A major shift that is happening in the work environment is the process of moving away from the “me” mentality to the “we”. Two major elements that have changed in the workplace call for new spaces to be designed. The first is the need for social connection and engagement and the second is the need for innovation in order to succeed. Innovation is not something that happens by chance. Innovation is a combination of integration, interaction and connection. More and more, companies are understanding that this occurs through less structured socially oriented exchanges. Still the need for more formal settings is still relevant and studies show that this type of space is more suitable for formal interactions and decision making.
Key outcomes from a collaborative spare are innovation, productivity, decision making, process, and better communication. In order to achieve these outcomes, there is a need for a variation of both public, private, small and large spaces. Main types of collaborative spaces are meeting areas, video conferencing rooms, collaborative areas, cafes, huddle rooms, game rooms, and brainstorming spaces. By using a variation of these spaces within a building, this gives the occupant the choice for what space works best for their needs. Popular spaces offer the right technology, close proximity and offer a sense of privacy. Meetings today are more impromptu, with smaller groups and less formal therefor a casual feel in the space is important for this type of interaction.
A certain type of room that is becoming more prevalent within a collaborative space is a ëscrum roomí. This is a dedicated space for a specific core team of cross-functional experts. The core team members use the scrum room as their main workplace while other specialized workers join in for tasks when needed. This creates a home base for projects where the team collects and displays information about the projectís goals and objectives in order to present mediums such as storyboards, process and progress. This way team members can instantly engage in the work at hand.
Collaborative space is becoming the dominant style of space within the work environment. Specialized rooms function better than a room that has been generally designed because it serves a specific purpose for its occupants. By offering space for people to come together, this allows for the fostering of new ideas.