Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

Physical Infrastructure123FurnitureWhether enabled by wheels, fold-ups or some othermeans, it is best if the Studio furniture can be reconfigured tosupport one big conversation, multiple small groups, presentationswith an audience or a casual lunch. Do not fall preyto the myth that particular types of seating, such as beanbagchairs, are more supportive of open-minded thinking thanothers. What matters is that the Studio have a diversity ofseating options. In the HDL Studio we observed the orderof preference starting with task chairs and followed by thewindow sill, sofa and stools in that order—not a single persondemanded a bean bag.Equipment & SuppliesThe general principle is to cover basic physical and digitalmedia needs so that no time is wasted struggling to get ideasinto the flow of conversation. Cater to the Studio team’s needsrather than be proscriptive about how they express themselves.This means being prepared for the person who worksbest with Post-its and the one who draws on the whiteboardand the one who prefers PowerPoint.If having a hammer makes you see everything as a nail,what does that say about designers if they see the flimsy,sticky little piece of paper called a Post-it note as the answerto every workshop or brainstorm? There is going to be a lot oflist making, sorting of ideas, relationship-mapping, sketchingand diagramming activity going on during the Studio, andmuch of it is better suited to a larger format than a sticky notecan support, even the big ones.Whiteboards are critical because they are naturallylarge-format. The larger your whiteboard surface, the better.The necessity to erase and redraw as conversation evolves isa useful quirk, as the re-inscription of ideas gives them anopportunity to develop in new ways either in substance, asthey are brought back into the consciousness of the group, orin representation as they are literally re-presented throughrewriting or redrawing. In addition to copious whiteboardsurfaces and—yes—even some Post-its, you might want tohave a map depicting the corner of the world relevant to yourStudio topic, especially if team members have come fromoverseas.Beyond the physical media, digital presentations area necessity. Not only is it a likely candidate for the finalpresentation that the Studio makes to its stakeholders, butguest speakers, or even the Studio team themselves will prob-