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An office move brings many decisions into the same window: furniture, power, data, security, audio-visual equipment, and the daily work of the people moving. Connectivity is easier to plan when it is treated as part of the move rather than a final technical detail.
The goal is not to predict every device. It is to establish the spaces, routes, responsibilities, and sequence early enough that the cabling can be installed without dictating how the rest of the move is organised.
Start with the floor plan
Mark the areas that will need connectivity before the plan is frozen. That includes workstations, meeting rooms, shared areas, print or utility zones, and any equipment rooms. If the plan is still changing, note which decisions are fixed and which are still open.
- Approximate seat count and the number of enclosed rooms.
- Meeting rooms and shared spaces that need data, display, or conferencing connections.
- Equipment rooms, comms cabinets, or riser locations.
- Areas where wireless coverage or camera placement needs to be considered.
Count the connections
A useful device count does not need to be exact. It needs to show the scale and the variety of connections. Workstations, printers, access points, cameras, door controllers, displays, and building systems may all have different requirements.
Note which items are confirmed and which are still being selected. That distinction helps prevent a proposal from being based on assumptions that have already changed.
Plan the pathways
Cable has to travel through the building, not just arrive at the desk. Consider the route from the entry point or comms room to each area, the containment available, and the access needed to install it. Routes that cross other services or finished areas may need more coordination.
The cheapest route is rarely the best one if it creates a problem that has to be solved after the ceilings close.
Agree who owns what
A move usually involves several parties: the landlord or building management, the IT team, the furniture supplier, the electrical contractor, and the cabling team. Responsibilities should be explicit. Who provides containment? Who terminates and labels? Who tests? Who makes good? Who coordinates access?
Plan the cutover
The cutover is the point where the new space becomes the working space. It needs a sequence, a person responsible for decisions, and a plan for what happens if something is not ready. Labeling and testing before the move reduce the number of unknowns on the day.
- Which systems move first, and which can wait?
- What needs to be tested before occupants arrive?
- Who is on site to resolve problems during the transition?
- What is the fallback if a connection is not working?
Keep a record
A move creates a new physical layout that someone will have to maintain. Keep the information that makes the installation understandable later: labeled outlets, cabinet schedules, test results where provided, and updated drawings. A record does not need to be elaborate to be useful.
The short version
- Mark connectivity needs on the floor plan before it is fixed.
- Estimate the scale and variety of devices, not just the seat count.
- Check the routes and access, not only the destination.
- Agree responsibilities across all parties.
- Plan the cutover and keep a handover record.
Further reading
