Newham Digital gets a make over.
Our office here in Dockside is looking a bit out of date and run down
…. Not at all how our digital services are going to be! We decided we need #MAKEOVER
#Looksinthemirror….
Ta-DA! A reflection of the exciting and different work we are doing here…
We want to create a space that reflects the way we work in the digital design department, the principles we use to guide us and the methodologies.
This week we are cherry picking ideas and taking inspiration from our visits to some of the most cutting edge digital design studios and start-ups in London, who provide services in digital, for engagement, digital marketing and also a tech-health start up. We want to bring the best ideas of spatial design to Newham London re-design of our physical space. Some places we visited…. Babylon, Selfridges Creative and World of Initials. Here are some snaps of our research.
What we learnt:
- Having an engaging mural or wall that captures what it is the business or organisation is about was a key feature of all studios.
- It’s great to have different types of team areas. Places where people can do focused work in groups, and relaxing, chillout type areas for where groups can think creatively or eat lunch.
- Team shelving that display resources and tools that are accessible for everyone. There were objects that teams had collected as memories of team nights out, plants from different team members gardens, and of course team snacks.
So how do we create a shiny new physical space for a shiny new council digital service?
- Our field research gave us some great ideas for the kind of working environment we want at Newham digital.
- We also think that the concept for the new space should show how we are working in practice, how we live out our principles when we design services.
Our first guiding principle at Newham is Centering Around Users. So we are looking at how we can express this in a physical environment;
- Walls that feature pictures of people we speak to out in the community, so that whenever we are designing products and services, the people of Newham are close to our process.
- Quotes and stories from citizens, business people, councillors and other people who will be effected by the council’s service.
- Maps of the journeys people take in the community so we can understand digital touch points they use.
- Giant cardboard cutouts and drawings of people that we can lift off the wall and take with us to internal meetings- so that people know who we are talking about when discussing the future of digital!
Our second guiding principle is Making Things Open. Making Things Better.
We take being open and transparent about the things we do, quite literally. We plan to live and breathe this principle out. We are bringing down the walls that divide us to spark conversation off between people and bring teams together. Sounds obvious? Well sometimes the simplest things are the most obvious!
We want going to work to feel good. We want staff to feel engaged and comfortable coming up with creative ideas and innovative solutions to some of the challenges we are facing at Newham Digital so we can deliver the best services to the people of Newham.
We are just beginning our journey with re-designing the space but look forward to sharing the results soon!
