Whether a company is producing cars or software programs, a move toward real-life social settings will generate cutting-edge creativity.
In this era of downsizing, with small businesses closing shop and large U.S. manufacturers shuttering factories to move production offshore, it was very refreshing for me to see the commitment a European company recently made to my home state of Massachusetts.
Last week, PLM provider Dassault Systemes showed off its new North American headquarters, a modern, energy-efficient building that rose from the remnants of a former HP manufacturing facility in Waltham, MA. Dassault has been constructing its 27-acre campus over the last year, recycling steel and other structural materials from the old site to build what it says is an environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art structure.
I took a tour of the building last week before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. I was impressed by the attention to detail—from white noise speakers mounted on the ceilings, to user-powered treadmills in the exercise room, to Dassault’s commitment to recycling nearly everything, including rainwater. But what was more intriguing to me was the evolution of the corporate culture and Dassault’s eye on innovation.
The new headquarters consolidates three offices, each of which was dedicated to one of the company’s product brands. The Waltham location’s open office space, intended to limit barriers to communication, took some getting used to, I’m told.
“It has been an exercise in psychology,” said Al Bunshaft, managing director of Dassault’s Americas organization during a briefing with press and analyst. “We went from 85% closed offices to 85% all open.”
In fact, even the offices, the conference rooms, and the private phone rooms feature glass walls, so there is quite literally a lot of visibility. At the same time, employees are encouraged to chat in the “living room,” a place for impromptu brainstorming sessions, or to visit the on-site gym to clear their heads—anytime of the day. They can also sit on the beautifully landscaped courtyard (complete with WiFi), to get some fresh air while getting some work done.
“The focus,” said Dassault CEO Bernard Charlès, “is on social innovation.” His theory is that coming to work should be comfortable and collaborative. “It is important to free our minds to be innovators,” he said.
What a nice concept. And I do believe he’s right. How many times are we pulled into a closed-doors meeting to talk about product strategy, only to emerge feeling exhausted and confused about what we actually accomplished?
Innovation and creativity don’t just happen. They must be inspired. They must be energized. I don’t care if you are making widgets or making 3D software, as Dassault does. For people pressing a button on an assembly line or keys on the keyboard, unstructured socialization can lead to new ideas and profitable innovation.
Dassault’s new location is just a few miles from some of the best math, science, and business schools in the country. It will be interesting to see how well the new social innovation platform that is the Waltham campus will attract this talent, and how that might impact one of Dassault’s biggest competitors, PTC, which happens to be located just a few miles away.
We shall see. Until then, tell me what you think about Dassault’s approach to innovation. Are they spot on or way off the mark?
