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Professional

Writing

Collaborative

Workspace

Research

ProposalA detailed proposal outlining the preliminary research required to create a PW collaborative workspace

by Julia Fellows

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Overview

This proposal explores the potential of creating a Professional Writing Collaborative Workspace. This space would be a place for Professional Writing students to go to work independently or collaboratively on projects and assignments for their classes or for their own studies. It would be open into the evening and would be fully furnished with equipment and technologies to facilitate students’ best work. The Professional Writing Collaborative Workspace would also be a place for students to go between classes in Bessey Hall.

A lot of research would be necessary to convince the appropriate authorities of the value of such a project. Thus, I propose this project, which explores the nature of spaces and how spaces can work to foster collaboration and creativity. This project proposes the research involved in order to make a Professional Writing Collaborative Workspace a reality.

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RationaleMy rationale for creating a Professional Writing Collaborative Workspace is to satisfy a need. In the past, I have spoken with or overheard other students in the Professional Writing program who also seem to think that having an open space for students to work in is a good idea. The PW program is, by nature, a very collaborative program; many of our assignments are partner-based or group projects. This is reflective of the careers that we, as professional writers, are pursuing. Nearly all communications jobs are collaborative. What this program lacks is the space necessary to facilitate joint work.

The current space that we are using for such needs is 317 Bessey. For a number of reasons, room 317 does not meet our needs:

1. Many classes are taught in 317 and the building is not always unlocked on weekends, making scheduling difficult

2. The room is not very large and does not make for a good space for multiple groups to meet at the same time

3. Not all of the students’ technology needs are met4. The room is not arranged well for collaborative work

Literature Review“sp[A.C.E.]: Student’s personal academic collaboration environments” In “sp[A.C.E.]: Student’s personal academic collaboration environments,” Cozette Jordan Kosary explores the way that college students who live in dorms study. She found two things: that students wish to customize their study spaces; and they wish to be able to reserve those spaces. A customizable space can have a lot to do with physical space (e.g. food and drinks, seating, lighting, sound). Kosary developed a proposal for a digital application that allows students to reserve their study spaces.

“Inventing the Collaborative Workspace”Adam Richardson talked to Catherine Courage, VP of Product Design at Citrix, about a new collaborative workspace in “Inventing the Collaborative Workspace.” In the article, Courage explained that “[they] needed to create a shift in behaviors, and realized this would be best achieved by having people live the change, not just being told about it. The [collaborative workspace] facilitates this.” Their space is large and features a glass wall so that anyone walking by can see the collaboration happening. The key to the collaborative space is that it cannot be reserved—this

Introduction

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makes it open for anyone to drop in anytime. “The casualness of the space puts people in the right frame of mind to go outside of their traditional comfort zones and build stronger relationships with teammates.” Courage noticed that it created a lot more transparency in the company’s work.

“Designing Workspaces for Collaboration”In “Designing Workspaces for Collaboration,” Andrea Paoletti explored the value of “the Hub,” another name for collaborative workspaces, from an architectural standpoint. She explained ten important characteristics of a collaborative workspace:

1. People-centered2. Luminous3. Simple4. Diverse5. Randomizing6. Fluid7. Adaptive8. Ethical9. Flexible10. Open-ended

HASSELL: University of Adelaide Learning HubIn 2011, HASSELL Studio, an architecture and interior design firm created the Learning Hub for the University of Adelaide in Australia. The Learning Hub is a three-story building meant for students to use as both a collaborative and an individual workspace. “The Learning Hub affords the University a flexible, functional and secure space with updated library research facilities, formal and informal study spaces, student services and retail to support students and academic staff in meeting their needs for onsite learning, sustainment and amenity.” The firm’s goal was to create a flexible space that also met the social and pedagogical needs of faculty and students.

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Project DescriptionResearch Questions

• Is there a need for a Professional Writing Collaborative Workspace?• What elements create a collaborative workspace?• Would students be able to produce better work with access to more/better

tools and technologies?• Would a collaborative workspace encourage more collaboration between

students outside of their classes?• How would having a collaborative workspace change students’ perceptions

of the Professional Writing community? Would it create a larger or smaller sense of community?

Research Methods• Surveys and observations to gauge how students feel about creating a

collaborative workspace• Possibly interview a small sample to get more in-depth feedback

• Focus groups to see what elements students think make up a collaborative workspace or what kind of a workspace they want to see

• Looking at current student workspaces here and at other universities (and at workspaces at companies in the PW industry) to see what works and what doesn’t

• Interview people work are working in collaborative workspaces

Possible Issues• Slight conflict of interest in asking how students feel about creating a

collaborative workspace because I want one• Apathy from older students who will not be around to benefit from

the space• Lack of support from people who like traditional study spaces

and workspaces• Not having enough time due to the large scope of the project (could recruit

a team of researchers to combat this issue)

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SignificanceIf I were to discover that Professional Writing students do, in fact, support the creation of a collaborative student workspace, it would confirm what I have already heard from students. Creating a collaborative workspace for Professional Writing students could create a huge shift in attitude, in the way we work together, and in the way that we learn. It could create more transparency in an already transparent program. I believe that creating a collaborative workspace for students is a step forward. This is very fitting with the mission of our major. We are a cutting edge program that is always on the cusp of new ideas and technology.

Potential ImplicationsPerforming this study could have many implications beyond the desire and value to create a collaborative workspace. It could help faculty to see if and how their teaching extends beyond classwork. It can be a test for just how cutting edge the program really is. It could signal whether or not a shift in thinking is already occurring, both in the academic world and the workplace.

A Note about the Creativity Exploratory and Why It Doesn’t Fit Our PurposeThe Creativity Exploratory, which opened in Linton hall in fall of 2011, has a very similar goal to that of a collaborative workspace. It meets the technology needs of students and provides them with a space to work on all of their projects. However, for several reasons, it does not fit the needs of Professional Writing students, nor does it entirely fit the bill of “collaborative workspace:”

1. Its location in Linton hall is too far from Bessey to make it convenient for students to use between classes

2. It is located in a building which does not host many (if any) classes, making it almost “hidden” from students

3. It is much closer to faculty, making it an ideal workspace for them, but not for students

4. Its layout, consisting of three walled off rooms, is not conducive to collaborative work

conclusions