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ABW (activity-based working)
What is activity-based working (ABW)?
Activity-based working, or ABW, is a workplace strategy where people do not have one fixed desk. Instead, the office offers different settings for different tasks, such as quiet zones for focus, meeting rooms for collaboration and open areas for informal work, and people move to the space that suits what they are doing.
Typical ABW settings
- Bookable desks for individual work
- Quiet zones and pods for focus and calls
- Huddle rooms and meeting rooms for collaboration
- Touchdown spots and lounges for short, informal work
What ABW needs to work
ABW depends on people being able to find and book the right space quickly. Without that, people stake out their favorite spots and the model falls back to unofficial assigned seating. Data on how each type of space is used shows whether the mix of settings is right.
How AskCody supports ABW
With AskCody desk booking and room booking from Outlook, people find and book desks and rooms by area on a map, and AskCody workplace analytics shows time and capacity utilization for each type of space.
Frequently asked questions
Is ABW the same as hot desking?
Not quite. Hot desking is about sharing desks. ABW goes further and offers different settings for different activities.
Does ABW mean nobody has a desk?
In pure ABW, yes, but many organizations keep some assigned desks for roles that need them.
Related terms