We were talking about working in the ‘new normal’ in a Wonderstuff team meeting, by phone naturally, earlier this week. And we realised that although we’re not together in the studio as much as we used to be due to the pandemic, our working process is essentially the same as it’s always been.

We’re using more technology, particularly video calls, between ourselves and with our clients. But we talk just as often, bounce ideas, and provide feedback on each other’s work like we used to.

Maybe it’s because we’re a small team, and we respect and trust each other completely. We’ve always had a can-do attitude and been able to be flexible and responsive. So whilst adapting has had its challenges, not least in taking the very serious measures needed to reduce infection risk as much as possible, it has also made us think about the advantages. Working from home means less commuting which is good for the environment, and the time saved can be used to help us lead healthier lifestyles.

Having said that, we are really looking forward to the time we can all be in the studio more, to visiting clients and suppliers in person, and having coffee breaks with the lovely people who work from Flintlab, our co-working space.

We’re human after all, and sharing physical space is important. The productive team energy of being together can be really motivating and inspiring.

Design is collaborative process. But the last few months have demonstrated conclusively that we don’t have to be based in the studio all the time to do this successfully.