Automated system test schedule

Abstract

This research aims to understand how the indoor environment impacts human productivity by focusing on a niche subject group – university design students. While workplace design is a widely investigated topic for understanding productivity among the creative class, research that examines work environments for college students is limited. What environmental attributes do students identify as the most conducive or detrimental to their ability to effectively engage in design work? This study appropriates a qualitative approach to investigate, utilizing anonymous online surveying and in-person interviewing strategies. The participants are undergraduate students at a private American university who are enrolled in one of five design degree programs: environmental and interior design, communication design, fashion design, design studies, or interaction and industrial design. The programs share one building. The online survey asks participants to share their experiences of working in the building, and how various environmental factors relate to those experiences. The questions prompt consideration for the role of architectural attributes, including (but not limited to): air quality and odors, lighting, acoustics, comfort, spatial arrangements, and furnishings. The interview questions are designed to learn about participant work preferences and how the environment has enhanced or hindered their ability to be productive. The interviews included building tours where participants were asked to identify physical locations and features they relate to their experiences. NVIVO was used to code the descriptive and photographic data collected through the survey and interviews, and used to identify themes among the shared experiences. Technical knowledge concerning the design of the built environment was used to formulate conclusions. Preliminary data suggests that distinct environmental attributes support effective work environments for design students.