What happens when 21 people volunteer to take part in a live workplace experiment? An experiment that tests what factors govern the choices people will make when asked to find a work setting for a collaborative team task?
A couple of weeks ago we embarked on what was in itself an experimental formula: a kind of mash up of a spatial theory seminar, interactive workshop and live experiment, with some data collection.
Our ‘lab rats’ gamely volunteered themselves for this process; professionals from a range of backgrounds though mainly from workplace design and Facilities Management. Our laboratory was kindly provided by Herman Miller, in the shape of their newly fitted out showroom in Aldwych, London. This meant we had a range of furniture types and spatial locations to play with.
When we at brainybirdz first discussed the idea and then went on to design the ‘experiment’, it soon emerged that there was so much potential in the format, that it could easily take a day to run. But we only had 1 ½ hours at our disposal. With that caveat, we think we have nevertheless gained some significant insight from the event. And luckily our participants seemed also to find their own insights, which was an important objective too.
Our main finding was perhaps a surprising one. The participants were allowed to choose a workplace setting for a collaborative team task having first explored the showroom. We had expected there to be convergence around maybe two or three favoured locations, but with 10 teams, 8 favourites were identified. Then, when the teams were asked to go and occupy a work setting to actually complete the task, only 4 teams ended up in the location they originally chose.