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The success of Cisco\u2019s future-proofed workplaces is <\/span>powered <\/span>by more than<\/span> just<\/span> technology. B<\/span>ehind the scenes, <\/span>it\u2019s<\/span> the relationships between <\/span>our <\/span>Workplace Resources (WPR,)<\/span> IT, Sales, and Product teams<\/span> that<\/span> are<\/span> break<\/span>ing<\/span> through organizational silos <\/span>to make it all possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Cisco employees and customers who visit and work from our PENN 1 office in New York City often remark that it \u201cfeels like magic.\u201d What they\u2019re referring to is the seamless integration of technology throughout the space that offers a fully optimized work environment employees can\u2019t get at home. They don\u2019t have to ask\u00a0if\u00a0<\/em> something will work, or question\u00a0how,\u00a0<\/em>it just\u00a0does.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n But how did we make it possible? How are we delivering these exceptional experiences that keep people returning to the office day after day?<\/p>\n Technology is only part of the equation. <\/span>It takes a village to power our workplaces <\/span>of <\/span>the future, and that village in<\/span>clud<\/span>es <\/span>the<\/span> Workplace<\/span> Resources (<\/span>)<\/span>, IT, Sales, and Product<\/span> teams<\/span> who work behind the scenes to <\/span>make the magic happen\u2014but<\/span> it <\/span>hasn\u2019t<\/span> all been sunshine and rainbows.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instead, <\/span>i<\/span>t\u2019s<\/span> been a journey of challenges, collaboration, and innovation that has transformed the way Cisco designs and <\/span>operates<\/span> future-proofed workplaces<\/span>.<\/span> Breaking down organizational silos and fostering strong cross-functional relationships across teams has been pivotal in achieving the smart building outcomes that our employees <\/span>can\u2019t<\/span> get enough of, a<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span>mselves<\/span>. <\/span>Let\u2019s<\/span> dive <\/span>in<\/span> to<\/span> the <\/span>steps we took to get us where we are<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We started with<\/span> a vision to create smarter and more connected workplaces<\/span> by designing the space around the technology,<\/span>the technology around the space<\/span>. <\/span>This meant that WPR <\/span>couldn\u2019t<\/span> simply go in with hammers and deliver a space for IT to equip with whatever technology<\/span> would<\/span> fit<\/span> after the fact<\/span>. T<\/span>he<\/span> new<\/span> design<\/span> processes required close collaboration between our <\/span>team<\/span>s<\/span>, and for the first time ever, we needed to ensure that IT had a spot at the table from the sta<\/span>rt <\/span>if we wanted <\/span>to deliver a cohesive and unified experience.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But we also needed:<\/p>\n It\u2019s this multi-phased partnership that acts as the backbone of our success. With all of our teams at the table, we\u2019re empowered to design for what\u2019s coming and keep our workplaces as future-proofed as they can be. But it\u2019s not as simple as it sounds.<\/p>\n The smart building space is entirely new, which brings with it the challenges of creating sense out of chaos. It\u2019s lots of different teams, with a lot of different personalities, and a lot of different timelines and objectives. Integrating advanced and cutting-edge smart building technologies into workplaces\u00a0while\u00a0<\/em>addressing issues of device ownership, security, and budget alignment is a significant undertaking.<\/p>\n WPR operates at the \u201cspeed of business\u201d driven by leadership expectations and market demands, which doesn\u2019t necessarily align with the rigorous testing and validation protocols, competing priorities, and resource constraints on the IT side. The reality is their roles and responsibilities span much farther than workplace design.<\/p>\n On top of that, we\u2019re testing our own technology in our own workplaces, which creates challenges when you\u2019re on a short timeline. We\u2019re making transformational changes to our portfolio that allow us to do the latest and greatest with our own tech, but driving these projects forward takes time when dealing with new technology that requires supplemental solutions from third-party vendors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We have to make sure we can support the technology within our own operations while also making sure we follow protocols with IT and network security to ensure that the technology doesn\u2019t create any security challenges.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cisco is on the cutting-edge of this smart building tech, and the supply chain for our third-party vendors isn\u2019t always set up for success. Take our network-powered lighting, for example.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cisco doesn\u2019t create the lighting that runs on our Power Over Ethernet (PoE) wiring, and the technology hasn\u2019t been thoroughly tested in the marketplace. To mitigate the potential security risks from introducing new hardware, WPR must work in close coordination with IT and network security to vet and secure different vendors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of the day, this close collaboration and alignment is what keeps our projects in motion. The outcomes and benefits we\u2019ve seen are significant, and we know we need to do whatever it takes as a team to make the process work internally across our operations to drive them.<\/span><\/p>\n We learned a lot from our first attempt with <\/span><\/span>PENN 1<\/span><\/span>we\u2019ve<\/span> gotten much faster and more efficient <\/span>with each building to follow<\/span>.