Purposeful Space Design

The first questions to ask when considering space design relate to purpose, because the purpose of a space is directly connected to the activities being done in that space.

If the space is an office or factory, what tasks are the people working in that space being asked to do? Are they making sales calls, or do they need to do detailed, focused work, or are they expected to brainstorm ideas around a table with colleagues connected by video?

Purpose-based design puts human outcomes first when it comes to energy and productivity. As leaders and mentors, knowledge workers contribute to a company’s bottom line through ideas, opinions, analysis, solutions, and even relationships. Questions to ask when considering space for knowledge workers include: What kind of energy is needed to inspire and motivate, as opposed to providing focus time for problem-solving? What kind of energy recharges someone who works all day with numbers, and how is it different from that for someone like a keynote speaker making presentations? What about for someone who gets distracted easily?