
Open Space Desk Size - Choose the desk dimensions to accommodate the employees. Keep in mind that a larger desk offers a spacious work hub for each person. However, it allows fewer seating allocations within the office space.
Seat Distribution - Select the ratio of selected seating types within the floor plan's employee seating designated area. Adjust the space allocation between closed Offices and open space areas by adjusting the slider according to your preference or entering the numerical value into one of the boxes.
Once you complete the Floor Plan Profile section, tap the Generate Program button. Next, tap the blue arrow on the top to minimize the Floor Plan Profile panel, and start choosing your floor plan’s amenities on Room Type.
Note: The Floor Plan Profile stage is an optional, quick-start tool to assist you, although it's not obligatory. You can always begin selecting facilities as soon as you reach the third step of the Tenant Specific-Detailed program type.
Room Types:
Facilities: To streamline this process, you can navigate between the array of facility icons, seamlessly transitioning between them, and then dive into selecting your desired facility unit. Alternatively, you can scroll through the complete selection of facilities. Upon selecting a facility, you can specify the desired number of units, adjust its dimensions, and seamlessly position it within the floor plan.
Applicable Actions:
Number of Units:
you can select the desired number of facility units using the + - buttons or directly input the exact figure in the provided units field.Change Measurements:
Tap the up or down arrow buttons to increase or decrease a chosen facility’s measurements. Alternatively, you can input the exact size into the designated field.Placement Preference:
You can access the Placement Preference feature by tapping the blue arrow button. This feature empowers you to modify the placement of the selected facility unit.
You can choose one of three options:
Window - places the chosen facility next to a window view.
Core - situates the chosen facility near the building’s main electricity, gas, and plumbing infrastructure lines).
Flexible -This is the default option. qbiq's AI system is empowered to place the facilities within the floor plan.
Alternatively, you can manually place a facility unit on the floor plan:
Tap Place on Plan indicated by the location icon. This action will reveal a display of the floor plan's image.
Pin the specified facility unit in your preferred location.
Once you have made the placement, tap Done to return to Program-Detailed. You will notice a blue location pin icon on the facility that has just been placed.
Facilities in Details:
Office - There are two types of offices:
Offices for a single person receiving guests. These offices are ideal for solitary work and are common among the senior personnel who hold meetings with a small number of individuals in their office. You have a choice of five alternatives:
Executive
Large
Medium
Small
Double Room - this office is designed for two employees meeting with guests.
These offices do not include guest seating and are specially designed for collaborative work among employees. Select the facility according to the number of employees you need to accommodate:
Focus Room - A room for a single employee, usually used for solitary tasks.
Offices 2-8 people
Notes:
Unlike the double room in the Office category, the 2 People room is designed for two employees without guests.
For the 2-8 people offices, measurement changes apply for choosing one of three different desk sizes.
Open Plan - Gives you a variety of workstations and benchings intended for open spaces.
Workstations - features L-shaped desks
Benchings - features a regular desk setting
Note:
Each workstation or benching unit's measurements are fixed according to its display.
Conference - A ranged sized conference rooms
Board Room
XLarge
Large
Medium
Small
Note:
The measurement represents each conference room’s highest number of participants. You can increase or decrease the chosen conference room’s full capacity number.
Reception - A ranged-sized reception area
Double - for two receptionists
Large
Medium
Small
Pantry - While you most likely placed the pantry room in the second step–Floor Info, please ensure to select the number of pantries needed and their respective dimensions in the third step–Program.
Large - 18-30 People
Medium - 10-16 People
Small - 2-6 People
Employee Lounge - L
Employee Lounge - S
Support Areas: A selection of 10 facilities to support the office needs:
IT - While you most likely placed the IT room in the second step–Floor Info, please ensure to select the number of IT rooms needed and their respective dimensions in the third step–Program.
Storage
Coat Closet
Print Hub
Phone Booth
Lounge - L - an area furnished with soft seating units mainly for informal and friendly meetings.
Lounge - S - A small area furnished with soft seating units mainly for informal and friendly meetings.
Collaboration - an open working space furnished less formally than a conference room.
Closed Collaboration - a closed working space furnished less formally than a conference room.
