What we learned from our recent move.
Moving into a new space is a big transition for any company. There is, of course, the physical challenge of keeping a business up and running while moving furniture, computers, servers, printers and people from one place to another. And then there are the inevitable mental and cultural adjustments that come with new spaces, new neighbors and new surroundings.
To make that transition as easy as possible, early last year we began planning for a space that would reflect both who we are and who we want to be. We spent months deciding on a raw space and, once a location was selected, we began to drive our architect crazy with thousands of suggestions (we always seem to have lots of ideas).
However, through it all, we kept a few key things in mind.
Physical space has a great effect on human interaction. The maze of walls, desks, furniture, artwork, personal items, office machinery and other artifacts that make up any given workspace can subtly change the way people interact and collaborate. And that effect can dramatically alter how ideas are formed and acted upon. In our new space, we tried to create a number of casual, comfortable "public" spaces where impromptu meetings and conversations could happen. Great ideas happen in hallways and doorways as often as in conference rooms.
Dress for the company you want, not the company you have. A twist on the old adage, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have" to be sure... but also just as true. We created a space that we can grow into both in number of employees and in regards to culture and service. We wanted to live in a building that was comfortable yet functional — housing a company that our clients would be proud to partner with and would lead us toward "who we wanted to be when we grow up." (Don't worry, we won't ever totally grow up... we promise.)
Your office is the packaging for the product that works within it. And as we all know, the packaging often has as much or more to do with our buying decisions than the product itself. And just as a sparklingly clean and organized office sends a message, the environments we surround ourselves in tell the world who we are and what they can expect from us.
In the end (or is it a new beginning?), I think we've built a space that will serve the Trilix team and our clients well. We invite you all to stop in and see our new space anytime. Just be sure to give us a heads up so we can make sure the shuffleboard table is freshly waxed.Tremendous thanks to the following folks who helped me keep most of my sanity during the past months.
Curt Johnson, Offices at Northpark
Marty Barkley, Simonson & Associates Architects
Jan Stokesbary and Carrie Boyle, Workspace, Inc.
With special thanks to our very own Design Director, Brent Wirth, for lending his excellent design sense to our new digs.