Office spatial design attributes, sitting, and face-to-face interactions: Systematic review and research agenda

What the study found

Greater worker visibility was associated with shorter sitting bouts, and proximity was associated with more or longer face-to-face interactions.

Limitations

Mostly observational; activity and interaction quality are not necessarily beneficial outcomes.

Neurodesign interpretation

A plan changes behavior partly by changing encounter probability. Neurodesign should distinguish interaction quantity from interaction quality and cognitive interruption.

Possible design implications

Use spatial configuration intentionally to support desired movement and interaction patterns without assuming more interaction is always better.

Why it stays in the corpus

Retain for workplace behavior beyond satisfaction.

Study design

Systematic review

Population

Office workers across 20 studies

Setting

Workplaces

Field

Workplace design

Mechanism

Movement, proximity, social interaction

Spatial variable

Visibility, proximity, spatial configuration

Keywords

office, visibility, proximity, sitting, interaction