How Deltion College used a Workplace Asset Inventory study to plan for the future
Deltion College decided to go beyond occupancy data and uncover the full story behind its furniture: where it was, what condition it was in, and how it needed to evolve for the future. This gave the organisation an objective overview of 22,000 furnishing elements and a solid foundation for long-term planning across its campus.
How Deltion College used a Workplace Asset Inventory study to plan for the future
Deltion College has worked with Measuremen since 2015, starting with Workplace Occupancy Studies to understand how growth in student registrations affected space use on its campus. These studies revealed how rooms were truly being used, often challenging assumptions held by staff and planners.
By 2018, Deltion wanted to take the next step. Because the furniture came from eleven former locations, the campus had effectively inherited eleven different stories, each with its own culture, style, and mystery around its origins. To make future plans and build a multi-year financial strategy for furniture replacement, they needed objective data.
The challenge: Limited visibility into a fragmented furniture landscape
Although Deltion had long measured occupancy, their furniture overview was fragmented. Different campuses had contributed different pieces, and no system tracked the total inventory. Without this information, it was difficult to plan for replacements, estimate costs, or align future investments with actual needs.
Deltion wanted to know:
What furniture existed
Where each furnishing element was located
What categories it belonged to
How to prepare a reliable multi-year maintenance plan
At the same time, they needed flexibility. They needed a system that they could maintain over time, especially when dealing with 17,000 students, 1,300 employees, and furniture that constantly moved.
The solution: Mapping 22,000+ furniture pieces
Over the summer holidays, Measuremen mapped out all the furniture on campus, resulting in approximately 22,000 items. These items were mapped across 80 furnishing elements, with all remaining items being placed in an ‘Other’ category. These elements were linked to a product and supplier description, giving Deltion a structured overview for financial planning.
Deltion chose not to number individual furniture pieces. With constant movement across rooms, numbering would quickly become inaccurate. A realistic accuracy of around 90% was considered workable.
Over time, the list expanded from 80 furnishing elements to 118, creating a more complete overview. In May 2020, this refined list was imported into TOPdesk, allowing Deltion to combine its housing system, furnishing system, MJOP, and financial planning into one environment. This provided a dashboard to steer decisions about replacement and investment.
Practical insights from Deltion’s experience
Lesson 1: Define exactly what you want to register
Before starting a Workplace Asset Inventory, it is crucial to decide the level of detail, how items will be described, and what the goal of the inventory is. For Deltion, a clear link to a multi-year financial plan made detailed categorisation necessary.
Lesson 2: In dynamic environments, 100% accuracy is impossible
With thousands of students and staff moving furniture daily, expecting fully exact data is unrealistic. A 90% accurate overview proved sufficient and workable.
Lesson 3: Measuring is a means, not the goal
The end-user remains the starting point. Spaces and furniture exist to support teaching, and measurement helps ensure they meet that purpose.
Lesson 4: After a large inventory, ongoing monitoring is essential
Because the inventory has a “best-before date,” Deltion appointed an employee to update the list, track new purchases, clarify items in the “Other” category, and keep the overview current.
Lesson 5: Choose the right moment for an inventory
The process took more time than anticipated. Deltion advises organisations to consider timing carefully. If major furnishing changes are expected within two years, it may be better to postpone the initial inventory until after those changes.
The impact: A complete, manageable furniture overview in one system
By integrating the refined furniture list into TOPdesk, Deltion now has:
one central system for buildings, furnishing, MJOP, and financial planning
a clear overview of what furniture exists and where it is located
the ability to plan replacements based on actual data
flexibility in creating varied learning environments using their broad catalogue
better internal coordination thanks to a shared language around data, experience, and usage
A maturity model emerged organically from the process: Inventory, Control, Optimise, and Create. This reflects how Deltion built up and refined its furniture insight over time.
The Workplace Asset Inventory gave Deltion the clarity it needed to manage its furniture efficiently. With a clear overview, shared language, and reliable categories, they can now make decisions rooted in evidence rather than guesswork. Ultimately, this clarity allows Deltion to shape its learning environment with confidence and purpose.
Want to know what we can do for your educational institution?
