Finalist

Innovation and Collaboration Space of the Year Award

Innovation & Analytics Lab

Finalist of the Innovation and Collaboration Space of the Year Award

NOVA Information Management School - Universidade Nova de Lisboa - Portugal

"A ROOM AFFECTING WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE FEEL"


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Summary

The development of innovation spaces that enable collaborative learning and promote wellbeing involves complex constructs. Innovation spaces on campus have traditionally followed a formula-based approach that is often driven by pre-conceived design principles with solutions transferred from other universities, or backward-looking needs of departments that favour single-use spaces. The creation of the Innovation & Analytics Lab demonstrates that innovation is an iterative learning process and not a magic formula. In this project, we have studied the relation between purpose-built learning environments and wellbeing. In what way the design of such spaces fosters new and collaborative ways of learning, thinking and working together? We have conducted qualitative research using a design thinking method to better understand how to conceptualize a spatial approach that has wellbeing at its core. Using a checklist based on a behavioural science framework (SALIENT), throughout our two design-thinking workshops both students and faculty were able to propose and develop design ideas that reflect the challenges of implementing each dimension: Sound, Air, Light, Image, Ergonomics, Nature and Tint. Engaged in the prototype and set-up of solutions participants shared their feedback in subsequent sessions. This co-creation process (with a low budget “fail fast” approach) taught us lessons that led to relevant conclusions, beyond the framework of ‘innovation space design’: from rethinking pedagogical methods to the creation of new research strands, from the development of partnerships to the redesign of procurement processes. As evidenced by our study, the outcomes of the Project were unexpected and extraordinarily positive.
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Key People


Prof. Guilherme Victorino
Prof. Guilherme Victorino
Innovation & Analytics Lab ,  Nova University



Prof. Roberto Henriques
Vice-Dean Founder and Director
Nova Information Management School ,  Nova University


Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Teresa Vendeirinho, from Steelcase, for all the help and inspiration during the design and implementation of the process.

For the Innovation & Analytics team, a heartfelt thanks for the energy and passion that have literally built this space. We are grateful that you kept the belief that Education needs innovative human-centred solutions.
To Nova Information Management School leadership team, for being a leading information management school in Europe that is constantly reinventing success and enabling people to develop their ideas in a creative, supportive, and stimulating environment.

Images

IMPACT STORY

Impacting lifes

The emergency remote teaching during Covid-19 pandemic made us all rethink the physical space for learning. It is now clear that if people can have a similar experience online, in the comfort of their homes and avoiding unnecessary commutes, they will likely demand more hybrid or blended models. Still, from our room design process, we learned that socialization and creativity were two activities that were significantly impaired by going online. Therefore, we believe that the physical experience directly impacts these activities by encouraging participation and sharing through different physical, cognitive, and visual stimuli.

Despite all the disruptions, students recognized the transformational effort and appreciated the room outcome because it was a room fully adapted to hybrid collaborative work. The next generation of teaching and learning will give:

1. more options - time, space, pedagogical
2. more personalization - more coaching time and individual feedback
3. more context - more links to societal challenges and industry connections
4. more relevance & connection - between the different topics covered.

And our innovation spaces need to leverage these challenges. We also learned that delivering innovative learning experiences implies a room that collects data to monitor engagement and outcomes as a way of constantly adapt to a very dynamic reality in terms of stakeholders’ expectations and societal changes.

After the revealing journey, we can confidently state that an innovation room is... not enough, but the need to act simultaneously on three distinct dimensions: space design, pedagogical tools, and technology integration.

LEARNINGS

Lessons learned

Never take anything for granted: the first prototype of the room was completed during lockdown. It made us realize the importance of hybrid environments and the need to constantly challenge what we know.

The procurement tyranny: the space relies on very different furniture and ergonomic solutions when compared to other spaces in the University. The goal was to showcase to our decision-makers and procurement department the benefits of investing in different, and often more expensive solutions, but with clear and measurable impact.

Context matters: the space helped to inspire and nurture professors to rethink their pedagogical methods in a post covid world by creating a welcoming and safe environment for both online, face-to-face and hybrid teaching and learning.

Evidence-based space design: the set-up of the space allowed the spontaneous formation of a new research strand within the university regarding pedagogical innovation and learning analytics, that should inform and support future space design opportunities.

If you want to go far, go together: the space provided new avenues for partnerships with external stakeholders (Steelcase, LG, landscape architects and interior designers).

Location, Location, Location (or not): the location of the space was not a prime location on campus. It gave a new use to an empty prefabricated building and created a hub with renewed centrality for innovation enthusiasts.

Keep Walking: don’t wait to have all the perfect ideas and the adequate resources in place. Just start and learn along the journey.

FUTURE PLANS

What's coming?

The Nova Innovation & Analytics Lab was the first step towards a new era of innovation in Education, aiming to transform the seminar room experience as we know it. At present we have an interdisciplinary team, who share their knowledge and skills towards our common objective: to create innovative ways of teaching and learning. Thus, we started to imagine our Smart Classroom by exploring new environmental, ergonomic, informational and pedagogical attributes collaboratively. Our vision is to focus on the students and provide them the optimal conditions for their learning process. In order to fully transform the learning experience and build capacity, we have adopted digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, and we have set-up sensors and smart devices that help us understand the way users interact with the room, giving them the agency to transform it into different environments.

We are currently developing the “Professor’s Cockpit” to manage the classroom environment (lights, shades, temperature, smells, sound), and find the best solutions to teach two curricular units: Big Data Analytics and Design Thinking. We also have a cohort of master students developing their dissertations on how to measure the impact of space on different pedagogical models, using data from the sensors and the learning platforms.

The holistic solutions applied in this space have already inspired new spaces. From the overall design concept – collaborative and fluid – to the classroom chairs and technology, ideas are now being transferred not only to other classrooms and research labs but also to social spaces.


KEY STATISTICS

+ 800

Students enrolled in units taught at this room

+ 300

Executive Education Participants using the Room

20

People directly engaged in Design of the Room

10

Daily users for innovation projects

12

Open events with industry and academic partners

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