Perspective-taking is the intentional act of changing the frame in which you view things. We can design for it and, if we’re fortunate, we can these perspectives to design us.
It’s midsummer in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is often a time when things slow down, which allows me to gain a different perspective on things. My clients, colleagues and collaborators rotate vacations and deadlines tend to expand to fit our collective changes in schedules and pacing of work. In large parts of Europe, most non-service businesses shut down entirely as factories rest, offices empty, and beaches, lakes, and campgrounds fill up.
What has this change of pace offered up?
Designing for Time and Space
Design methods are filled with tools and techniques to allow us to elicit different perspectives to better design for what we want, need, or to fit with what others want or need, but sometimes the only tools we need are time and space.
Designing for time and space is far more tricky than using some kind of design technique to try and elicit new ideas. Time and space requires systemic change at some level. This means changing habits, how you structure your days, expectations, and roles. At the organizational level, it means encouraging people to slow down, take breaks, and gain new perspectives by virtue of not doing the usual things. At the personal level, it means suspending the usual ethos around constant work, narrow versions of ‘performance’, and going beyond presenteeism toward taking time away from typical behaviours.
Years ago I was speaking at a conference in Karlstad, Sweden on design and evaluation. While in Sweden, I met my colleague who took me to work to partake in their afternoon fika ritual. Fika is a traditional coffee break that’s done twice daily and where it is an expectation that everyone available attend. And they do. The entire department — from senior leaders to entry level staff — came out and enjoyed a coffee, some fruit and cake, and some (mostly) non-work conversation for about 20 minutes and then returned to their offices and meetings. They have coffee break spaces and build in the time to connect every day.
Breaking for Better Thinking
The Swedish example is worth following further because it highlights both a shift in mindset and cultural practices that were both designed into the fabric of organizations. While these might be based on cultural values in Sweden, they are also backed by evidence.
Research on mental fatigue shows that prolonged focus can lead to decreased cognitive performance. Breaks allow the brain to recover, improving subsequent problem-solving and creative thinking. A study by Ariga and Lleras (2011) found that short breaks during tasks can prevent a decline in performance, which indirectly supports creativity by maintaining cognitive resources.
Breaks also help incubate new ideas. The incubation effect suggests that taking breaks allows the unconscious mind to process information, leading to creative insights. A meta-analysis by Sio and Ormerod (2009) reviewed multiple studies and found that breaks, especially those that involve distraction, can lead to a higher number of creative solutions compared to continuous focus on a task.
Research by Paulus and Nijstad (2003) suggests that collaborative environments, where team members openly share ideas and build on each other’s contributions, can significantly enhance creativity and innovation. In Sweden, the emphasis on teamwork and collective decision-making aligns with these findings, contributing to higher quality and more innovative work outcomes. Rituals like fika allow people to connect with one another, which builds familiarity and trust, and that is what also enhances the creative collaboration among staff.
Principled Performance By Design
The Swedish example illustrates ways in which we can create spaces and time to pause, reflect, connect and see new things. This practice of taking time each day is also profoundly human. It’s a means of creating sustainability in our systems because it’s fundamentally about relationships and connection, which are robust in the face of challenges. Whereas behavioural ‘hacks’ and design tools and techniques might allow us to generate insights and create new things in the moment, they are fleeting. The lingering effects of these tools is limited, whereas the robustness of relationships is far stronger.
This is creativity — and human-centredness — by design. However, lest we think the idea of installing fika or rituals like that into our workplaces is a simple solution, it’s important to recognize the cultural dimension to the practice. It’s not just something that’s installed and mandated, it’s something that is cultivated and nurtured. Time and space creation is something that requires the design of policies and practices, but also the cultivation of a mindset that recognizes the value in connection and suspends our constant need for speed and activity. It values non-doing and thinking as much as it does action.
If we include human-centredness as part of our principles for performance, we might find ourselves having more coffee breaks and less time waiting for a summer slowdown to be our creative best.
Photo by Anjeli Lundblad on Unsplash