My Visit to Steelcase
Last Wednesday was a very beautiful day in Chicago, and I was making my way to Steelcase.
Steelcase is known for making the best study/collaboration spaces for workers and individuals who want to get the work done in the most productive and healthy manner of workspaces.
The recommendation to visit came from of my previous industrial design visualization design teacher named Zach Pino, as the company relates to the reservation process that I am researching for my Senior Thesis. Reaching out I was able to talk to “Kathryn Proffitt”, who was more than nice enough to meet me and give me a look around. Meeting Kathryn there I was also introduced to Damien O’Neal to help tell me more about the place.
Walking around the rooms at Steelcase looked nice had it’s own feeling to them the place itself gave off a very calming atmosphere. The rooms were separated with see through windows. There were little digital interfaces that are attached to each of the doors. This system is called RoomWizard, which is a web-based, meeting room-scheduling system that allows individuals to order rooms online and/or come in person and reserve a room personally.
On the interface of the digital pad, the person just by glancing at it while walking by can tell instantly, if it is occupied or not which is pretty neat. It’ll say if it is available or not and how much time they are going to be preoccupied in the room.
Damien demonstrated the use of the interface, it wasn’t hard at all to figure out and the communication was very clear. The job was done in about three screen swipes with little to no information.
Why is Steelcase looking at workstations?
Damien also explained one of the scenarios or the dilemmas that the Steelcase has worked around is for example the office meeting, where an important meeting is happening and a random individual barges in by accident not knowing the room occupied, which I can see happening as it happens when trying to look for a nice place to get work done. The old system of reserving rooms Steelcase researched on for improving as the system of notes left on office doors for reservation was really outdated but currently is still in use today. The need to improve and make everything clear and simple to obtain was what Steelcase was looking for.
Workspaces with Personality
I was also told that each workspace is its own personality; they have specific names and provide different atmospheres. To ensure the most productive effect, different combinations and uses of material and arrangement enhance the mind in many ways. Kathryn and Damien also informed me that “Susan Cain” helped design some of the rooms in the place and also wrote a very good book about introverts called “Quiet” which I am still currently reading and it is really inspiring and gives us a good view on the perspective on introverts in America.
What I take away:
There were so many elements assigned into a room that it made a cohesive fit and applied to its personality and atmosphere. The rooms look like it provides good seating position that would be favorable to study as in today’s workspaces there is lack of motivations and many distractions. These rooms heighten the positive workflow to the necessary needs of the incoming people that would necessarily need to use this system. Been learning more about Steelcase through the website and this company offers a lot and the research is phenomenal as they even went into good posture positions and its effects on today’s Americans.
Acknowledgement
Would like to thank Kathryn and Damien for the hospitable visit, and the nice souvenir I was able to take with me home from the visit. Everything I learned at that place was valuable and I was given a lot of good resources.
Thank you again for the visit.
Ashley
(The reason I write these blogs about my visits is to remember all the notes and emotions the places gives off as I view it as very informational and important)