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The stairs maybe singularly interesting as a novelty or curiosity, but to gain better perspective, you'll want the stairs, hallways, entry/exit-ways, etc. If y

by glitch 12y ago

The stairs maybe singularly interesting as a novelty or curiosity, but to gain better perspective, you'll want the stairs, hallways, entry/exit-ways, etc. If you can gather data of human traffic flow around the workplace in all sort of spots, you can then analyze that data to gain perspective on that flow. And it's not so much of the obvious patterns, but maybe those that didn't seem obvious (until hindsight after the fact). Proximity and placement of different facilities (printing/copying facilities, toilet facilities, lounge/kitchen facilities) within the office space can lend to different interactions or even wasted time. And, of course, one can casually observe and make qualitative observations. But those qualitative observations may not necessarily be impartial nor rigorous in their recording. To avoid subjectivity and anecdotal evidence, quantitative evidence through raw data recording aids in eliminating potential subjectivity. Based on this, you may choose to layout the office space differently. Or when choosing a new office, you may better know certain attributes you're looking for in a space. For example, Pixar's centrally located toilet facilities intentionally shape traffic flow with the intent of increasing interactions among employees for facilitating potential conversation and discussion. As shiftpgdn mentioned, another example seen often is stairs vs. escalator/elevator usage for encouraging subtle, healthier choices. The counter, when displayed publicly for those respective areas, can serve as a mechanism for real-time, interactive feedback to the observer. Confronted with this reminder, it may coax them a little, giving them the little mental kick to use the stairs instead. Maybe you determine that if you put an appropriately shaped obstruction — e.g., a wall with a sign of company logo — carefully placed immediately in front of the entryway, it may result in better flow through the that area. Notably, it might encourage people to not stop in the doorway, blocking; but rather proceeding further into the lobby area to converse. Although more of a larger crowd thing in this example, studies have been done in this area and have demonstrated such results: http://www.americanscientist.org/science/pub/strategically-placed-obstacle-near-an-exit-can-speed-evacuations http://www.americanscientist.org/science/pub/strategically-p... Related reading: "Handbook of Positive Behavior Support" by Sailor, et al.; "Behavior Supports in Nonclassroom Settings" chapter, "Features of the Physical Environment" section (page 499). "Office Planning and Design Desk Reference" by Rappoport, et al.

normloman 12y ago
But how do you know which interactions are useful to your business and which are not? How do you the right amount of flow through an area? What about the things you can't measure, but may matter to the health of your workers? I still don't see how knowing stair steps in isolation will generate any valuable insight. It's probably what the other commenter said. Trying to motivate people to use the elevator less
- glitch 12y ago
  > But how do you know which interactions are useful to your business and which are not? How do you the right amount of flow through an area? What about the things you can't measure, but may matter to the health of your workers? For most people, using their experiences throughout their life as a perspective. Once you get into a new workplace, you can use those years of experience as a basis for perspective relative to the observations of the new workplace. For a lot of people, their intuition makes this kind of thing obvious once they start looking at the data and look around casually in the workspace with note of looking at the people, their movements, and what they're doing. It's the kind of thing that after working at a new place for a week, I already would have a solid feeling and a useful perspective — not just from the new workplace, but comparing that new workplace based on my experience of other workplaces that I've worked in, consulted for, and otherwise visited. But, there are formal studies on human interactions in the business workplace addressing all three of these questions. I don't have particular citations of interest off-hand. > I still don't see how knowing stair steps in isolation will generate any valuable insight. Strictly empirically speaking, it doesn't really. However, this set data from one location combined with observational perspective of the people within the space, could easily lead to more informed conjecture and related hypotheses. However, the novelty of the single location data set may be as useful distraction; to serve as an element introducing "fun" and "amusement" into the workplace at acceptable levels of "fun" and "amusement". (There are studies on this, as well. This information can serve as a device to break monotony and a "humdrum" atmosphere. You can employ other devices as well. For example, free soda can be used as a device. Whether or not that device works effective and the full consequences (positive & negative) is beyond the scope of this simple comment.) If you want to pursue this beyond typical intuition, I recommend taking human behavior studies in psychology with respect to interior design and architecture. This goes beyond just traffic flow, but incorporates other aspects of the environment and its influence on humans. However, you don't need to have academic training to be useful. Many people have the intuition to reasonably and appropriately make observations, analyze, and comment on their surroundings. But, on the more academic side of things, here are some quick and dirty Google search results. Random examples of literature in ballpark of this field in an assortment of contexts: A Homely Approach is Paying Dividends for Patients and Staff. (2012). Nursing Standard, 27(2), 20-21. Rydeen, J., Erickson, P., & Lange, J (2008). Built for Brains. Industrial Engineer: IE, 40(3), 32. Joye, Y. (2007). Architectural Lessons from Environmental Psychology: The Case of Biophilic Architecture. Review of General Psychology, 11(4), 305-328. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.11.4.305 Read, M., & Upington, D. (2009). Young Children’s Color Preferences in the Interior Environment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(6), 491-496. doi:10.1007/s10643-009-0311-6 Moore, G. Architecture and Human Behavior: The Place of Environment-Behavior Studies in Architecture. http://sydney.edu.au/architecture/documents/staff/garymoore/28.pdf http://sydney.edu.au/architecture/documents/staff/garymoore/... Cummings, N. Fostering Sustainable Behavior Through Design: A Study Of The Social, Psychological, And Physical Influences Of The Built Environment. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2015&context=theses http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=20... Esmaili, Y. Consideration Of Human Behavior In Designing A Green Office Space For Environmentalists A Simulation Study. http://architecture.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/faculty_papers/CONSIDERATION%20OF%20HUMAN%20BEHAVIOR%20I....pdf http://architecture.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/faculty_...

by glitch 12y ago

normloman 12y ago

But how do you know which interactions are useful to your business and which are not? How do you the right amount of flow through an area? What about the things you can't measure, but may matter to the health of your workers? I still don't see how knowing stair steps in isolation will generate any valuable insight. It's probably what the other commenter said. Trying to motivate people to use the elevator less

glitch 12y ago
> But how do you know which interactions are useful to your business and which are not? How do you the right amount of flow through an area? What about the things you can't measure, but may matter to the health of your workers? For most people, using their experiences throughout their life as a perspective. Once you get into a new workplace, you can use those years of experience as a basis for perspective relative to the observations of the new workplace. For a lot of people, their intuition makes this kind of thing obvious once they start looking at the data and look around casually in the workspace with note of looking at the people, their movements, and what they're doing. It's the kind of thing that after working at a new place for a week, I already would have a solid feeling and a useful perspective — not just from the new workplace, but comparing that new workplace based on my experience of other workplaces that I've worked in, consulted for, and otherwise visited. But, there are formal studies on human interactions in the business workplace addressing all three of these questions. I don't have particular citations of interest off-hand. > I still don't see how knowing stair steps in isolation will generate any valuable insight. Strictly empirically speaking, it doesn't really. However, this set data from one location combined with observational perspective of the people within the space, could easily lead to more informed conjecture and related hypotheses. However, the novelty of the single location data set may be as useful distraction; to serve as an element introducing "fun" and "amusement" into the workplace at acceptable levels of "fun" and "amusement". (There are studies on this, as well. This information can serve as a device to break monotony and a "humdrum" atmosphere. You can employ other devices as well. For example, free soda can be used as a device. Whether or not that device works effective and the full consequences (positive & negative) is beyond the scope of this simple comment.) If you want to pursue this beyond typical intuition, I recommend taking human behavior studies in psychology with respect to interior design and architecture. This goes beyond just traffic flow, but incorporates other aspects of the environment and its influence on humans. However, you don't need to have academic training to be useful. Many people have the intuition to reasonably and appropriately make observations, analyze, and comment on their surroundings. But, on the more academic side of things, here are some quick and dirty Google search results. Random examples of literature in ballpark of this field in an assortment of contexts: A Homely Approach is Paying Dividends for Patients and Staff. (2012). Nursing Standard, 27(2), 20-21. Rydeen, J., Erickson, P., & Lange, J (2008). Built for Brains. Industrial Engineer: IE, 40(3), 32. Joye, Y. (2007). Architectural Lessons from Environmental Psychology: The Case of Biophilic Architecture. Review of General Psychology, 11(4), 305-328. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.11.4.305 Read, M., & Upington, D. (2009). Young Children’s Color Preferences in the Interior Environment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(6), 491-496. doi:10.1007/s10643-009-0311-6 Moore, G. Architecture and Human Behavior: The Place of Environment-Behavior Studies in Architecture. http://sydney.edu.au/architecture/documents/staff/garymoore/28.pdf http://sydney.edu.au/architecture/documents/staff/garymoore/... Cummings, N. Fostering Sustainable Behavior Through Design: A Study Of The Social, Psychological, And Physical Influences Of The Built Environment. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2015&context=theses http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=20... Esmaili, Y. Consideration Of Human Behavior In Designing A Green Office Space For Environmentalists A Simulation Study. http://architecture.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/faculty_papers/CONSIDERATION%20OF%20HUMAN%20BEHAVIOR%20I....pdf http://architecture.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/faculty_...