Blog

MIT Sloan Management Review has rebuilt their site using a Wordpress platform and is integrating two blogs within it - one of them focused on innovation.  This is a self-declared work in progress and they are seeking feedback in order to optimize it for their readers.  Go have a look and let them know what you think.

MIT SMR has produced some great material/thinking on approaches to learning, development, knowledge management, learning communities, new-hire integration, leadership development, workspace design and, of course, innovation.  This latest iteration of theirs displays an internal commitment to eat their own dog food.

Incidentally our entire site is built on Wordpress and we’ve really enjoyed its versatility as a Content Management System [CMS].  I’m looking forward to seeing the results of MIT’s new progressive efforts.

Are you wondering how we’ll transition from our current work trends to the eco-friendly paperless offices of the future?  I’m on a mission to store everything I can paperlessly(?) yet always feel a tug to print it out when I’m going to be using it b/c of the familiar sense of having tactile things on my desk.

Take 6 minutes to watch the video below for a sneak peek at a beta version of how our digital desktops will continue to evolve in a way that aligns with how we’re comfortable working:

The New York Jets new training facility profiled recently in Fast Company shows that workspace design doesn’t have to be just for office workers.

The Jets have completely revamped their complex to reinvigorate both players and all other team members.  The slideshow via the link above is well worth the look - some highlights are the entrance shaped like the stadium tunnel [shown above], light slits meant to evoke yard lines, Exec offices overlooking the field and a high-tech system for coaches to access films.

Just goes to show that surroundings can play a big part in how people do their jobs - no matter what it is.

What changes could be made to the workspace in your organization to better reflect how work gets done?

We just toured the new offices of one of our clients and it’s pretty impressive.  The workspace design certainly incorporates the ability to have impromptu meetings and mixes that with great light, nice views and world-class art thrown in just for fun.

Here’s a write-up on the building:  http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/othercities/denver/stories/2008/11/10/daily32.html?brthrs=1

It will be interesting to see how this space impacts the workforce of this large global organization.  They are beginning to embrace some elements of Learning 2.0 such as communities of practice, knowledge management and social networking and the move to the new digs coincidentally happened at the same time.  

While I feel strongly that the physical environment has a strong impact on these other areas of informal learning we had absolutely no say in how this building was arranged - but it’ll be a nice bonus that we are able to continue our project operating out of such a progressive environment.

When we started our current consulting project we were placed in the ‘consultant area’ - a narrow room off a main hallway with a long counter-top, power strips and blue network cables galore.  Our client is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Denver so they occupy many of the floors in this high-rise.

The ‘consultant area’ is located on the 36th floor.  Soon after we started, though, we were given individual cubes on the 25th floor.  There was great intent behind this move because we could have our own spot, dedicated phones, etc.  The problem was that everyone we depended on for our project was still up on 36.  Not only were they 11 floors apart, they were on different elevator banks so going to meetings, con calls, etc. meant going down to the lobby, across a few elevator banks and then up to 36.  Not good for spontaneous interaction.

Despite our new digs on 25 we found ourselves going back to the less-than-glamorous consultant area on 36  more often because we were on the main drag and could engage our key SMEs and stakeholders very easily rather than spending the time to draft a well-written email or voicemail.

Realizing the impact that proximity had to our project, our team was given an unused office on 36 to use as our Project War Room.  In it we have posted our Project Org Chart, Project Plan, Contact List and a basket full of leftover lunch cookies, fruit and snacks.  This is our own space and it’s located in the heart of our extended project team.  Our core team (5 people) sits in there daily and we are able to brainstorm with various SMEs at a moment’s notice, hold meetings, conference calls, etc.  It has truly become project central.

Is this the solution for everything?  No.  I find myself heading back to the Consultant Area every few days for the times when I need quiet time to think, write or do anything that requires intense concentration for long periods of time.  There are not long periods of peacefulness in the Project Room…ever.  Each place has its purpose, though, and we’re lucky to have the two spots to choose from.

I have heard that employees located over 50 feet apart are unlikely to get up and engage each other face-to-face - rather they will use email or the phone.  What opportunities are there in your organization to give people a common place to gather for key projects?  Consider dedicated ‘War Rooms’ associated with big deliverables or clients - places where people can opt to work when collaborating rather than going through the more formal process of checking calendars and scheduling meetings when all you need is a 5-minute conversation. 

Many new companies, such as Google with their Googleplex, are hiring top designers to build this collaboration space into their new buildings.  Don’t have a Google-size budget?  Convert unused office space, common areas or any other space into a place where people can confer.  This combined with their offices or cubes for the times when they need quiter concentration will present options to your workforce on how they can work best.  Take it from a War Room veteran, though, there is power in proximity.