Case Study: Dickson County TN. Emergency Communications Center

Expanding Capacity and Creating Flow with Xybix

Background

Dickson County Emergency Communications Center had outgrown its four dispatch station setup. The county’s population growth meant more calls, more staff, and more need for a thoughtful, long term solution. Director Shauna inherited the console project midstream and knew the center needed more than just “extra desks.” They needed a design that would work for decades.

The Challenge

• Growth Pressure: Expand from four positions to at least ten.
• Spatial Limitations: A boxy, linear room layout that risked feeling cramped.
• Unfamiliar Territory: New director managing her first large-scale project.
• Long-Term Vision: Build a flexible, functional space to avoid redesigning again in just a few years.

The Solution

Xybix’s collaborative approach guided Shauna and her team through five design revisions before landing on the winning zigzag configuration:

Initial Revisions:

Final Designs:

Design Highlights:

• Zigzag Layout: Created alternating open and working spaces, improving circulation and reducing visual clutter.

  “As soon as I got the design from Meghan, I knew immediately that was the design for us.” — Shauna Atchison Director, Dickson County 911

• Capacity Expansion: Increased from four to ten dispatch positions without overcrowding.
• Balance of Privacy & Teamwork: Workstations offered individual space, while the zigzag allowed for quick collaboration.
• Functional Flow: Eliminated long walkarounds common with “X” formations by leaving a natural middle passageway.
• Global Upgrade: Flooring was also redone to modernize and repair the space, ensuring a complete transformation.

The Designer:

Project Management & Support

Beyond design, Xybix provided project coordination. A joint meeting with all vendors (electricians, flooring, and more) ensured timelines were clear and execution was seamless.

Recruitment Support

Recognizing the staffing challenges faced by 911 centers nationwide, Xybix included a recruitment video package. The Dickson County team partnered with Xybix Media to capture dispatchers, responders, and field operations in action, turning their new space into a powerful recruitment and branding tool.

Results & Impact:

• Addition six Dispatch Positions (from four to ten).

  “Knowing that dispatchers are pleased with their space and can’t wait to use it makes the entire process so rewarding.” — Meghan Dinardi Interior Designer with Xybix

• Modernized, functional center with flow and openness.
• Ergonomic workstations to promote comfort and well-being
• New director successfully managed a complex remodel.
• Dispatchers now have a space they’re excited to work in every day.
• Professionally produced videos gave a recruitment boost.
  
  

By transforming challenges into opportunities, Xybix delivered a solution that empowers Dickson County 911 to do their vital work with comfort and confidence.

Ready to give your dispatchers a space they’re proud of? Let’s design it together!

Testimonials

See what the staff at Dickson ECC have to say about their Xybix Workspace below: