I started working at Indy Hall almost two weeks ago. Indy Hall is a coworking space in Old City, Philadelphia where people who would normally work at home can now work in an office with like-minded people. It’s a great concept. Right now I am in the evaluation stage, so I wanted to share my thoughts.
So far, the experience has been great. I’ve worked productively and comfortably at home for several years and the change of scenery is nice. The main advantages of coworking that I see so far:
- Clear separation between my work and personal life (so far)
- Excellent opportunity to discuss and share ideas with a group of really smart people
- Dedicated work area that I can call my own
- Change of environment between where I live and where I work. It’s only 18 blocks, but Old City and Center City are very different.
There are also some annoyances, actually, it is mainly one annoyance.
- At times, It’s noisy and I can’t focus or talk on the phone
Even though I am in the “quiet area” noise travels in an open space. I’m really specific about having a quiet area to focus and get my work done. I read Peopleware a long time ago and really believe in the principles. Most of the time the space is relatively quiet, but throughout the day there are periods of chatter that escalate through the room. This not only breaks focus, but disrupts phone calls or meetings.
In some situations I wonder how people get any work done when they are talking all day. Maybe I just work differently. Indy Hall has an upstairs that is designated as a quiet area, which is where I work. The area allows me to focus and stay out of the normal traffic downstairs, but at the same time, it removes me from the social environment that I want to be involved in at times.
Possible solution?
I feel like coworking really needs the appropriate physical layout to accommodate a social environment that does not break focus. For instance, an open working space is cost effective and practical. It can work really well as long as the environment encourages focus (quiet, comfortable). At the same time, you can’t neglect the social element that is so important with this environment. Lastly, a good private meeting space for clients or group discussions is important for the normal working process.
So, in my view, a coworking space would benefit from:
* Open working area, with encouragement on focus and comfort while working
* Private meeting area or conference room that does not disrupt the main space
* A general “lounge” that still provides the social environment throughout the day, but is separate from the working space
Alex, much respect
With that said, I want to make sure that this is not viewed as a complaint toward Indy Hall. I think I will stay here for a while, but I am always one to voice my opinions. Alex Hillman has done an amazing job to make coworking a reality in Philadelphia and has inspired many others to do the same. We’re at the beginning of a great expansion in small, collaborative, and distributed work environments.
6 Comments
Well said, Chris. I have yet to give Indy Hall a try, but I’m excited to do so. I think your ideas are good, as I definitely thrive as well in a space that’s relatively quiet, but still has the buzz of socialization woven in.
Jeremy — April 30, 2008, 4:51 pm
Headphones my friend. Indy Hall is a brilliant space, but you’re right – it can get noisy. I work on the main floor, I know :)
Me, I just drown out the noise. Or I participate in it. To be honest, more great ideas have been tossed around (and some are being realized) from these little impromptu meetings/brainstorming sessions. I’d hate to miss any of them.
I’m not sure coworking can really give you the quite space permanently. When I know I need dead quiet, I stay at home. When I need a working space with an intense environment, I’m here at Indy Hall. Just gotta find that balance…
Dave Martorana — April 30, 2008, 5:03 pm
It sounds like folks could benefit from a cross between Independence Hall and a place like Regus (HA!) or American Executive Centers. A bit more private but still open and social.
Colin — April 30, 2008, 6:01 pm
First off, I appreciate the candidness and honesty of this evaluation. Coworking isn’t for everyone, it isn’t for everyone’s work-style, and every community’s dynamic is different. There IS no one size fits all. I’m just glad you’re willing to take it for a spin and despite the one barrier of the distractions, find value in the offerings.
To echo what’s already been said, there are things that we can do to make the situation better, and there are lessons that we can learn for future iterations of the community/project/space. I know I’m interested in exploring ideas to help with the problem.
At the same time, as Dave said, the noise is USUALLY generated on the productive side of the distractions, despite what it often sounds like :-).
And he’s right a second time…it’s about balance. We often err on the side of social, but when it comes down to it, stuff gets done.
In fact, one of the side effects I’ve noticed is that when I’m NOT getting stuff done (which is, uh, never?), I feel guilty about it because I’m surrounded by people who ARE accomplishing goals and getting things done.
I’d really like it if you continued to blog about your exploration with the new work environment, and how we work together to find the balance that’d make it as effective as it can be for you.
And as always…your post and the comments have some new ideas brewing in my head. I’ll be sure to get those out soon!
Alex Hillman — April 30, 2008, 8:11 pm
Thanks for the comments. I’m glad everyone took it as constructive and not pure criticism. Like I said, I still plan to work here full time for quite a while, which means the overall experience is great.
Dave: Headphones, definitely. Getting some this weekend. Usually I can block out any noise and focus anyway, but I am not sure that others can. As a community, we just need to make sure we constantly look out for ways to make people more productive and informed through the collaborative workspace.
I posted this after I got off the phone with a client. I was trying to talk, but there was so much noise they could not even hear me. I know some people go into the hallway, but this is not a real option for a consistent work environment. I hardly use the phone, but when I do it is usually a conversation about specific design or business concepts for a project, so the concentration is key.
Alex: I agree that the noise is almost always productive for those in the conversation. It also allows others to chime in with advice or opinions. But what about the people who can’t or wish not to join the conversation at that moment?
It’s interesting, because these challenges are nothing new. Offices have been around forever. The main difference is that we are trying to provide a focused environment, while at the same time encourage useful conversation across many disciplines.
Chris Nagele — May 1, 2008, 10:37 am
One thing we’ve tried at some coworking spaces is to ask someone “Are you interruptible?” before asking them something or trying to collaborate with them. Also designating a room as a noise room where folks can take and give calls is useful. White noise machines can be very cool for certain rooms when the physical layout isn’t there to easily block sound from adjoining rooms. Massage therapists typically use these. They make a very subtle sound similar to a tv with static, but not annoying, and can cover up background noise and help you focus — the mind actually sometimes needs a little bit of noise that stays the same versus absolute silence in order to focus. More info on Wikipedia on white noise machines here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_noise_machine
Best,
Brad Neuberg
Brad Neuberg — May 2, 2008, 7:06 pm
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