Day 162 Time the learning curve

Day 162 Time the learning curve

162:365

03/11/13

Louise Hay affirmation:   “There are people out there who are always looking for my services.  I am always in demand and can pick and choose what I want to do.”

Inspiration exercise from 365 Daily Creativity Journal:   Create a trap. 

Time to learn

Media:  Scrapbook paper, Magazine photos, Mod Podge

Time:  45M

Comments:  Toured the headquarters of a  major manufacturer of office furniture (Steelcase) today and learned about new concepts in office design and their research into how the nature of work is changing.  They've renovated their own space to "live" in the design ideas they are selling to their corporate clients.  

While most of the ideas I saw were refreshing, contemporary, new and inventive, I couldn't help wondering how large companies who can afford to apply the ideas full-scale are going to learn and respond quickly enough for the ideas we were seeing to be relevant in time to make a difference in today's ever-changing markets.  

Wholesale change to a traditional, cubicle-based work environment is a major real estate decision for a stable company in a mature or maturing industry.  It seems to take a long time for the right people to learn that new ways of working exist and understand ins and outs of what that means, to decide to pursue a physical change as corporate strategy, and then to secure funding, get buy-in from the people that will be most impacted, design at the facility level, and finally buy new furniture and implement new ideas in real work settings.  

My experience has been that many companies find it so complex and scary to make the leap to radical change that they simply decide to do nothing for another year.  It comes down to the classic battle between change vs. inertia, and time becomes a trap where creative and forward-thinking ideas get stuck. 

As far as today's affirmation goes, seems there will be a place for designers who can articulate the issues and possible solutions, and help companies navigate their way through the process of physical change. 

Link for more info:  

http://www.steelcase.com/en/Pages/Homepage.aspx