Open Work Space Research Essay

The Study Recently in the piece of break situation, in that location gossipms to be a shift from this traditional cubicle style to a more(prenominal) rotate surroundings for the employees. This shift has me questioning why argon modernistic companies shifting towards this more loose surround? It seems that these companies be tonusing non exactly for a alter in scenery, but a change in the how there employees utilize the environs.During this study, I will use a variety of microbes in order to find a comma big board compute space environment and other culture pertaining the interior decoratorural be after of a company. The questions especi on the wholey fatality to explore be How does the devote operatespace answer the collaboration between employees? How does this spirt at space attempt to foster an environment for creativity and innovation? Informational Sources The sources take a leak used ranged from a variety of baffles.The information I collect ed from Kidders studio apartment and Kramer digit convention was a thumping group consultation which was required for a summer class where we analyse cultures of creativity in Detroit, geographical mile. These two interviews alsok locating on August 24, 2013. The vauntingly group interview also allow in a tour of both(prenominal) companies to actually see the working environment firsthand. Field notes were also interpreted to help record detailed descriptions of the environment at both companies. both(prenominal) other source used for this look into included an online magazine called 991. . This magazine publishes re calculate in a condensed and easy to deduct format for the general public. It set forth research on how to build a collaborative work space. I read this to help better my understanding of what a collaborative work space might look like and what re some primaeval components for a creative work space. Also watched a video created by Wall highway Journal on Googles immature York work space because, have n forever been there. This video allowed me to visually see the environment where Google employees work.Another source utilized was a prCICS completed from an article called Building Research and Information. It included research done in this ara which helped me orient myself with prior research already completed on this topic. Previous Research Completed on Work Space Environment One research prCICS I looked at included the importance of collaboration in the work space. They looked at triple behaviors that contribute to effective collaboration sentiency, brief fundamental interaction, and collaboration (working to departher) (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 2).This term consciousness think ofs to understand what is going on in the environment well-nigh you. You be able to process this by means of spatial features that promote awareness and organizational factors that allow you to see other employees (He aring, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, pars. 4-5). They noted Some benefits to this spunky awareness Were rapid information sharing and ability to recognize when other employees were struggle Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 6). However there are some concerns for full(prenominal) awareness in a collaborative environment also.It groundwork be distracting, noisy from employees talking, and create a loss of privacy for the workers (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 7). Another term discussed was brief interactions which means unwilled and short discussions you have with other employees. This results in spatial features that promote interaction and organizational factors that allow you to run into other employees (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, pars. 9-10). Some benefits include alter information flow, increased learning, and increased development Of friendships (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 1). There ar e, however, some drawbacks which include a high potential for stress, an increase in distractions, and the potential for over communicating with employees (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 12). The other term discussed in the prCICS was collaboration. Collaboration in the work space can result in organizational factors that allow employees to work in project modes (Hangmen, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, ears. 18-19). Some benefits from these project live are quicker answers, advance to other team members, and better project track (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 0). Despite these benefits, there are some concerns including the possibility for information overload, a shorter amount of clipping on certain tasks, and less privacy for employees (Hearing, Compromisers, Powell, and Loftiness, par. 21). Evaluating Google and 2 Outside Innovative Companies Google is the company which typifies an open work space concept. However, I needed to use Kidders Studio and Kramer externalizeing Group in Detroit, Michigan because they were local and accessible. Both of these companies were much smaller than Google.However, there are modern and utilize the open work space concept. Google is know for their web search engine and try to make information easily accessible to the users. The Google sunrise(prenominal) York campus occupies an entire floor and parts of other floors in a mental synthesis covering an entire city block in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood (Alter, par. 7). This campus has swelled from around 2,000 employees to nearly 3,000 and hiring in the areas of media and advertising (Jordan). Due to the arrival of redundant employees, the newly hired have had to move from floor to floor (Jordan).In this campus as opposed to silicon Valley, it is less tech focused and gives the employees a more natural working environment (Jordan). Googles competitive and innovative nature attracts numerous young employees to thei r company. Despite Googles great benefits, there is still a high turnover rate, which means they have a limited amount of time with their employees. Kidders Studio is an innovative company which is a part Of the creative federation in Detroit, Michigan. Since 1 959, Kidders Studio has earned a beatable pattern for solving problems with designs.They started off solving problems by designing word of honor for the self-propelling companies in Detroit. In 201 1, Kidders moved to their new location on Broadway Street near the Detroit Tigers Stadium. Their diverse team of 25 contribution employees design logos and websites for advertisements, but their goal is to create the extra prevalent (Patrick). They started with 16 employees and are looking to expand to 35 employees. Some of their biggest clients are Dave and Busters, Detroit Tigers, and Andiron Restaurant. At Kramer Design Group in Detroit, they specialize in designing the interiors of buildings.There are ab disclose 18 to 28 p eople that work at the spatial relation, because there are only 28 desks available. When they work with their clients, they focus on creating a cross environment in order to invoke a certain sense (Kramer). They strive for listening to the client. However, sometimes the client does not know what they want until you show it to them. This company provides swatches of materials to help visualize the production or range of a function built. They are known for creating traditional architecture, hotels, and presidential lofts. They have completed such projects in Detroit like theMadison Building, Broodier Towers, and Whitney Building (Kramer). Kramer Design Group is starting to beak up some business finishedout the state. Kramer Design Group and Kidders Studio Work Space Company ices are redesigning moorages in order to pick out a more spacious working environment for their employees. This open work space is intended to foster creativity and innovation. Designing a speckle to en hance creativity takes a lot of work not only on the companies half, but on the architects half as well. It is important the architect works in collaboration with their client to create a specific environment.In this case, the architect needs to create an environment that is not only useable to the employees, but pleasing to the customer. Open office spaces seem to fuel this creativity by means of the collaboration of diverse groups of people, the flexibility of the work space, and the atmosphere of the room with numerous examples from Detroit, Machines Kidders Studio and Kramer Design Group. A key component to this creativity and innovation is allowing the mixture of diverse groups of people to work together in an open area.To define diverse, this word is meant to describe how individuals with various job titles and functions can ark cohesively together. Providing people an open environment encourages familiar connections to be made and ideas to be bounced off one another (Patr ick). For example, at Kidders Studio, their work place fosters an environment where colleagues can work with each other (Patrick). The studio is set up with no doors on any of the offices, even the Coos office. Over the years, the company has certain this process to be successful.During their meetings, they encourage administrative workers, designers, marketers, and writers to brainstorm ideas for projects (Patrick). These brainstorming sessions expect everyone in the company to work on a project where titles mean no amour (Patrick). Sometimes, disagreement can be a bad thing. only it has become a useful tool because, it encourages ideas to be explored and defended by the overlord (Patrick). The end result is a better thought out reply which provides the customer with an outstanding product.Creating flexibility in the work space seems to be another crucial element which allows this creativity and innovation to flourish. Kramer Design Group utilizes the portability and disabil ity of the room to create an environment where creativity is maximized. The portable chairs in the lunch space allow the user to rearrange the space. The emphasis on designing a flexible work space allows people to freely converse amongst one another (Kramer). It also gives the workers an environment which allows easy access to coworkers (Kramer).Some of the offices have glass rings to give the illusion of a more open space (Kramer). One thing that stands out is there are a few(prenominal) private offices. Private offices close workers off from the company and do not allow for ideas to be exchanged while the open spaces help shift creativity. In an open space, the atmosphere plays an important role in the minimisation of creativity and innovation. Kramer Design Groups office is designed with a level of sophism and professionalism to illustrate their knowledge in the design field (Kramer).The minute you measuring rod into the office, it is meant to create a feeling bigger than m eets the eye. There is environ to wall glass to give an expansive feeling to the area and it makes the ceiling pop taller (Kramer). In the hallway, there are columns spaced equal distances apart and a white strip on the carpet to give the illusion of a never ending hall (Kramer). Even the lighting plays into the comfortable atm of the room with their modern looking lights which use some incandescent lighting. Their office provides a creative, yet comfortable environment.It allows their employees to think freely in the office with the respect of their fellow colleagues. Googles Innovative Design Googles newfangled York campus has a identical goal in their office design like Kidders Studio and Kramer Design Group. All of the design is meant to encourage interaction between structurally furcate teams (Jordan). By implementing this open work space, it influences the way groups of Googles collaborate. Googles intention by development an open work space is to create an environment specifically for the interaction between the workers.A fun design plan Googles architects implemented is the just melt down chutes between floors, because the elevators are never known to be on time. This vertical ladder chute promotes unplanned collaborations (Alter, par. 7). Another touch Google added was giving the employees a bag to place their laptop in while climbing up the ladder (Jordan). This bag helped Googles minimize the chance of dropping their laptops. When workers causally intermingle, it encourages informal connections to be made among colleagues. Senior software engineer, Mike Labels moved from Googles Silicon Valley to Googles refreshful York campus.At Googles Silicon Valley, their offices are created as an individual place with their own unique perks and specific design, which help the worker relate to their environment Road). Since Labels has transferred to Googles New York office, he feels that coming to work here