“We design buildings, but we design for people.” Whenever I begin a project, I think of that statement. Each building should be designed around the user experience and staff functionality we are trying to maximize. Collaboration by each team member is key for a project’s success.
The Japanese business philosophy of Kaizen focuses on continuous improvement of all functions of a business, encouraging contribution by all employees. With the mere mention of Kaizen, many people think you are talking about a manufacturing process where you are trying to maximize efficiency and “trim the fat.” But other main tenets of Kaizen include encouraging engagement by all employees and the recognition that productive contribution ideas can come from anyone. This is the aspect of Kaizen I think about when translating this business concept for the health care design world.