In our quest to implement the best project methodology we often forget about forces beyond project activities themselves. I am talking about the ones you deal with every day and that is your physical environment when working on projects. Project environmental factors can have a noticeable effect on the team and PMO.
Lighting
Simple things like having good lighting not only creates less wear on your eyes and keeps you awake, but it has also proven to enhance a person’s mood. Even better is natural light from a skylight or nearby window. Chair
Another area is your chair you sit on for 8-10 hours a day. A good chair means less back and neck problems. This is good for the employee and the company as it means more productivity and less trips to the chiropractor. Also, sitting up straight is not good for your back. Lean back a little and take some of that pressure off the spine. Location
If you are next to the break room you will find a lot more people making a pit stop to your desk and chatting for 5-10 minutes. Ensuring the area is quiet and away from traffic will increase concentration. This starts to add up over the course of the day. For adaptive (Agile) environment, think about having desks that can be easily re-arranged to keep teams together. Originally Published in 2009 and underwent a significant update