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Identify and access 2-3 core data sources. Badge data and booking systems are the easiest starting point for most organizations. Use the Data Inventory Spreadsheet to map out what exists and who to contact. Schedule meetings with data owners. Request 3-6 months of historical data to establish baseline patterns. Document what you receive including time periods, known limitations, and data definitions.
Calculate your utilization metrics: average utilization, peak utilization, and cost per occupied seat. Create day-of-week and time-of-day visualizations. Break down utilization by department, floor, or building if you have multi-site data. Look for patterns, anomalies, and red flags. Validate your findings by comparing different data sources (i.e., Do badge swipes align with sensor data? Do bookings match actual occupancy?) Document your methodology so the analysis can be repeated.
Based on your analysis, identify 3-5 specific actionable recommendations. Prioritize quick wins that require minimal investment and can demonstrate value quickly. For example, you may start by calculating your space utilization rate to see how often and how intensively spaces are actually used, and if there are opportunities to optimize these. For each recommendation, estimate financial impact, resource requirements, implementation timeline, and potential risks. Develop your ROI executive presentation. Run your findings by a trusted colleague or stakeholder for feedback before presenting to leadership.
Schedule a presentation with key decision-makers. Present your findings clearly and concisely, focusing on financial impact and actionable recommendations. Use our ROI Cheat Sheet to help you translate the value of your data sources and build a business case for your goals. Secure approval to pilot 1-2 quick wins. Implement changes and establish metrics to track impact. Plan for a 30-day or 90-day check-in to review results. Document lessons learned and use them to refine your approach for the next analysis cycle.
Building your first executive presentation
Take your analysis and distill it into an ROI Executive Presentation. If relevant, include your average utilization rate, peak utilization rate, total square footage, cost per square foot, cost per occupied seat, and occupancy by day of week. Calculate the opportunity.
For example, if you're at 45% average utilization, you're paying for more than twice the space you need. At $50 per square foot, a 50,000 square foot office costs $2.5M annually. If you could right-size to actual needs, you'd save over $1M. This analysis becomes your conversation starter with leadership.
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In the Data Inventory Spreadsheet, you are given a Data Maturity Level after you’ve completed assessing all your data sources. This provides a framework for scoring your current use of your data sources to drive business decisions.
You've taken the first step toward data-driven space management. As you build confidence and demonstrate value, you can expand your analysis to include additional data sources, more sophisticated techniques, and broader organizational impact.
The key is to start simple, show results, and iterate. Every analysis teaches you something new about your data, your spaces, and your organization. Over time, you'll build a comprehensive picture of how your workplace actually functions—and you'll have the data to prove it.
Use this guide as your foundation, but don't stop here. The more you work with your data, the more questions you'll be able to answer and the more value you'll create for your organization.
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