This document presents a workplace topology model for assessing static and dynamic interactions among employees. The model is formulated as a multi-layer attribute graph with organizational, facility, and sensing layers. Nodes represent people, organizational units, teams, zones, sub-zones, sensors, and actuators. Static analysis examines interactions using a snapshot of the topology, while dynamic analysis considers interactions over time using calendar information. The model is applied to an ICT company to analyze metrics like variety of employees in a zone and intensity of interactions between units. Experiments show a project-oriented structure may reduce external interactions compared to a functional organization. The measures can inform infection risk assessment models.

1. 1
Jānis Grabis
Workplace Topology Model
for Assessment of Static and
Dynamic Interactions
Among Employees
Institute of Information Technology, Riga Technical University, Latvia

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2
Background
Employee
interactions
Source
information
systems
Dynamic
topology model
Risk
assessment
Corrective
action
Sensing data and
waste water analysis
Productivity
data

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3
 To formulate the work environment topology
model and to define means for analyzing the
model using the graph theory and network
analysis methods
– Perceived as a targeted view of the overall
enterprise architecture
– Elaboration of graph-analytical methods to
analyze static and dynamic interactions among
employees in the organizational context to reduce
risks of spreading infectious diseases
Objective

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Workplace Topology Model

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Model Formulation:
Multi-layer attribute graph
 
,
TM  
 Y,N ,E,
Model definition:
Layers
Nodes
Edges
Mapping of nodes to layers
Mapping of nodes to labels
Layers are organizational,facility and sensing
Labels are Person, Org. Unit, Team, Zone, Sub-zone, Sensor and
Actuator

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 Static analysis
– Interactions using a snapshot of the topology
model without using the calendar information
 Dynamic analysis
– Interactions using multiple versions of the
topology model or the calendar information
 Configuration
– Applications used to manage work
environment
Model Analysis

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 The variety of employees in the zone
– How many different units relative to the number of
persons are present in a single zone?
 The centrality of person in the zone
– How many persons are related to a person?
 The sensor data availability
– How many sensors are available in a zone?
 The overall graph density in each layer
– Shows connectivity of nodes
Static Analysis

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Variety of Employees in Zone
(VE)
*
*
i
i
VE
M
=
N
 
*
| ( ) Person,
i j j ij
n n e

   
N E
 
* *
| ( ) Organization unit,
i k k k i
n n n

  
M N
How many different units
relative to the number of
persons are present in a
single zone?
A set of connected nodes of type
Person
A set of organization units these persons belong to

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 Intensity of interactions with other units and
teams (DP)
– Characterizes how many events involving
persons from other units and teams a person has
 Expected duration of interactions
– Characterizes duration of interactions with
persons from other zones
 Expected variety
– Number of different units or teams a person
interacts with
Dynamic Analysis

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 ICT company
– Integrated hardware and software solutions
 Nine units
– Administration, sales and marketing, software
development, electronics and networking
services
 Five distinctive zones
 Functionally-oriented
Application

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Organizational
layer
Person
Team
Unit

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Facility and Sensing Layers

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Zone ID z1 z2 z3
Zone Name Office Electronics Programming
VE 0.27 0.25 0.2
Sample Results of Analysis

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Experiments
 RQ: Would switching to project-oriented way of
working reduce interactions?
– Participants of events mainly come from the one
organizational unit in the case of the functional
organization
– Participants of events mainly come from one team in
the case of the project-oriented organization
– The events are classified as unit meeting and team
meetings
– Participants from other units or teams are also invited
to events
 Share of external participants is larger for the unit meetings than team
meetings

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Intensity of interactions (DP):
Functional vs project-oriented organization
Share of external
participants is reduced
from 50% to 20%

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 Measures serve as inputs to infection risk
assessment models
– The sub-set of EA elements is selected to
satisfy risk evaluation requirements
 Utility of measures
 Formalization of dynamics aspects of the
topology
Conclusion

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Project “Platform for the Covid-19 safe work environment” (ID.
1.1.1.1/21/A/011) is founded by European Regional
Development Fund specific objective 1.1.1 «Improve research
and innovation capacity and the ability of Latvian research
institutions to attract external funding, by investing in human
capital and infrastructure». The project is co-financed by
REACT-EU funding for mitigating the consequences of the
pandemic crisis.
Acknowledgement

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grabis@rtu.lv
http://iti.rtu.lv/vitk/lv/katedra/darbinieki/janis-grabis
Thank you!