We recommend turning private offices into meeting areas to many of our clients; in some cases, the collaboration spaces are retrofitted by removing unused banks of workstations. These methods are relatively inexpensive. In fact, in Perkins+Will’s Manhattan offices, employees take advantage of new meeting spaces, designed for what has been called “engineered serendipity” —those chance encounters that help solve problems and invent new ideas.
In the office of the future, location awareness also will become very important for employees. Cloud computing and GPS technologies will help individuals find desirable locations and connect with other relevant individuals. For example, mobile application SONAR shows the user how they are connected to others in a space by using publicly available information and then places the individuals in the space using location technology. SONAR can tell you who within your company might have had similar experience with a specific project or client, in addition to what bands he or she likes or favorite sports teams. Based on these connections, as well as your own employee profile, meeting schedule, assigned teams, upcoming deadlines and more, related software programs could further support the decision of where to physically work. As a result, knowledge is more easily shared, relevant connections are more easily made and the business thrives.
Looking forward, it is important to remember human experiences, particularly for our clients and customers, are happening through an increasing number of channels. We may connect with them through a more traditional computing device, like a laptop, or through a mobile smart device. We may meet in person in a company’s own physical space or in a shared or public environment. Either way, there may be physical or digital takeaways from that meeting that communicate important details about the business.
For consumer product companies, the customer is physically and digitally interacting with their product on a regular basis throughout the day. For example, Strava is used by cycling enthusiasts to track their routes, fastest times, total mileage and the like. Designing for the full range of these experiences is complex but very important. This process, sometimes called digital architecture mapping, requires a holistic approach that creates continuity between the virtual world and the physical world, as well as between different platforms and devices. The organizations that create the most seamlessness in experience between devices and the built environment will be rewarded with the best engagement from their clients and customers.
Increasing Engagement
Every day, computing technology gets smaller, easier and more accessible. Cloud computing is allowing more people to connect from increasingly diverse physical locations. However, interpersonal connections are still critically important, personally and professionally, which means the office is here to stay–just not in the same way. As a result, spaces that encourage people to gather in a variety of forms, including socializing, are more important than ever, and so is the technology that allows individuals to choose the right space for today’s tasks.
As we propel our businesses forward, we must also consider the experiences of our clients and customers, who are interacting with us and each other through an increasingly diverse range of technology. By carefully planning and designing the experience that people have with the physical and virtual worlds that we create, as well as at the intersection wherethose two meet, we can extend the impact of our workplaces and increase engagement from all sides. Technology and social media are changing how we work and, therefore, the nature of our workplaces, but taking a holistic and connection-friendly approach to these exciting changes will result in our best work yet.