Trends

August 29, 2016

The Future of Business: Redesigning for Resilience

Having just finished interviewing senior executives from a range of organisations for a Global Leadership study, and I am struck by the consistency in perspectives even though the organisations are quite different. Every CEO I have interviewed ranks their number one challenge today as dealing with the pace and scale of change now upon us.…

April 4, 2016

Designing With Colour: Neutrals

Colour choice can evoke mood, communicate subtle messages – even boost productivity. Where warm colours excite and cooler hues are calming, neutrals can provide a canvas for either, giving designers a wide array of options. Meaning Most people perceive neutral shades as “subdued” or “reserved”– more subtle than attention-getting blues and reds. Neutrals often connote…

December 23, 2015

Ecological Valence Theory and the Use of Colour in Design

Why do we prefer certain colours to others? Why do some colours make us feel happy and energised while other colours make us feel agitated or sad? The Ecological Valence Theory Object and colour association – a concept that Palmer and Schloss have called the “ecological valence theory” – contribute to our natural colour preferences…

October 7, 2014

What Workers Want From Their Office Space

Our recent Human Spaces study into the impact of the work environment on employee well-being asked more than 3,600 office workers what mattered most to them about their workspace. One of the questions we asked respondents was “What was the top natural element that European office workers would want on their modern office wish list?”…