Perception de l’usager sur les réalités des environnements de travail à aire ouverte en lien avec l’affordance et la proxémie

This research seeks to explore the users’ perceptions about the realities of open area work environments (in creative industries) related to affordance and proxemics. The study includes data collection based on the lived experiences of the user and their observations, documentation of the spaces and interviews. A three-level analysis follows. First, statistics emerge from the various aspects of the lived experience. Second, a data analysis based on a phenomenological approach is implemented. Phenomenology will help identify the essence of the studied phenomena of the multiple participants. Finally, the verbatim analysis gives evidence of the documented observations and an analysis of the themes which highlights key concepts. The study involves comparing two models of open area work environments to understand the complexities linked to these phenomena. The first model is one designed with dedicated workstations where each employee has an assigned station and the collaborative spaces are shared. The second type is a work environment composed of individual workstations and collaborative spaces, of which all are collectively shared . In short, no single workstation is assigned to a person, although a workstation can be dedicated to a function. The research also includes the results of two interviews conducted prior to this study and entitled “pre-test”. These interviews were used to validate and adjust the process and tools developed for subsequent interviews The targeted business is the media industry. The goal of the research is to improve the knowledge of the user’s perceived realities of open area work environments. The focus on the concepts of affordance and proxemics refers to the intent of creating environments inspiring action (affordance). The intent is also to acknowledge the impact of work environments on group culture (proxemics). Knowledge of proxemia and affordance is an important factor in the well-being of the user in his / her space and a good application of this knowledge can improve the appraisal that the user will attribute to the work environment. The research deepens the knowledge about the impact of spatial planning on the behavior of the occupant. Considering that spatial planning guides the behavior of the user, the study tries to understand whether the resultant is the same or whether it differs according to the layout of the place and the profile of the occupant. The study seeks to better understand the attributes and parameters that make it possible to better position certain spaces, such as studios, meeting rooms, etc. so that these spaces can inspire action, and that the user instinctively uses them. At the same time, it is intriguing and interesting to perceive the different types of affordance that make up a place. The research seeks to know the essential affordances of an openwork environment. Finally, what are the winning combinations, not in the sense of a ready-made recipe, but rather to know the components that are part of the success of an environment which provides affordance?

Keyphrases: Perception, Affordance, Workplace, Open area, Proxemics