Your team is divided on open vs. closed workspaces. How do you find a harmonious solution?

Why is this an either-or conversation?? Why not both? We don't design space for the sake of space. At least not anymore. So much workspace design these days is designing space based on the USE CASE you are looking to address. Take collaboration. That can be broken down into different modalities - it's team building, training & learning, decision making, brainstorming & ideation... And each of those modalities - each of those use cases - require different types of space, different furniture, different room layout. You need a MIX of all spaces - some open, some semi-open, some closed. The Cisco NYC office isn't huge- 45k sq feet - but there are over 20 distinct types of collaboration spaces!! You need that variety for the different use cases.

Start by understanding the specific needs of your team. To find a balanced solution, the first step is to assess what your team members actually need. In one of my previous roles, I conducted surveys and held focus groups to get a sense of whether people preferred open or closed spaces. What I found was a mix of preferences, which led to designing a space with both quiet areas for focused work and open spaces for collaboration. Listening to your team’s needs is crucial to getting the design right from the start.

Look for workspace solutions that incorporate both open and closed elements. Instead of viewing open and closed workspaces as mutually exclusive, consider hybrid solutions. For instance, I once implemented a design that featured an open central area for teamwork, surrounded by smaller, enclosed rooms for those needing quiet time. This blend of spaces allowed everyone to work in the environment that best suited their task at hand. Exploring all the options can help bridge the gap between different preferences.

Flexibility is essential in accommodating different work styles. Flexibility should be a core feature of any workspace design. I’ve seen how movable partitions, quiet zones, and adjustable workstations can turn a rigid office layout into a dynamic space that caters to various needs. In my experience, when people have the freedom to choose their workspace based on the task they’re doing, their productivity soars. Flexibility empowers your team to work in the way that suits them best.

Test the new layout with a trial period before making it permanent. A trial period is a smart way to test new designs without fully committing. I remember setting up a temporary layout with movable furniture and partitions for a month-long trial. The feedback we gathered during this period was invaluable in refining the final design. This approach not only saves time and money but also ensures that the end result truly meets the needs of your team.

Collect feedback after the trial to refine the design. Gathering feedback is critical to the success of any workspace design. After our trial period, I conducted a survey and held several discussions to gather insights. It turned out that while the open areas were popular for meetings, the quiet zones needed better soundproofing. This feedback was instrumental in making the necessary adjustments. Without it, we might have overlooked key issues that would affect long-term satisfaction.

Use feedback to make necessary adjustments to your design. The final step is to refine your design based on the feedback. In my experience, it often takes a few iterations to get everything just right. For example, after gathering feedback on our initial trial, we made adjustments like adding more soundproofing and creating more breakout spaces. These tweaks helped us find the perfect balance between open and closed spaces, ultimately leading to a happier, more productive team.