Amongst the goals, concerns, and aspirations of our clients shaping workplace design today, there are two constants: money and space. In today’s budget-conscious environment, reducing square footage is one of the primary drivers for new workplace design. Firms and organizations like the idea of moving to a smaller space and saving money on their lease. In fact, reducing square footage is probably the No. 1 goal I hear about today when we start working on a new office. Square footage requirements balanced against program needs drive the design discussion.

As millennials pour out of college eager to find jobs, commercial real estate costs per square foot rise, and businesses continue to expand in our growing economy, the office design industry continually sees an increase in our ever-changing office environment.

A Human-Centered Design process simply means that we design for the humans who will use the solution. Design is not based on our preconceived notions of what an effective learning environment is or those “me too” inclinations. Human-Centered Design creates the “why” and also lays the foundation for authentic creation.

Being able to quickly and easily interact with co-workers is vital in an office setting, and being able to move your desk around allows one to do so without disruption. Increased flexibility ultimately allows the employees to accomplish more throughout the day and be more productive in the long run.

We are often told that one of the main objectives of workplace design these days is to help people become more creative. Now, there are all sorts of complications bound up in this, not least the assumption that you can help or even will people to become more creative, especially in an environment that still wants, in some way at least, to supervise what they do and when and where they do it. A working environment designed for creativity only works in the context of a culture that facilitates it. And here’s where the problem lies. Some traditional and proven avenues to creativity should remain closed to workplace occupiers and designers – not least misery and drugs – so that leaves them with a bit of a challenge.