Spatial design for premises

Today we all met up at a cafe to discuss and brainstorm about the industry that was given to us, namely spatial design industry. It's a term that no one of us was completely familiar with and therefore we needed to do some research on the topic. We found out that spatial design deals with the design of interior and exterior environments by crossing the boundaries of traditional design disciplines such as architecture, interior design and landscape architecture.

Because the term was new to all of us, we started with the basic mind mapping tool. The whole design process starts with the question: what is the purpose of this particular building/space and what is it used for? The second question is that: how can the designer design the space so that it in the best possible way serves the goal? Things that we associated with the main word "spatial design" were for example architecture, interior design, 3D-design, knowledge of materials and regulations in construction and landscape architecture. The descriptive words / adjectives that we linked with it were sustainability, functionality, (work) efficiency, creativity, comfort, cosiness and adaptability. Spatial design is a relatively new industry and that's why we associate it mostly with modern architecture.

The core words for the industry are aesthetics, functionality, comfort, efficiency and sustainability and the whole design process should build up on them. Spatial design industry has its roots in the beginning of the 20th century and it has been influenced by different modern architects and their thoughts. The Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, who can be seen as one of the pioneers for modern architecture and who was famous for his stating "the house is a machine for living", believed that efficiency and functionality should not only be applied in the design of assembly lines but also in architecture. The American architect Louis Sullivan is often called the "father of skyscrapers" and known for spreading the ideology of "form follows function", which means that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose. This is even the basis for the architectonical principle called functionalism, which was popular during the 1920s and 1930s.

The next tool that we used was the question tool, which we applied in the task by asking a lot of "why"-questions and in that way researched the core words even more in detail.  The questions were aimed at the personal feelings and experiences of the participants and tried to get us to understand why we need aesthetic, functional, comfortable and efficient places. Aesthetics have to do with the visual look of the premises that affect our mood. A well designed and beautiful environment can make us feel ourselves happy, energized, playful, cosy and comfortable, and to stop and to be amazed for a while. A functional environment is an adaptable and flexibel space where we can move with less restrictions, do things faster and enjoy of convenience and comfort. When people want to stay longer in a place and can concentrate (because there are no extra distractions), they become efficient.

Our last tool was called "I wish", with what wishes can be turned into general theories of needs/emotions behind them. Existing theories related with spatial design can be put into creative practice with the tool. One could for example start the wishing with aesthetic perspectives in mind and then continue with wishes that have to do with functionality, comfort and efficiency. Wishes are continued as long as they get more concrete and start to develop some solutions. We tried to apply the tool but it didn't function well because we don't have anything concrete to start with, this tool would probably be more useful later when we get to know our company. Instead of that we decided to create a simple mood board with emotions and colors that we associate with spatial design.

Workday #2 - Exploring Theme

For this work day we moved again and this time we were in a room in kåren, empty but with a platform suggesting that usually it must be a theater.  The main task of this work day was to explore a given theme through different tools. We were given the topic “Idea flows and creativity between people” to work on.

The first task was to develop ideas related to the topic by drawing a tree. First, we started to discuss the topic but our ideas being limited, we decided to open our mind with internet and luckily we found an interesting article regarding idea development and human creativity management, skimming through the article, we extracted some key words. 

We found some really good points to place as big branches for our tree, including Exploring, Communication, Diversity, Spreading, Combining and Anticipation. Also, we noticed in the text that Evaluation and Elimination are other important words linking the above main points together. We placed those two in the picture as the air surrounding the whole tree. Some fruits were also drawn to symbolize innovation gained by effective idea flows and people’s creativity management. This task was really useful to help us to figure out all the ideas we have about the subject. We were first a bit skeptical because we didn't got from the beginning the goal of this tree but it became more clear when we start the second task. Taking this into account, next time we will certainly manage this tree better. Regardless to that we can quickly see the limits of this tool that´s why, this tree worked well as a warm-up for the assignments that we got to discuss widely about the theme but it seems difficult to use it alone to create innovation or even figure out new ideas.

