DECEMBER 2015 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \
21
each party proves mutually beneficial.
• The second is the exchange of di-
verse viewpoints, which drives accep-
tance and understanding, leading to a
richer perspective
◦
When combined, these exchanges
increase the quality of collaboration, and
lead to better connection between peo-
ple, cooperation toward common goals,
and sense of community.
Study participants identified 32 unique
types of collaborative space in use today,
and three-quarters of participating or-
ganizations offer at least seven types of
group space in their current planning
standard. While traditional large, me-
dium and small meeting areas remain
the most prevalent collaborative spaces,
other spaces also are offered. These in-
clude videoconference and café spaces,
and relatively newer concepts, includ-
ing huddle rooms, “brainstorming” space
and game rooms.
We found that amix of spaces support-
ing face-to-face and virtual interactions,
creative work such as brainstorming,
and structured group work are projected
to growmost rapidly in the near future.
The planning of group spaces should
go beyond simply providing isolated
pockets of collaboration space. The op-
portunity is to use the types of spaces
offered, and spatial relationships be-
tween them, to create a broader sense of
connection among workgroups, depart-
ments, divisions, and even disciplines
within the organization. If the overall co-
hesiveness of the work environment im-
proves, it can lead to increased coopera-
tion among groups, sense of community,
and a sustainable competitive advantage
“There is a need to provide an inspiring
physical space that sets the stage for cre-
ative exchange. In our experience some
of the best ideas are born when you are
away from your desk.”
– MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNA-
TIONAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Through research, Knoll explores the
connection between workspace design
and human behavior, health and per-
formance, and the quality of the user
experience. We share and apply what we
learn to inform product development
and help our customers shape their
work environments. For the full white
paper, visit
Sources:
“Creating Collaborative Spaces thatWork”
“The Metrics of Distributed Work”
-
sources/research
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Moving Forward
The most popular types of spaces emphasize the casual, social nature of small
group interactions – not long formal meetings for large groups. The four most
popular spaces, as shown above in order of popularity, are café, extra small, small
and medium size meeting rooms.
Brainstorming is the fastest growing
type of collaborative space.
