Jane Keep asked about aesthetically pleasing workplace design.
Jane, you might want to read *Workplace by Design,* by Franklin Becker
and Fritz Steele (Jossey-Bass, 1995, ISBN 0-7879-0047-8). I found it
recommended in a post to the TeamNet listserv, and it*s a good resource.
In one chapter, the authors have a fair amount to say about design in
the context of organizational culture. Particularly, they emphasize that
people quickly discern the discrepancies between an organization*s
official pronouncements and how space desi gn affects their work. If
executives say they favor teamwork and collaboration, design areas to meet
informally. If they say they favor a learning org., design learning space.
If work is high-pressured, plan for offline regenerative space. Make the
space easy for newcomers to navigate. Apply the advantages of natural
light. Respect the organization*s history and traditions and let the
design reflect them.
If LO mavens know of other resources, I*d be interested. My
organization is in the midst of planning for new quarters, and we could
use some fresh perspectives.
Mark Peal
Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham, Mass., USA
mpeal@mms.org
*We*re all chunks in the same chowder.*
--"Mark L. Peal" <mpeal@mms.org>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>