After the tree-drawing exercise, we had a short break and we started playing “sculpture game”, in which, we had to form small  group of two or three and help each other forming shapes of the a ballet dancer and ice-hockey player. It was funny, and it helps also to awaken our imagination. 

Then we came back to the main task and in the next activity we were supposed to apply one of the two new tools we have chosen during the week, thus, we applied the Lotus Blossom.  According to the description we made in a previous article (http://supervision58h.blogspot.fi/2015/03/this-week-we-decided-to-present-two-new.html), we tried first to bring out eight main ideas linked to our theme i.e.  “Idea flows and creativity between people. Pursuant to Joachim suggestion about the importance to let the ideas going before starting to analyze them ; we gave each member about 5 minutes to write down her/his thoughts on sticker notes. After that, each of us read out loud her/his ideas for other to cross the overlapped ones and collected 8 statements for the next step.  Thanks to this method we underlined eight related subheadings as: Communication/Network, Diversity, Exploring, Anticipation, Spreading ideas, Idea combination and Outsiders consulting. 

 We continued our ideas development by doing the same thing with each of the statements had from the previous step. This tool works really well in terms of creating a lot of ideas and helping group members understand each other’s thoughts. It is a clear and systematic process to keep the flow of ideas to a very specific and practical result. But our time being limited, it was not possible for us to finish to explore every idea deeply, thus, there are also some weaknesses of the tool such as time costing. Furthermore, we also realized that this tool will certainly not suitable for a big group. Fortunately or unfortunately during the first part of the work day we were three so it was easier to work on it.

After a short presentation of our ideas and the tool we used, the next task consisted to use the last tool left. Thus, we used the Visioning tool (http://supervision58h.blogspot.fi/2015/03/this-week-we-decided-to-present-two-new.html).

At the beginning, most of us thought that the tool is good for a business situation rather than such case of a simple statement. So we were uncertain whether we should use it at all, since we thought it would be hard to create a vision of merely a concept. Rather than giving up, we decided to take it as a challenge and keep going. We had the idea of creating a vision of what the circumstances would look like in order to support the “Idea flows and creativity between people”. Everyone took some time to think about our own real experience on the best situations for new ideas creation, we combined all those separate notes together.

Based on that, our vision regarding idea flows and creativity between people has been built: Teams built on the foundation of trust, engage to the problem solving process by stopping to think, focus on the context, comparing alternatives and dare to share. This vision built on the core element, would give us direction for future creative work, which is the purpose of a vision, it would be our director thread.

This work day was really interesting. We learned more about the skills and weaknesses of everyone and therefore, we are more and more able to deal with. Consequently we think that we can say that we are becoming more and more efficient..

Workday #1 - An overwhelming experience

After an interesting kick-off day with a practical case, the guest’s sharing and lots of brainstorming, we were all curious about the activities and the tasks that we will be assigned to do during the first work day. The first great news to our group in the session was the presence of a new member – the only man in the group. With varied original nationalities, personalities and having both male and female members, we believe that we will get a greater number of ideas and more comprehensive understanding about different issues raised in the course and therefore reach a better outcome.

<http://www.aikavaellus.fi/naehtaevyydet-reitin-varrella/kaarina>

The task that we had was to think how to create a phenomenon out of Timetrek, a hiking path between Kaarina and Turku. Unfortunately there wasn’t anyone from Timetrek’s staff to enlighten us about the company and the needs and hopes they had for us. It would have been interesting to hear their thoughts but on the other hand it was also good to start from the bottom without any presumptions. Our group had prepared three different kinds of service design tools for the class and applied two of them in the Timetrek-task.

