Tracing Transformations of the Modern Workplace and Imagining its Future

This paper investigates the transformations of the modern workplace, exploring how changes over time have shaped office work and its future trajectories. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines interviews, observations, and co-design activities at the headquarters of a global organization. Employees were invited to reflect on their past and present workplace experiences and envision potential futures. Our study identifies significant transformations across three dimensions: technology, office space, and work practices. These changes demonstrate an interconnected progression, with each era building on prior knowledge. To encapsulate this coherence, we introduce the “modern workplace compass”-a conceptual tool helping designers and practitioners understand the current state of office work and explore its future potential. Notably, some challenges discussed two decades ago remain unresolved today. The collaboratively generated visions for future trajectories address these enduring issues through innovative design ideas, culminating in two concrete proposals for the future of office work.