you will not mistake you are in some room at an ordinary building you will know you are at Google in New York (Jordan). It seems Googles New York office has created their own city within their building. Even some of their conference rooms are designed as a New York apartment to create a close environment for colleagues to collaborate within.Directly extraneous these conference rooms, it is setup like city with a fire hydrant, underpass grates on the floor, and a narrow hallway with a cityscape on the wall (Jordan). This use of schematics throughout areas of their building makes it seem like the real New York City outside of the building. Collaboration is a good thing, but too much can also be a bad thing sometimes. There are many places to get away from the hustle and pettifoggery of the office area. These areas include a reflecting room, a library, a private perfect booth, and more. The library is dotted with Victorian photos from Star Wars hanging on the walls (Jordan).There are also secret door bookcases leading to refec tion or reading rooms (Jordan). Throughout the library are many books to help employees on coding, programing and working with different fonts of computers (Jordan). One of the coolest features is the virtual(prenominal) wall of books where employees can transfer books to their phones (Jordan). Theses rooms are meant to give the workers a place to escape to when they get stressed at work. Google jobs can cause high stress because Of all the work demands. They can stop by the library and pick out a book or even download one from the virtual wall.By creating this comfortable environment, it gives the employees a place to relieve their stress. Regional facilities manager, Laura Gimped mentioned with groups growing in Google how proprieties and juxtaposition effect the workers interactions (loran). Laura understands generally information and ideas are shared with co-workers who are nearby. This is part of the reason that Google has positioned their offices no more than 150 feet away from pabulum to enhance informal interactions between its employees. So at any office location there s a micro-kitchen, a restaurant, or cafeteria nearby.This place encourages fellow Googles to go grab a bite to eat whenever and where ever they whitethorn be in the building (Jordan). Their set up enables employees to protrusion into coworkers from different teams within the work space (Alter, par. 8). She has taken into account the offshoot of the company with an eye towards this idea of casual collision in the work space (Jordan). This allows fellow Googles to have the opportunity to discuss an idea with soulfulness they normally do not work with (Jordan). Some of the greatest ideas are inspired from unexpected inventions between people.Findings Coming from an architectural background has enabled me to see rooms differently from other people. However, after this research, I was able to look at a room and see the choices and decisions the architect had to make in designing the ro om. For example, their placement of furniture, walls, doors and windows in a room plays a little role in how the work space is used. The way an architect designs a room actually plays an important role for what the customer ultimately wants. all(prenominal) of the companies I research ultimately had a similar goal through using the open work space concept.Kidders goals was to create the extraordinary through logos and design. Their office design fostered their employees to be creative. Kramer Design Group alter in interior designing. Their open work space also did the same(p) by providing their employees with a creative environment. Both of these places were designed, so the employees interacted regularly in order to get their ideas. Through my research even though did not actually visit, Google, the above examples helped me visualize what I could not see at Google. I have come to greater appreciate the open work space concept and its purpose atGoogle is to maximize its employees creativity. Through my research on open work spaces at Google, I have come to understand the choices the architects had to make while designing Googles New York office. They choose to design the environment with many unique features to enhance the collaboration between employees. I have now come to see that through creating an open work space it results in good ideas from employees. Essentially, these good ideas are able to be obtained through creating these unexpected conversations and casual collisions. This new understanding can help companies understand ways to obtain ideas from their employees.Through creating this type of environment similar to Google, companies will be able to design an environment to maximize the productivity of workers. Conclusion Google is known as the gold standard for innovation and creativity. Their architects have used the open work space to help them achieve this goal. Through the design of the open work space, Googles from different teams or backgro unds bump into each other nonchalantly throughout the day. The intent is for these Googles to discuss an idea with someone they whitethorn not work with daily. This chance interaction may be the catalyst for a new and creative idea.This new open work space address is intended to inspire its employees and support creativity where new ideas can be developed and new discoveries made. Further Questions If another research paper was completed, it may be interesting to see how other innovative companies like Apple, Paxar, and cheep are set up in regards to their work space design. It would be interesting to see how these companies layout their work space, because there could be similar correlations to how their employees collaborate like Google. In order to answer this question, you would need to look at the interactions between the errors of the company.Since work spaces are always being remodeled by companies, it would be interesting to track innovative companies over the next five ye ar to see how their work space changed over time. It would be ideal to interview employees throughout the change of the work space to see how it has effected them. It may be interesting to also speak to the management to determine whether there were more ideas generated in the newer work space than in the current type work space. This could help understand the reason behind why companies design a creative environment for their workers.