Budget Worksheet

Building a Device Lab
Copyright © 2015 Destiny Montague & Lara Hogan

Though devices will make up the largest portion of your lab’s budget, there’s some more equipment and software that you’ll want to invest in. Below, we’ve outlined must-have items, and some recommended items to budget for as you upgrade and improve your lab over time.

Plan for replenishing your supplies of things to borrow quarterly, around the same time as you check your analytics to see if there’s been a shift in the kinds of devices your users are using to access your site. Routinely checking in and upgrading your lab is a great idea, as it’ll be a good time to iterate on its usability and gather some data from your coworkers on how it can be improved.

CategoryHighly recommended itemReason
PowerPower strips, USB hubsMaintainable power chain
PowerSpare micro USB and iOS cablesTroubleshooting; Consistency
Supply for people to borrow from the lab
LabelingAsset tag or other physical identifierDevice maintenance and organization
ShelvingShelving with stand built-in, or individual device standsDevice organization and ease of use
CategoryOptional itemReason
PowerModletMeasuring energy consumption of the lab
PowerCable drops, hooks, or tiesOrganization of cabling
LabelingLabels on shelves for devicesDevice maintenance and organization
SoftwareMobile Device Management SoftwareDevice maintenance and organization
SoftwareDevice check-out system, and/or library of all the devices’ specificationsDevice tracking and organization
SoftwareAdobe Edge InspectIf you want to upgrade your license for more functionality
ShelvingCrates/buckets for spare cables, screen wipes, or other things for folks to long-term borrow (steal)Supply for people to borrow from the lab