Spacing Innovation and Learning in Design Organizations

The main research question of this thesis is the following: What is the relationship between spaces and innovation in the context of design organizations such as IDEO, the MIT Media Lab and Design Continuum? This thesis explores the relationship between four types of spaces, namely, 1) urban, 2) building 3) workplace and 4) users and innovation and creative practices of these three case studies. Drawing mainly on visual ethnography, the thesis shows how the four organizations’ situated spaces-in-use shape their innovation, learning and knowledge sharing practices. The findings are used to complement and expand existing theories, to reflect on the “spacing” of the three design organizations under study and to contribute to the outline of this interdisciplinary emerging field of research.

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