2020 Volume 85 Issue 777 Pages 2307-2317
This study aims to clarify how the layout of study work space has effect on the various types of work and meetings.
The method of the study is to conduct experiments of simulation study work in a real seminar room at a university. Various types of work includes businesslike work and creative work. In the experiments, businesslike work is done by inputting words, while creative work is done by making wooden block structures based on a given theme. Meetings are done by four people brainstorming based on a given theme. Psychological evaluations accompanying every behavior are answered by questionnaire. The aim of the experiments is to analyze how the layout effects the word count, self-evaluation when making wooden block structures and meetings, also every psychological evaluation.
The seminar room for the experiments has eight seats. In the case of experiments with meeting, four seats near the window are used for various types of work, while four seats near corridor are used for the meetings. The types of layout for various types of work includes same direction-type, island-type, wall-type, and facing each other-type. The type of meeting is only island-type for four people. In the case of experiments without meetings, every seat is used for work.
Eight subjects in a group are asked to conduct experiments eight times repeating with meetings or without meetings. Subjects are grade three or four undergraduate students, or graduate students. There are sixty four subjects in all, divided into eight groups, each consisting of eight members who belong to the same laboratory.
The following results were found in the experiment conditions.
Regarding to the efficiency of business work, self-evaluation of creative work and meetings:
1. With regards to an island-type layout, the efficiency of business work with meetings is higher than the ones without meetings. In the case of wall-type, self-evaluation of creative work without meetings is higher than the one with meetings.
2. About the effect by layout, in the case of with meetings, the efficiency of business work in island-type facing meetings from the side is higher than facing meeting from front or back. Creative work shows the opposite results. In the case of without meeting, the efficiency of business work in same direction-type is higher than island-type. The self-evaluation of creative work based on easy themes in wall-type is higher than same direction-type.
3. In regards to the self-evaluation of meeting seats, in the case of the next seats facing each other-type doing creative work, the self-evaluation of meetings is higher than island-type and wall-type.
Regarding to relationship of efficiency of business work, self-evaluation of creative work and meetings, and psychological evaluation:
1. Psychological evaluation of both various types of work and meetings are divided into factors of spatial, surrounding and emotional as the same factors in both evaluation types.
2. Regarding efficiency of business work and self-evaluation of creative work, and psychological evaluations, significant difference has been found together as in the case of without meetings. When doing creative work based on easy themes, the self-evaluation of wall-type is higher than same direction-type, while spatial evaluation is lower.
3. Regarding meeting seats, in the case of next seats facing each other-type doing creative work, all of the self-evaluations of meetings and surroundings, and the emotional psychological evaluations, are comparatively high.
