Katie Unrath

MFA Design Research and Development, 2014

Abstract:

Creative collaborative work is important for most industries to remain competitive because knowledge workers are increasingly required to solve wicked problems through the collaborative efforts of individuals from different disciplines.  A better understanding of this topic will support the planning of spaces for collaborative work, potentially improving the innovative problem solving capabilities of knowledge workers.

I completed a literature review of creative collaborative spaces and determined that the graduate studio at OSU falls short in supporting creative collaboration.  These activities were challenging due to limited wall space for sharing ideas, no space for meetings, a lack of storage and a lack of ownership.  I developed a pre-test/post-test research design with an intervention in the form of a re-design of the studio space.  I led several participatory activities to inform this new design.  In comparing the pre-test results with the post-test results there is an increase in “feeling creative” and also the perceptions of the quality of collaborative work has improved for the people who work in the new studio environment.

Katie Unrath is a Design Research and Development MFA candidate at The Ohio State University. As a commercial interior designer with eight years of experience, Katie has been responsible for the research, design, documentation and management of 20+ interior design projects from client programming to construction completion. Katie is pursuing a career in which she can offer her experience in translating research findings, participating in both the design research process and the implementation of these findings within design concepts for interior environments.