Noise in open space offices
Numerous studies have shown that conversational background noise increases secretions of stress hormones, leading to health issues, and reduces productivity by up to 66%. Our product, is a device that reacts to noise levels in the environment by emitting a red light when the decibels exceed a predetermined threshold. The light acts as an objective visual cue that nudges people to be more aware of how their conversations may be disturbing others.
Negative side of noise
During the interviewing stage, noise was identified as being the primary problem across open-space offices. In addition, what we found in research papers was staggering. Noise is proven to negatively impact productivity, and additionally presents a number of long-term health risks. We are biologically programmed to be reactive to sound as it was vital to our survival. Although we are growing used to high noise levels in the modern day, our physiology tells a different story. Stress hormones continue to be released in our blood when exposed to noise, even when we do not perceive it.
How does it works?
"Stilte" goal is to reduce the noise level in the environment without being too strict and keeping comfortable atmosphere. That is why we are aiming to conversational noise. This device only measures the intensity of voice frequency, so it cannot be triggered with a coffee machine or a dropped pen.
Noise level gathering
"Stilte" is IoT device. It gathers noise level data in the office, which can be used to analyze noise levels trends or find most productive times for the employees.
Product in the context
Recognition
Dutch Design Week 2019
I am really excited, that this project was accepted to participate in the Dutch Design week'19
There I got a lot of positive feedback and aknowledgement of the noise issue in the office environment.
#Process
Everything started with...
... an amazing team in the course of "Innovation space project" of Eindhoven university of technology.
Let me introduce you to
Djameela Dulloo (Human-technology interaction) ,
Carmen Martinez Almansa (Embeded systems) and
Davide Di Matteo (Data science).
This course was about innovation and business, so teammates mainly focused on those fields, while my responsabilities was around the creation of the product.
Process of the project
The process consists of two main parts - product development and ideas validation in business context.
Interviews
48
People were interview in flexible open space offices ("BlueBounce", "Igloo" and others) and TU/e university.
Main problems
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Environmental noise and colleagues chats disturbs productivity.
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Employees and students feels uncomfortable leaving their belongings on the tables for a while.
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Lack of personalization in flexible open space.
Solution
After long discussions we created a device that indicates the high noise level and tries to change peoples bahaviour. Stilte targets only voice frequency and indicates with a red light when it is too intesive and can be disturbing other colleagues.
First iteration
At the beginning, the choice was to make elegant form with a slight luxurious feeling. We used metal sheet and wood combination that reflects the modern office interior style.
Shape-shifting explorations
Sometimes light can be not enough. In well litted environments it can be less visible and can not attract enough attention. I explored more possibilities of how to indicate high noise level.
Third iteration
Third iteration combined all the knowledge I gathered all this development period. This product has light "wavy" feedback that it is shown at the front, because interviewed people mentioned that the light is not distracting and they would like to even notice it more. Interviews also brought up a huge issue - people do not trust the device on privacy perspective, so design is made to be more soft and friendly looking. In addition the informational package is made to introduce the product to the users and ensure that no private data is collected. Furthermore, multiple devices in one bigger area can connect with each other and indicate from where the real noise source is.
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