The following definitions are based upon the Systematic Layout Planning method or SLP by Muther (1973). The major steps in SLP are shown in Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1. SLP Block Diagram
A relationship chart is the quantitative matrix containing the level of interaction between pairs of departments. The more positive the element in the matrix the stronger two departments interact and, in general, the closer to each other they should be located. The more negative the relationship the stronger two departments are incompatible with each other and, in general, the farther apart they should be located.
A relationship diagram is a spatial arrangement of the departments to represent the relationship data in a graphical way. This diagram is also called an adjacency graph. When the space requirements for the departments are added to this relationship diagram, then a space relationship diagram has been constructed.
Finally, any number of other considerations and constraints, that are not captured in the relationship data or the space data, can be incorporated in the space relationship diagram to generate a layout alternative. Hence, the spatial relationship diagram is not a layout, because it does not incorporate other considerations such as building shape and area and department shape constraints.