The demand for creativity and innovation in business is driving organizations to look at new ways of working. As global competition increases, organizations understand that they must create a culture that supports generating new ideas while still responding to ongoing project demands. Workplace research has identified effective communication as a common feature of organizations that have managed this transition well. In particular, the quality of informal interactions is critical to building a high-performance workforce.

Informal interactions are the short, face-to-face, unscheduled encounters that allow people to generate ideas, accomplish routine tasks, and otherwise build relationships that are essential to carrying out their work. The most common type of informal interaction is the serendipitous “drop-in,” which happens as people move around their office and pause when they pass by a colleagues’ workstation or office. What starts as a “doorway moment,” may end quickly, or lead to a longer conversation. The length of the interaction is not as important as the frequency or content.

The way that space is arranged, especially the circulation, has a significant effect on where and how often informal interactions will occur. When space is configured with informal interaction in mind, people have many opportunities to “see and be seen” as they move about. Space plans that don’t support informal interaction result in areas of diminished vitality. People in these areas may feel isolated, less valued, and have lower retention rates. Grid plans, which provide multiple, connected paths to move around an office, usually provide the best arrangement for encouraging informal interaction. Plans with dead-ends and non-aligned paths discourage informal interaction.

So if you’re planning a new office, or thinking about renovating your current one, how can you be sure that the circulation plan will support your communication style?

One innovative method, used by the workplace designers at TVS Interiors is Space Syntax analysis, a computer modeling tool that allows designers to evaluate space plans before they are built to predict where movement and interaction will occur. Originally developed by Professor Bill Hillier at the University College London as a tool to help architects simulate the likely effects of their designs, its utility as a interior space planning tool for testing design alternatives has been proven in settings ranging from professional offices and research labs, to museums, libraries and department stores.

TVS Interiors’ work for Uzun & Case offers one example of space syntax at work in the office environment. Photograph by Brian Gassel, TVS, Inc.

Applying Space Syntax analysis to an office space plan reveals areas where movement and interaction are likely to occur. The arrangement of individual offices and groups of offices in relation to the circulation pattern influences where and how often people engage in informal interactions. Even slight changes in a plan, such as moving a wall or adding a secondary corridor can dramatically alter circulation patterns and affect communication. By applying Space Syntax analysis during the Schematic Design phase, designers can refine the space plan to match desired communication outcomes, making better use of space and increasing the organizations’ efficiency and performance. Space Syntax diagnosis of existing workplaces will identify areas that could benefit from changes to improve circulation and communication.

Of course, there are many factors that affect where and how often people communicate with their colleagues at work. But, when it comes to those all-important serendipitous encounters that are the hallmark of high-performance organizations, circulation patterns are key, and Space Syntax analysis offers a means to ensure that you have the best one.

Serrato, a Senior Associate at TVS Interiors, specializes in strategic planning and design for collaborative workspaces and organizations. In addition to professional architecture and interior design degrees, she holds a doctorate in architecture, culture and behavior from Georgia Tech.