Locker - A unit equals a single locker. If you need lockers for 20 people, please choose 20 units.
Amenities - A selection of 11 shared facilities:
Yoga Room
Library
Game Room
Wellness Room
Training Room
Gym
Video Conf. Room
Photography Studio
Multipurpose Room
Cleaning Room
Mail Room
Other - A selection of 2 shared facilities and a self-creation room type feature:
Shared facilities:
Shower
WC
Add New Room:
This feature allows you to plan a particular unit if none of the options meet your requirements. You can use this feature to create any type of room.
Tap the Other tab in the Program - Detailed screen.
Tap the Add New Room button. A pane will appear beside it.
Name and specify the unit's requirements using the pane’s top text box–For example, a sealed acoustic room to play live music.
Configure the unit’s measurements in the pane’s middlebox.
Use the + or - buttons to select the desired number of new room units. Alternatively, you can use the bottom box to insert the exact number. Remember, this determines the number of units, not the number of people the facility should accommodate.
The Add New Room feature can be helpful when you want two similar facilities but with different measurements. Suppose you need two executive offices, but one should be smaller than the other. Start by selecting the regular executive office from the available options within the Office category. Then, utilize the Add New Room feature to customize a smaller executive suite.
Once you complete furnishing your floor plan, tap the Next button and proceed to the next step, 3D Tour, where you will choose the 3D designs for the virtual tour.
2D-3D Toggle
This toggle, which is placed next to the program summary on the top right-hand side of your screen, lets you view each facility in either 3D or 2D mode, providing a flexible and immersive experience. Switching the toggle to 2D will not affect or cancel the 3D Tour.
Program Summary:
The program summary panel located on the right-hand side consistently presents up-to-date data based on the facilities incorporated into the plan. It provides essential information such as the number of individuals, occupied area, density, and specific details for facilities like conference rooms, print hubs, and phone booths.
People - The summary reveals the projected number of individuals that will occupy the floor plan, considering the selected facilities, which may include:
Offices
Team Offices
Open Space
Reception
Density - The summary displays the space ratio for one person. This figure helps to maximize space utilization. Follow it along the planning process to ensure the floor plan is not too dense or, by contrast, too spacious.
Floor Plan Utilization Progress Bar:
The progress bar illustrates the floor plan's utilized space. As you begin selecting facilities, this progress bar will gradually fill from left to right, using colors corresponding to the chosen facilities.
A blue-striped rectangle on the progress bar's right side indicates the proportion of the floor plan's estimated circulation*.
qbiq's default circulation ratio setting is 20%, in line with the industry’s standard. Ensure your floor plan's facilities ratio is below the 80% threshold. Otherwise, a red warning banner will display:
Please Note: the program exceeds the area. Use the program summary calculator to track your floor capacity.
While qbiq allows you to proceed–adjusting the facility units accordingly is highly recommended. If the selected program exceeds the vacant floor plan area, qbiq will randomly modify the floor plan’s facility units to comply with the area measurements.
A black and white striped rectangle will be presented only in the case of predefining the area calculation units in RSF (Rentable Square Feet) or GROSS square meters. This rectangle indicates the estimated core proportion of the floor plan.
Below the progress bar, you'll find a list of facilities, each represented by a specific color and accompanied by the percentage of the floor plan they occupy.
* Circulation represents the people's movement spaces within the floor plan—for example, entrances, lobbies, corridors, and stairs. qbiq's default circulation ratio is set to 20%. Although this can be modified in the Program Summary settings, we recommend keeping the industry's standard ratio.
Total & Departments Tabs:
Total - Displays the selected room types. Each room type pane provides information regarding its space occupation ratio, the count of added facilities, the space utilization ratio, and the area it covers in square meters or square feet, depending on your specification in the second step–Floor Info.
Departments - This feature allows you to create and name departments to determine divisions and departments according to your client’s needs. For example, if you are designing a high-tech company’s floor plan, you can create a department for R&D and design their department with the needed workstations. You can add an HR department featuring a separate Focus Room or a small Employee Lounge to facilitate comfortable interview settings.
Stacking
Important: The Stacking stage appears when working on a multi-floor plan. In this step, you will organize your program’s layout across different floors.
