Make Space - How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration by Scott Doorley and Scott Witthoft is a book straight out the d.school at Stanford University. The Scott's both work and/ or lecture at Stanford and both come well qualified to teach the would be reader how environments can positively affect creativity and collaboration in the workplace.
The book promises to to make existing spaces more collaborative using five different types of content. The authors suggest using any and/ or all of the content to meet your current needs. They are;
- Tools - stuff to build. The book covers everything from DIY projects to more complicated items which would need to be sourced. A really great example of a simple project are the Z -Racks which are nothing more than garment racks with shower board slapped on both sides of the rack. This gives a mobile dry erase surface at a fraction of the cost of other surfaces. It also makes an excellent room dividers for larger areas.
- Situations - quick repeatable configurations. This is all about how to get people together in simple and sometimes more complex collaborative environments. A very simple method is the "campfire" pattern of seating which puts everyone in a circle facing each other. Some like the Hiding Rooms, which allow individuals or smaller groups to get together away from everything require a bit more thought and more effort.
- Insights - ideas to consider. This covers observation the authors have made over their combined experience on other intangibles that occur when implementing these changes. There is a wealth of information in this area. Everything from signage, to whether or not to leave a room clean or messy and how it affects those that use the room(s).
- Design Template - a simple breakdown of the properties of places can spark actions and attitudes in people. This is the red meat of the book. The Design Template includes the following - Places. Places are large spaces that share an overall purpose. these include everything from hallways, to doilies and thresholds. Properties. This covers different aspects of the space such as lighting, music, and posture. Actions. Actions are broken down in to different areas that help with behaviors and tasks. An example is saturating an area with drawings and or photographs that immerse the team in the environment of the problem. Attitudes. This is the expression of the core values of an organization, and how the space can be altered to reflect that. The book gives the d.schools "attitudes", but also encourages to use your own.
- Space Studies - true stories of making space and living in it. Throughout the book there are real life case studies on how a number of different companies and individuals have used these concepts.
All this adds up to a very good argument against the standard Cube Nation that currently infects most offices. The standard config of most offices goes against this convention and keeps people from creating and collaborating. As Tom Peters lays out on his
What I've Come to Believe, more and more companies must encourage collaboration between not only external forces, but also internal forces which drive the core of the business.
Admittedly traditional companies such as CPA firms and banks would never buy into something like this. Imagining a group of accountants ripping apart a room, or sitting around on foam stools seems like a stretch. While the focus of the book is primarily aimed to creative types companies ( think Pixar ), there is no reason why more traditional companies cannot benefit from a majority of the content that's in this book. Any company that implements at least some of the tools and ideas presented in the book, I believe will benefit greatly in bring higher levels of creativity and collaboration to their respected companies.
