Research for Innovative Product Concepts
What do successful space concepts envision for the offices of the 21st century? Which work sites will we see emerge? And WHO is going to perform their work at these sites? What will future employees actually be like? What will motivate them, what will they need, and what will their ideal work environment look like?The evolution of knowledge is taking place at a steadily increasing pace. The importance of exchanging information with others is also constantly growing. People are becoming important processors of the flow of information to generate knowledge. Networking, as teamwork, is becoming an essential part of most activities. This is causing us to redefine our values and thus to approach people in a different way. Many of us are already knowledge workers; however, in the near future almost every job will be based on knowledge work as we have almost completely left the information age behind us.
Bene Research on Knowledge Workers.
Bene funded a research project at the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at the Royal College of Art on the topic of knowledge workers. The research analysed the habits, needs and peculiarities of this new species, extrapolating concrete proposals for the future of office space design. Katherine Greene and Jeremy Myerson, the directors of the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, produced a comprehensive study for Bene that separates knowledge workers into four groups and puts them under the microscope.
The ANCHOR (desk-surfer)
Anchors primarily use their own desks as well as its immediate surrounding. Communication flows primarily in one dimension, in their direction: they receive information and process it.
The CONNECTOR (Middleman)
Connectors use their own desks about half the time and the rest of the office infrastructure the rest of the time. They ensure the flow of information by gathering and distributing it – primarily within their own company.
The GATHERER (Collector)
Gatherers use their entire offices, yet also move around quite a bit outside of it. They are intersection points for knowledge. Their desks are a landing site and a place of refuge where they process the material they found on their travels.
The NAVIGATOR
Navigators rarely use their own offices and often don’t have a desk of their own any more. They are underway regionally and globally and come to the office to exchange information and attend meetings. A navigator’s life consists primarily of communication.
Research on Future-Proof Products – PARCS
Based on the analysed requirements, the study will be a source of inspiration at Bene for innovative product designs for years to come.
With the October launch of PARCS, a product line for "New Working Environments", Bene will introduce the first major design based on new research methods and knowledge. London designers Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd were both responsible for the design and also the creative motors in the research process. These achievements are not surprising, as they are both from the elite programme at the Royal College of Art.
Helen Hamlyn Research Centre of the Royal College of Art
Twenty-five years ago, a former graduate founded the Helen Hamlyn Centre with the goal of improving the lives of people over 50. Always in light of demographic change, the Centre has since developed three primary research areas: Patient safety design, inclusive design, and office furniture design.
The employees of the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre are all RCA graduates, among them Katherine Green.
Produced by Catherine Green
There will be an event on this topic on October 8, 2009 as part of the Vienna Design Week: Idea Generation.
Jeremy Myerson, director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre (The Royal College of Art, London), British designers Pearson and Lloyd, and Thomas Bene, Chairman of Bene AG, will all provide a glimpse behind the curtain. Lilli Hollein will host the event.
Further Information
