Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration

275 Pages·2012·28.36 MB·English

by  Scott Doorley

1 Half-Title Page
make space
2 Copyright Page
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the publisher and the author have used their Collaboration / Scott Doorley & Scott Witthoft ;
best efforts in preparing this book, they make foreword by David Kelley.
no representations or warranties with respect to p. cm.
the accuracy or completeness of the contents of Includes index.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper. contained herein may not be suitable for your 1. Architectural design. 2. Architecture-
situation. You should consult with a professional -Psychological aspects. 3. Work
Copyright © 2012 where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor environment--Psychological aspects. I. Witthoft,
by Scott Doorley and Scott Witthoft. the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or Scott. II. Title. III. Title: How to set the stage for
any other commercial damages, including but not creative collaboration.
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Published simultaneously in Canada 2011031421
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make space
3 Title Page
How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration
Scott Doorley & Scott Witthoft
with a foreword by David Kelley
4
Space matters. We read our
physical environment
like we read a human face.
make space
5 Foreword_by David Kelley
Consciously or not, we feel and Collaboration and creation aren’t bound there’s not just one ideal design for a
internalize what the space tells us about to designated areas; they evolve collaborative space. The people using it
how to work. When you walk into throughout a space, absorbing different should be able to transform it them-
most offices, the space tells you that it’s people, places, and perspectives. selves, move things around, and create
meant for a group of people to work Space and its impact on behavior what they need for the work they’re
alone. Closed-off desks sprout off of have been important to me from those doing at the moment.
lonely hallways, and in a few obligatory earliest days, through IDEO and my Our students have responded to
conference rooms a huge table ensures long association with Steelcase. At the this in ways that have surpassed our
that people are safely separated from d.school, it’s been a critical element in biggest hopes. They come from very dif-
one another. Most work spaces were creating a different kind of educational ferent backgrounds and very different
designed according to an industrial environment, one that nourishes cre- places on campus and experience their
labor model, from a time when our ative confidence in our students. One deepest collaborations here. When our
work was tethered to big machines and of our first challenges was to equalize alumni—from school administrators
our status was rooted in the size of our the respective status of students and to entrepreneurs—start their own
office space. faculty. When you walk into one of organizations, they build their spaces
When I started IDEO with friends our classes, it’s almost impossible to around these same values.
in 1978, I knew we had to work differ- tell who’s teaching and who’s learning. Regardless of whether it’s a
ently. We were engineers and still wore Innovation thrives on this kind of equal- classroom or the offices of a billion-
ties, but we sat in a circle on the floor ity. With a boss or a professor standing dollar company, space is something to
for meetings. It made everyone feel at the head of the room, it feels like a think of as an instrument for innovation
equal and allowed us a certain kind of “sage on stage”—people are reluctant and collaboration. It’s not an initial,
openness with each other. Since then, at to share their ideas (“What if the boss given condition, something that should
IDEO and the d.school, space has been doesn’t like it?”). Reconfiguring the be accepted as is. Space is a valuable
a foundation for the expression of our physical relationship is a powerful signal tool that can help you create deep and
cultural values. We value innovation that participation is truly welcome. The meaningful collaborations in your work
as a team sport; it needs “we” spaces result is that you get better ideas out and life.
more than conventional “I” spaces. in the open, where they can grow. But
make space
6
When we started the d.school, we
were stuck with a double-wide
trailer no one else wanted, the team
leading our space design efforts
had little prior expertise in the
field, and we were told we would
have to move every 12 months for
years before our first official space
would be available.
make space
7 Preface_by George Kembel
come to the d.school to learn how to conference tables. We want leadership
be better innovators, and with their to move around to the person who has
teachers and project partners, too. the relevant expertise at the time, not
At first, we used space to support just to the person in charge, so we create
the activities of our teams, as a signal huddle rooms without explicit status
that the d.school was a different kind associated. There’s no head of the table
of place, and as a way to embody our or front of the classroom.
values. We put team spaces and couches We want our students and teams
