Now this is an environment for development(thewonderfactory.com)
thewonderfactory.com
Now this is an environment for development
http://www.thewonderfactory.com/aboutUs/our_space.php
11 comments
I think they tried very hard to make the place look organic, but you if look carefully everything just seems contrived. I think it's sort of the uncanny valley of interior decoration, which I see quite often these days.
It probably serves more as a function to impress clients than to actually inspire creativity.
If I were them I would've let the employees decorate their own spaces. Could've saved a bunch of money that way. I would've also chose a house with garden over Manhattan, but then again I don't run a consulting company.
It probably serves more as a function to impress clients than to actually inspire creativity.
If I were them I would've let the employees decorate their own spaces. Could've saved a bunch of money that way. I would've also chose a house with garden over Manhattan, but then again I don't run a consulting company.
Exactly. "Comfy" was not the word that came to mind. It looks more like a showroom than a creation cove.
My favourite quote: "where people can take a break from their computer screens, or stimulate creativity by changing their environment."
Stimulate creativity? What?
Stimulate creativity? What?
agreed! very pretentious. when i look at this space, i imagine immaculately-dressed people standing around congratulating themselves on how fabulous they are.
All mac, no dual monitors, they honestly put some sort of flame decal on that table, and minimalism is not one of their design philosophies.
In summary, needs more Helvetica.
In summary, needs more Helvetica.
Bleah. Also: why did I have to shrink the text size in order to read all the text in both text boxes on this page: http://www.thewonderfactory.com/news/index.php
Looks like a lot of the Yaletown loft offices in Vancouver.
I prefer some walls and more monitors, myself. But, I get the impression the advertising-y, designer-y type folks are happier with that style of setup.
I prefer some walls and more monitors, myself. But, I get the impression the advertising-y, designer-y type folks are happier with that style of setup.
Perhaps. Since I'm a non-artists mundane type, the work I would hypothetically be doing would be more important. All those pictures feel kinda tacked on, anyways.
i wonder if people would ever get ANY work done. such plush surroundings would only make my eyes wonder.
and even if people WERE dedicated enough to get work done, wouldn't it imply that they'd just ignore all this fancy stuff?
and even if people WERE dedicated enough to get work done, wouldn't it imply that they'd just ignore all this fancy stuff?
Glorified cubicles.
Notice that the majority of the shots are of communal areas or conference rooms. There's a few shots of a "collaborative workspace" and another shot of part of an "open workspace". This is just a dressed up cubicle farm like all the others pervasive throughout the IT industry.
This is such an annoying trend because there's plenty of sound research that developers with individual offices are more productive (due to fewer interruptions, or at least a greater ability to control interruptions).
Say what you will about Joel Spolsky, the guy at least knows how to treat developers right by giving them real offices instead of yet-another-glorified-cubicle-farm: http://picasaweb.google.com/spolsky/FogCreekSNewOffice#
Notice that the majority of the shots are of communal areas or conference rooms. There's a few shots of a "collaborative workspace" and another shot of part of an "open workspace". This is just a dressed up cubicle farm like all the others pervasive throughout the IT industry.
This is such an annoying trend because there's plenty of sound research that developers with individual offices are more productive (due to fewer interruptions, or at least a greater ability to control interruptions).
Say what you will about Joel Spolsky, the guy at least knows how to treat developers right by giving them real offices instead of yet-another-glorified-cubicle-farm: http://picasaweb.google.com/spolsky/FogCreekSNewOffice#
Actually, you have much better endorsements than Spolsky. 2 classics in software engineering also stress that individual offices are much better: Rapid Development, by Steve McConnell and Peopleware by Tom DeMarco.
Their walls may be prettier, but my monitor is bigger, and so is my second.
My monitors are bigger and so is my TV, but that doesn't matter.
You can get even more done by delegating work to be done on other people's monitors than your own :)
You can get even more done by delegating work to be done on other people's monitors than your own :)
Like a modern hotel; definitely stylish, but not really a place I could imagine feeling at home (which is the feeling I need to be most creative).