Osborns' checklist 

We started with the SCAMPER-tool, also known as Osborn's checklist. It is an interesting tool and works especially well for altering and developing already existing ideas and products. As our coach Joachim mentioned; when something is too complex for our brain, it starts to search for a clearer focus and tries to divide the problem into more concrete pieces and that is exactly what happened in the beginning of the working day when we used the scramper-tool. We started with developing Timetrek in order to make it more appealing to customers, tried to think in the perspective of a customer and questioned ourselves: "What would attract me to join the Time Trek path? What makes me want to recommend my friends to go? “.Also, we quickly explained the reasons behind some current phenomenons which have widely spread through social media and linked to the case of Timetrek to see if there are any relevant solutions could be used. Then, we ended up with several good ideas. For examples, we suggested to add drama and actors to the different stages of the Timetrek path, work with guided tours, provide games for children, provide photography service and so on. The core value behind all of our ideas was to combine fun, education and physical activities in order to boost Timetrek to become a phenomenon.

How - how diagram

In the second part of the session, another group joined us to work on the same issue of Timetrek. As we two group used different design tools to do the brainstorming at the beginning, we had to spend some time to figure out how to combine all of our ideas into a common piece of work and which new design tool we should use to reflect our ideas. We got a quick instruction on how to use the tool “How- how” from the other group and we together tried to apply this process to the case. It sounded much easier than it really works. We struggled a little bit in developing the statements when some of them seem to be overlapped or too specific. The time limit didn’t allow us to develop the diagram futher than dividing our main ideas into four groups: the ones that had to do with learning, fun, uniting people and uniqueness of the product. 

Affinity diagram

Another tool that we chose to apply was Affinity diagram because the tool might help us exploit the advantage of having more people. In specific, the tool allows us to gather as many ideas as possible. Also, really new and innovative thoughts are also collected because we can freely write down our ideas without being influenced by others’ thoughts. Besides, in our specific case, the tool really helps one of our members who missed the beginning part of the session to catch up with the flow as we shared the ideas regardless of what had been already stated. After sorting the ideas into Education, Improvement, Fun, Business and Communication, we saw that there is one thing runs across all the idea groups that might promote Timetrek to become a phenomenon: "Leaving a legacy”. It means one could for example show in a picture how they will make a change and leave a personal print in the timeline of the universe.

Two groups combination 

It was a great experience to go through different kind of tools for the same case and compare the different results we had. However, we felt a little bit disappointed that we had to leave the work half-baked when we couldn’t manage the time to come up with any holistic conclusion for the case. Also, we couldn’t share our thoughts with someone from Timetrek as well as receiving the direct feedback from him or her.

After the session, we had a nice time together having lunch and talking about our interests, strengths and weaknesses. This comfortable conversation was really helpful for us to understand how each of us prefers to contribute and how we should organize our work later on.

Tools of the Week

This week we decided to present two new tools. After have seen all the different tools that refers to service design, we decided to focus on the Lotus Blossom and Visionning ,that seemed to us potentially sources of innovation. 

Lotus Blossom:

Invented by Yasuo Matsumura, Lotus Blossom technique allows to animate very dynamic brainstorming sessions by getting maximum concentration and participation from the participants. The use of this tool has grown significantly within the definition of service, product, but also to set an experiment between a brand and its consumers or to highlight elements of the brand identity.

The advantage of this tool is that it allows to get out of his usual thought pattern by process of association of ideas.

The wealth of the results obtained can often be surprising.

This tool is often use:

• When you want to develop creative ideas.
• When you are having problems creating more ideas.
• When you are trapped by a single mode of thinking.
•  To create seeds of ideas that can trigger further good  ideas. 

  How it works:

   

• First step : Figure out the problem. In the middle of what we will call the Lotus, we will write the problematic, the topic that we have to explore.
• Second step : We fill the eight boxes around the center with eight ideas relative to the topic in the center.
• Third step : We report these 8 concepts / themes in the center of the eight lotus placed on the outer corners of the page.
• Fourth step : We think again around these eight concepts, trying to find out eight components, ingredients, solutions around each theme. The idea is to try to complete all the boxes to get more ideas. At the end, we will obtain 64 new ideas related to the original question. 

Visioning:

      Visioning is a technique that is used to support a group of stakeholders in developing a shared vision of the future. By asking the group, where they are now and where they can realistically expect to be in the future, you can develop a vision together. The goal of visioning is to develop written and visualized statements of a community’s long term goals and strategic objectives. This method which is settled on the future, install the basis of the future mission.

  

      This tool is often used :

·         When you want to create a common direction of motivation for a group of people.

·         To get an understanding of what you really want to achieve.

·         To get the subconscious engaged before other creative sessions.

·         To help define the problem as a vector towards a desired future.

  How it woks:

   

      This model can be divided in six main steps,

•       Step 1: Collect of information mainly from people involved in the organization, about the organization.
•       Step 2: Brainstorming which consist of an exploration that will help to learn more about the existent things and about their perception by others
•       Step 3: Synthesis that wil sum up the ideas and help to figure out the relevant ideas.
•       Step 4: Highlights triggers that are generators of strong ideas and defined the main themes.
•       Step 5: Create strategies that will be tested to identify if they are viable on long term and if they can be adopted by all. Furthermore, it is also important on this step, to identify if these visions are innovant or not and if they can perhaps be the source of the innovation.
•      Step 6: Implementing change. This last step is mainly the communication step which consists to the development of a flexible strategic plan after have explained and described the vision to the organization.

Service design tools

The concept of “service design tools” was raised in one of our tasks preparing for the first work day of the course. At first, we all had the same confusion about what these tools could be. After spending some time searching for the description as well as different types of service design tools, we have figured out that they are actually communication methods supporting design processes. Also, we had a quick look at the recent innovative tools of service design activities and discussed on which tools we should choose. At the end of the day, our decision was to take Affinity diagram, Osborns’ checklist and Moodboard to study further.
Starting with Affinity diagram, it is an innovative tool for organizing unstructured ideas and data generated from brainstorming into related groups. In specific, the process starts with a statement of the problem that needs to be solved. Participants will write down their own ideas on small piece of papers then display all the papers on the same board. After the ideas are sorted into groups, each group will be given a header which reflects the relations among the ideas belong to it. The final diagram outlines a glimpse of the causes and solutions that should be put under consideration for further analysis or actions.

If the answer for all of these three following questions is yes, affinity diagram is definitely a suitable design tool for the case:
- Is the problem complex and hard to understand?
If the problem or issue is relatively simple or easy to understand, a cause-and-effect diagram may be more appropriate.
- Is the problem uncertain, disorganized, or overwhelming?
Complex issues often feel overwhelming due to their size. Affinity diagram helps sorting out a large number of ideas and great volume of data.
- Does the problem require the involvement and support of a group?
The process a group goes through to make an affinity diagram helps the group develop its own system of thought concerning the problem and builds consensus among the members.

We chose Osborn’s Checklist, also known as SCAMPER, as our second service design tool. The man behind the tool is Alex Osborn, also known as the originator of the brainstorming technique. The idea of SCAMPER lies on that new ideas tend to arise from combining new and existing elements. The tool itself is a complete checklist containing several possibilities to create something new or change an existing idea. The letters of this idea generation technique SCAMPER refers to Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Magnify, Put to other use, Eliminate and Rearrange.

How it works:

Step 1: Write or draw an initial idea, product or object in the center of a large board
Step 2: Write each of the 7 action verbs that could “happen” around the central idea
Step 3: Convert the initial product or idea into new ideas by applying each verb/ action to the main idea. Try to find at least 2-3 ideas for each action and write or draw them around the checklist.
Step 4: Having completed the checklist re-evaluate the outcome.

We decided to choose as last tool, the Moodbaord.

Initially a section of wall on which a fashion designer pins images found in the press or on the web, and that inspired her new dress for the season (celebrity photos, press, works of art, color samples, fabrics, prints, patchwork), which gives a visual ambience, mood the next mode season; the moodboard is also a marketing tool sharpened by the advertising agencies. Their designers, fashion photographers create for their customers, set of images that set the tone of the new campaign.

In creating the project, the moodboard can be seen as a blank sheet on which we will see our first ideas. This makes it possible to convey ideas often difficult to pass through the words. Each image, color or texture will produce a mental stimulation towards the project. Cheaper and less risky than a clip, the mood board is a balanced composition, neat and structured images but does not have fixed codes.

This tool is really interesting in design, creative project but a few challenges remain, such as knowing when mood boards are appropriate for a given project and making sure our clients understand well our moodboard.

Innovation Case nr. 1 - Forum

A sadly common sight in Forum, Turku. 

Our first task was to come up with some solution ideas for the situation in Forum, which is only one example of the rather sad phenomena taking place all around the city. In Turku a lot of business premises are standing empty and are becoming desolate. Forum has functioned as a shopping center in 15 years but in the past five (-ish) years most of the shops have relocated their business somewhere else, leaving Forum empty and deserted. There have been several approaches to enliven the premises but with little success.

One of the major owners of the different business premises in Forum, Arto Puolimatka, came to our lecture to enlighten us about the current situation. There isn't just one person who would own all the premises in Forum but several instead, and that is one of the key problems that slows down the decision making. A big part of the owners live in Helsinki and have hardly even visited Forum, let alone gathered together to change ideas about the possible solutions. On the very same day our first lecture was held there was a meeting between all the owners, first one in 15 years. In order to make progress in the matter, there should be more interaction between the owners in the future also.

Another thing lacking is the communication between the people who own the premises and the entrepreneurs who run the businesses in Forum. We went to interview the staff in a hair salon called 11. hetki, which by the way is the oldest remaining business in Forum and has worked in the premises since the day one. They were understandably frustrated about the current situation and offended by the fact that regardless of several tips and proposals for improvement no one has listened to them and done something to the situation. There isn't really anyone to contact in these matters either, no shop steward who would pass on the ideas from entrepreneurs to the owners.

Our group's proposal is to start everything from the scratch instead of filling the premises slowly step by step, one at a time. Forum needs a serious face lift in order to attract customers. We don't think that it's a good idea to try to make Forum a similar shopping center with Hansa and Kopkolmio, Kopkolmio isn't doing that well either and it wouldn't be wise to try to compete in the same field with them. Yes, Forum could work as a shopping center too but it should have a clear focus on something else that would make it stand out from the masses. In order to brand the place all over again, it is a cruel fact that the old shops that don't suit the new imago should be driven away. Easier said than done but it is still necessary.

Forum as a space has a modern and a rather cold feeling and the new businesses should match the surroundings. First we thought about a food corner with different kind of ethnic restaurants but the atmosphere is not that cozy that we would want to come there to eat, so we skipped the idea. Then one of us came up with the idea of indoor clubbing district, similar with the one in Koskikeskus shopping centre in Tampere. In Koskikeskus there are three different kind of bars located in the same place: a fancy champagne bar, a club for teens/young adults and a pub with Finnish music aimed for the older audience. You only have to queue in once and pay the entrance once and then you can go around and change the bar whenever you like. A perfect concept especially in the winter time. Something similar could be adapted to Forum, or maybe even something like Flamingo has in Vantaa: places for bowling, mini golf and clubbing next to each other. The entertainment businesses should have some kind of activity during the days also.

After a good business idea follows the visual side of the process. There should be clear instructions about how the shops should like, what is allowed and not allowed to do regarding the visual look, how the hallways can be used and so on. Now the place looks old-fashioned and incoherent. All the entrances should be styled again. There should also be a clear visual theme and look for Forum: a color, a style, a font and so on. Also good-looking and functioning web pages are a must.


Mikaela

Kickoff 6.3.2015

Photo credits: Kristabel Quek

Hi!

The innovative marketing course Inno58h started on March the 6th with a kickoff in Forum. All the students were divided into six different groups and we named our group SuperVision. Our members consist of three Finns and two international students: Micaela, Mikaela, Jonas, Youma and Ha.

The purpose of this blog is to present our thoughts and task performances throughout the course. We hope that this course will provide us with new ideas about the international innovation processes and methods that we can apply in the future.

Hope you enjoy reading our blog! Feel free to comment and join the discussion.

MMJYH