5 Signs of a Design Friendly Workplace
1. Optimism
Viewing problems as an opportunity for design and growth requires one to be optimistic about the potential for progress.
2. Concern about unmet customer needs
Innovative solutions that stick stem from empathy for people who use your products and services. For example, when my laptop died during finals, I panicked and headed to the nearest computer repair store. The excellent customer service rep who listened attentively to my frustrations, cemented my interest in buying that same computer brand when my laptop finally died months later. The rep understood that brand loyalty extended beyond the “fix it please” interaction.
3. Flexible work spaces
Work spaces that cater to creative production help foster employee mental and physical well-being. When organizations demonstrate concern about employees by providing comfortable environments, employees feel valued and are more likely to adopt a design friendly mindset.
4. Willingness to experiment
As the saying goes, “change is inevitable” and adapting to those changes is an ongoing task for organizations. Organizations acknowledge that by creating a culture that supports taking small (to large!) risks on new ideas and learning from failure.
5. Employees with a wide variety of professional experience
When employees bring different perspectives to the table, there are far-ranging effects for innovation and creativity. The willingness to compare experiences sets the stage for design thinking since the people in the same room can learn from each other in concrete and immediate ways.