<\/span> The \u201cblueprint\u201d we created extends beyond the <\/span>office<\/span> itself to encompass the ways we show up as a team <\/span>and fine tune our operations. Sometimes, doing \u201cwhatever it takes\u201d feels a lot like building a plane while <\/span>it\u2019s<\/span> flying<\/span>, and <\/span>processes in <\/span>place <\/span>that enable us to<\/span> support <\/span>the <\/span>technology and<\/span> keep it running smoothly after l<\/span>anding<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n PENN 1 showed us that clear and continuously updated documentation is crucial to enabling our vendor base and helping us move quickly. Our teams have partnered to ensure the creation of these documents is underway, known, and repeatable.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A \u201cday two support\u201d model is also in development to clarify roles between IT and WPR for ongoing maintenance of network-enabled equipment. The importance of an aligned strategy with clear guidelines for troubleshooting and identifying issues cannot be understated when it comes to organizing responsibility across teams.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We hold regular advisory meetings to enhance collaboration, work through issues, and implement creative solutions for new challenges that arise. For example, in Shanghai, we needed to take a new approach of deploying both traditional and new technologies simultaneously while we await vendor certification. This meant we deployed traditional lighting along with our wiring for PoE capabilities so that once the vendor is certified, we can quickly replace and reconnect the equipment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a work in progress, but we\u2019re proud of what we\u2019ve accomplished. By unifying our teams, we\u2019ve delivered a unified experience with Cisco technology. The outcomes we\u2019ve enabled and the relationships we\u2019ve used to get there have set a benchmark for the industry that our customers are eager to replicate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When customers who visit see what we\u2019ve created at PENN 1, they\u2019re blown away. When we explain that it\u2019s the way we work behind the scenes that gives this optimum experience, we\u2019re helping more and more of them learn how to refine their own processes. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We advise the following:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alignment with IT from the start<\/span><\/b>: IT needs to come in first, and alignment requires education surrounding the opportunity of existing data with defined use-cases. A clear understanding of the value they can provide empowers IT teams to align on priorities and work towards the common goal of delivering exceptional experiences for employees. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Clearly defined teams: <\/span><\/b>Make sure you have clearly defined teams and roles between IT and Facilities with close collaboration and regular calls to work through projects and challenges and maintain alignment. It\u2019s a continuous advancement of where the teams are merging in terms of how they operate as a business or function.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Defined playbooks<\/span><\/b>: The \u201cday two support model\u201d is critical. There needs to be a defined playbook in terms of how you not only design and install technology, but how you actually maintain it over time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Organizational alignment<\/span><\/b>: These workplaces are amazing, but very complicated and complex. The right teams need to be involved, with the right support structure in place. Alignment across organizations with a shared common goal is foundational to keeping things in motion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNow that we have something known and repeatable, a company doesn\u2019t have to do it for the first time themselves. They can take our lessons learned and go forward from there.\u201d \u2013 Chris Groves<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The relationships we\u2019ve built between our teams have allowed us to overcome hurdles and politics to deliver the best possible outcomes at each workplace we design. We\u2019ve unified the experience in a way that\u2019s invisible to end-users, but behind the scenes, it\u2019s the relationships and collaboration that make it all possible.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The blueprint of PENN 1 has allowed our IT, WPR, Sales, and Product teams to streamline smart office buildouts all around the world with a known a repeatable process and cross-functional collaboration to create and manage our future-proofed workplaces for years to come.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about our <\/span>journey to PENN 1<\/span> and the <\/span>final product<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Additional Resources:<\/p>\n Cisco on Cisco\u00a0<\/p>\nGiving every team a seat at the planning table<\/h2>\n
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Creating sense out of chaos through careful collaboration<\/h2>\n
Differing speeds and priorities<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Cisco as \u201cCustomer Zero\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Vendor complications of cutting-edge technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Lessons Learned from PENN 1 <\/span><\/h2>\n
Standardization through documentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Collaborating for creative solutions and success<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u00a0How to get started<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Success behind the scenes<\/h2>\n