Developing the Right Working Culture

Joel Roszmann notes some of the results of a discussion on a working culture for the Lab

There are productive and unproductive sessions at the Lab, and they are defined largely defined by what can losely be called a working culture. People's attitudes, frame of mind, and actions in the Demotech Lab will determine their sucess in their work.

Thus, we are engaging in an ongoing process of developing a working culture. By establishing a way that people act in the Lab, like one would in an office, or on a construction site, but with our own unique criteria, we hope to accelerate our rate of development into new ideas and deeper understanding of concepts.

The Fundamentals

• Work must be guided by a constant awareness of quality
• The Lab is a place of Learning; reflection is essential to developing designs and ideas
• Work is a social process, understanding must be shared socially in order to be explored by the whole group
• The learning process of hands-on work, described by Julia after her Internship.
• A sense of responsibility for cleaning, maintenance, and general work needs to be developed in all Lab participants.

How it can be achieved

• A working culture evolves over time, we cannot build it artificially.
• A list of basic rules and guidelines should be posted clearly, to remind people of what being in the Lab entails.
• A uniform (functional jackets?) can be worn as a reminder of being in the lab, and what it entails.
• Regular meetings where lab working culture is discussed and evaluated will help
• New members should learn primarily by example, but should also be formally instructed on what it means to work here.
• Many other initiatives, such as instructive activities, regular checks, reminder banners, and discussions can all contribute to building this culture.

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