in classrooms to facilitate project work to be mindful of space and to take
and allow for moments of debriefing. responsibility for setting up the environ-
We removed carpet to expose concrete ments that will amplify their work. So
These apparently unfortunate initial floors to make it clear that the d.school we set the expectation that each person
conditions are not obvious when you is a work space, not an office space. And is a steward of the space, that they need
walk into our newly renovated building we put desks near the entrance so that to care for it. At the same time, if it’s not
at the heart of the Stanford campus. In people are the first thing you see when working, they change it or, better yet,
hindsight, the path we were forced to you walk in, reinforcing that one of our hack it.
take appears close to inspired. principal values is human-centeredness. This book is an attempt to capture
The yearly moves turned out to be a Along the way, we learned that what the d.school adventure has taught
profound forcing function for learning, we have to prototype our way into any us along the way and is a tool to help
not just about space, but for prototyp- new space; to continuously iterate, you to use space to develop your unique
ing and evolving our entire organization. adapt, and evolve our spaces after we culture. I hope our story is an encour-
And having a team lead the way that move in; and to think of space primarily agement to you, suggesting that big
seemingly had no business designing as a way to change behavior, not as a things often have small beginnings, that
spaces set the stage for unexpected ap- facilities project or a showpiece for radical change usually starts with brave
proaches to emerge. We weren’t looking our brand. We want our teams to act but little steps, and that when people
for a groovy office. We were looking in more empathetic ways, so we make feel safe to try something new, spec-
to create learning experiences for our our spaces more human, with more tacular things can happen. Good luck as
students, make it safe for them to fail, places to debrief, reflect, and connect. you make space in your life, your teams,
and provoke an ecosystem as complex We want our teams to work collabora- and your organization to innovate!
as Stanford to change. The members tively instead of individually, so we have
of our team had experience that was generous collaboration spaces and “bare
perfectly suited to this challenge. essential” individual spaces. We want
We have had the opportunity to be our teams to get up and try stuff, not
a bit more radical than others might feel sit around and talk in long meetings, so
is safe in their workplace. And we have we make seating uncomfortable and
been able to test our rapidly evolving the tables too small. Supplies, tools,
ideas with real people every day—with and workbenches are more apparently
the thousands of students who have available than conference phones and
make space
8 Instructions
instructions
28 Tools_Periodic Table 29 Tools_Periodic Table
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tools
Make the useful things that fill up a
make space is a tool for using space make space has five different types space—furniture, storage options,
to shape the culture and habits of a of content: Tools, Situations, Design materials, etc.
creative community. Building a space is Template, Space Studies, and
tough, but shaping culture is an absurd Insights. Individual entries from each Tools range from DIY “hacks” that may
act of daring. It’s like assembling a are shuffled throughout the book take a matter of hours, to examples of
10,000 piece puzzle. On a grass field. and are described in more detail over CNC milled furniture you’ll likely need
During a hurricane. And the puzzle itself there. We designed this book so that assistance in building. If you are a maker
is a photo of a grass field. At 1:1 scale. you would put it down—so that you can at heart or just can’t wait to try out
Address this conundrum with action. and will experiment. some stuff, these will get you going. The
Begin to deliberately alter your environ- Read it long enough to get inspired, rolling whiteboard Z-Rack (page 16) is a
ment and you will reveal what enhances then put it aside and get to work. Pick it popular project that is not too difficult
collaboration and what doesn’t, what up when you need another boost, then to construct. Each Tool spread features
boosts creativity and what doesn’t. put it down again and get back to work. build instructions, tips, and sourcing
Reconfiguring, prototyping, and Each entry and the sum of their information.
building are the equivalent of starting collisions can help you quickly fine-tune
a puzzle with the corners: a simple every decision you make—from the 16 Z-Rack
approach that illuminates a structure to shape & scale of the furniture you use 18 Foam Cubes
attach more complex issues. The most to the music you play in the space—to 26 HACK: Showerboard Dry-Erase
difficult part of any of these actions is inspire new ways of working and Surface
simply getting started, this book is filled interacting. 28 Periodic Table
with ways to start transforming your 58 Whiteboard Sliders
space. Many can be accomplished in 60 HACK: Casters in Unexpected Places
hours, some in minutes. 68 Flip Stool
70 Prototyping Tables
82 Local Fabrication Shop
84 Hanging Screen
92 Signs That POP
make space