Configuring Facility Distribution:
Automatically - To effortlessly arrange facility distribution between floors, simply tap the Generate button on the right side of the screen. qbiq's AI system will handle this task for you.
Manually - If you prefer more control, you can manually decide how to distribute facilities on each floor. When manually selecting, choose the sorting arrangement that suits you best: Department, Room Type, or Category.
Customizing Individual Floors:
Click on one of the floor bars. This action will trigger a drop-down menu containing the list of facilities that you have acquired previously in the Program step.
Adjust the quantity of each facility according to your preferences using the + and - buttons or by entering the exact number.
When you add a facility to a specific floor, qbiq deducts it from the total quantity count as it keeps track across all floors. For example, if you initially selected two medium conference rooms, both will be listed in the unassigned column on all floors. When you add one of the conference rooms to a specific floor, it will be deducted from the unassigned column on all floors.
Once you select all the accountable facilities, a red message will appear: "Reduce from the other floors." This is to ensure you will stay within the total number of facilities. You can make changes if you deduct the desired facility on one floor and assign it to another instead.
If all the facilities display the "Reduce from the other floors" message and you are satisfied with the distribution, tap Next to proceed to the 3D Tour step.
Progress Bars: These progress bars help you keep track of facility distribution and area measurements as you configure your multi-floor plan. There are two types of progress bars:
Unassigned program blocks - this progress bar represents the total area of all the floors together and displays the remaining unassigned facilities. The progress bar shrinks as you assign facilities to each floor.
Progress bars for each floor - these appear and represent the total area of each floor separately. The progress bar will grow as you add facilities to an individual floor.
Note:
In order to optimize stacking and improve planning, qbiq's AI system may relocate rooms between different floors.
Important: The multi-floor planning feature is currently in its Beta phase. We are actively working to enhance and refine it, and your valuable feedback is highly encouraged and appreciated.
Tenant-Specific Planning - Concept
This functionality enables you to generate a floor plan with quick configurations. Use the Tenant Specific - Concept program if you want a swift and easy-to-use floor planning track without the need to select and place facilities within the layout. However, if you want full control over design elements, opt for the Tenant Specific Detailed program.
Configuring A Tenant-Specific - Concept:
Start on the left-hand side of the screen with the Floor Plan Profile, which defines the layout’s characteristics.
When you finish, tap the Generate Program button.
Once you do so, either tap Next and continue to the following step.
Floor Plan Profile:
Planning Style - The Planning Style determines the structure of the three planning alternatives.
Choose one of the following options:
Traditional - This planning style offers the traditional closed offices for enhanced privacy and focus. It is commonly seen in Legal, Accounting, and Financial firms.
Modern - This planning style is an open space layout that supports collaborative work. It is commonly seen in High Tech, Start-ups, Creative, and Consulting companies.
Co-Work - This planning style blends closed offices with open space. It is ideal for companies that need collaborative working areas as well as private rooms. This can also serve as a floor plan for multiple tenants.
Open Space Desk Style - Select the seating form within the open space.
Workstations - features L-shaped desks
Benchings - features a regular desk setting
Open Space Desk Size - Choose the desk dimensions to accommodate the employees. Keep in mind that a larger desk offers a spacious work hub for each person. However, it allows fewer seating allocations within the office space.
Seat Distribution - Select the ratio of selected seating types within the floor plan's employee seating designated area. Adjust the space allocation between closed offices and open space areas by adjusting the slider according to your preferences or by entering the numerical value into one of the boxes.
Once you complete the Floor Plan Profile section, tap the Generate Program button. Then, tap the Next button to continue to 3D Tour–the fourth step in the qbiq wizard.
If you feel at this stage that you would like to delve into designing details, continue as follows:
Tap the Detailed Program button on the bottom right-hand side.
The Program-Detailed screen will open, and from this point onwards, your project will turn to Tenant Specific-Detailed.
Press the blue arrow on the top to minimize the Floor Plan Profile panel, and start modifying your floor plan’s amenities on Room Type.
Important!
Tapping the Detailed Program button is a one-way change. It switches your program type from Tenant Specific-Concept to Tenant Specific-Detailed. This action cannot be reversed.