- Fernando Vallejo, bicg's General Director
Organisations are constantly threatened by change, the emergence of new competitors, abrupt shifts in consumer trends, black swan events (unpredictable, rare events that have a massive impact), and other factors that can turn their financial results upside down. This context, lacking clear blue oceans, demands innovation ecosystems where new solutions or products can be continually tested and experimented with.
What was once limited to the Information Technology (IT) sector has now spread to every type of industry, becoming crucial in highly competitive fields such as the food, retail, and financial industries, among many others.
Innovation as a strategy for business growth
These ecosystems are not only physical spaces but also processes, organisational models, and, of course, cultural frameworks, where autonomy, freedom, and tolerance for failure are essential.
Creating the right environment to support these work dynamics has been one of bicg’s most rewarding areas of focus in recent years.
The key factors for designing an effective concept to foster innovation are:
- The activity-based office is ideal for creating the optimal environment:
Innovation can take different forms depending on the type of business. Innovating with a food product is not the same as with a financial service or a technological solution. The activities involved in ideation, testing, and experimentation vary: tastings, hands-on manipulation, conceptual ideation, project monitoring, stakeholder interaction, etc. Depending on the needs, specific spatial solutions must be adopted, with a wide range of spatial typologies available within the office. - Fostering serendipity:
It’s important to provide spaces for exchange, interaction, and serendipity—places where “things happen” that bring professionals together and increase spontaneous interaction. To achieve this, it’s essential to include areas within the office dedicated to informal meetings, rest, and collaboration. - Using architecture as a strategy to influence behaviour:
It is well known that the use of curved forms, furniture that encourages interaction, access to nature, and open spaces can influence the behaviour of those inhabiting the space, enhancing creative development compared to other physical environments. Incorporating these elements, among others, provides professionals with a workspace designed to boost their creativity.
(McCoy, J. M., Evans, G. W. (2002). The potential role of the physical environment in fostering creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 14(3-4), 409–426. - Aligning space and technology:
In this case, aligning doesn’t always mean a high level of technological provision. Rather, it refers to ensuring the availability of the right technological tools that facilitate activities where technology acts as an enabler. There may be spaces where manual work and introspection are prioritised, eliminating unnecessary technological stimuli. What’s important is the strategic provision of technology and how easily it can be used and incorporated into the tasks at hand. - Bringing spaces from other contexts into the office:
Innovation isn’t exclusive to the corporate world. In fact, I would dare to say that some of the most creative moments have likely occurred in situations far removed from the office, while engaging in everyday activities like socialising, running errands, or spending time with family. Combining this factor with the increasing hybridisation of spaces—where different uses are blended—creates an opportunity to expand the range of environments within corporate centres. This can enrich activities and, in turn, generate greater creativity and innovation among professionals. - Innovation ecosystems extend beyond the office:
Thanks to flexible organisational models and technological tools, knowledge work is rarely tied to a specific workspace. This allows other places to emerge where activities can be carried out that also foster creativity and innovation. Providing the opportunity to go beyond the office is key to challenging the physical boundaries of ideation.
Alignment of technology and physical spaces
But, above all, the success of a project of this kind lies not only in combining the more tangible aspects but also in generating a work culture and team organisation that allows for innovation to flourish. Having an ideal space to foster creative behaviours is of little use if the organisational culture does not support tolerance for failure, uncertainty, collaborative work, or the autonomy of professionals. This is why, at bicg, we have a methodology focused on the integration of disciplines, with multidisciplinary teams that provide comprehensive advice on spaces, processes, technology, as well as culture and change management.
Some of our most significant projects in this area can be found in our case studies, such as Telefónica IoT, Mercadona Jarrods, and ABB, among others.
