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I’ve begun to understand the future of work with a little of that traveler’s instinct; we can see definite signs of where things are headed (and we talk about some of them in this issue: design for experience, physical distance, flexibility, privacy and collaboration) but there is much room for innovation and exploration.
And there’s the sweet spot: Designers are specifically equipped to tackle open-ended questions, to think differently about solutions and ongoing change. To tell the truth, there was never one way to create places for work, so design has been addressing this very question as long as workplaces have existed. Uncertainty is a catalyst for creativity, and this moment of many questions is already becoming a moment of invention, spurring designers to think and imagine more agile and creative ways to address humans at work. Can we better accommodate and support people of all genders, ethnicities, and cognitive approaches? Can design create true community around work? Can “work” spaces also enhance your life outside of work?
The more we stay open to the possibilities, the more we get comfortable with a fluid world view, the more likely we are to design spaces that respond to human needs, both now and for the evolving future. The “safe,” preconceived notions may be gone, and the old roadmap is out the window, but the trip has gotten a lot more interesting.
Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA
IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO
