Access

Swipe card access systems are increasingly commonplace in university buildings.  Given their obvious advantages in terms of increased security (both as a way of reducing theft and ensuring the personal safety of staff), it seems unthinkable that a new building would not have such a system in place. 

But that’s not to say that swipe card systems don’t have disadvantages.  In the post-occupancy evaluation of the Open University’s Jennie Lee Building , over half of the survey respondents reported finding the swipe card doors a hindrance .  Some of the issues occupants raised include:

User-unfriendliness of the swipe card reader: It’s difficult to swipe one’s card whilst laden with equipment or carrying a tray of drinks (the latter meaning that occupants no longer make drinks for everyone in their team)

Additional barrier to communication: In the same way that flights of stairs have been found to constrain interaction, there was suggestion that occupants talk less to people who work on ‘the other side’ of the door

Visitor access: Unless visitors are given temporary swipe cards, they have to rely on occupants to let them in/out of the different areas of the building, including the toilet facilities

Access systems are easily undermined by helpful occupants with a tendency to hold doors open for people. Particularly in buildings (such as the Jennie Lee) that don’t include a reception desk to whichWhenever I forget my access card I have no problems getting anywhere in the building I want to go anyway (even without knowing the people who let me in)… visitors can be directed, it can seem very impolite to reject a visitors’ request for entry.  In spite of the security measures in place at the Jennie Lee Building, 75% of respondents to the occupant survey expressed concern about the security of their belongings, and there were reports of equipment being stolen. 

Security of equipment is a huge and constant worry […] every time I need to leave [my] desk, [it becomes] a mini security crisis… my laptop was stolen from my desk over lunch, despite the fact that it was tied to my desk with the security cable supplied to me when we moved into the building, and despite all the security cameras around and even people working in the area at the time…

 

Lessons learnt/issues to consider

The placement of card activated doors impacts on more than just the security of the building.  Careful consideration should be given as to whether the doors will divide groups of people who really should talk to each other, and (should they not be given temporary access cards) visitors will be able to get from say a meeting room to the toilet without being accompanied?

Temporary access cards for visitors can alleviate the need for occupants’ to spend time escorting them through the building, and also improve the visitor experience of the building.  Temporary cards may be particularly useful for ‘long-stay’ visitors, such as visiting professors.

Restricted access systems can be more problematic in buildings that don’t have reception areas - making it harder for legitimate visitors’ to gain entry, and (conversely) increasing the temptation for occupants to just let people in.

A protocol for how occupants should respond to requests to access (areas of) the building should be devised and made explicit – this can be incorporated as part of the user guide.


Student Access

When the dept of Civil and Building Engineering at Loughborough moved from cellular offices off a corridor to a more open, combi-office, they decided to restrict student access to the new environment due to concerns about noise and other disturbance. Undergraduates are no longer permitted to just turn up at their tutors’ office if they want to have a quick word, but must instead book an appointment.  Such policies may have a significant impact on the student experience and, as was the case at Manchester Met, be rather ill-received.