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The Challenge: Supporting Remote Work Effectively

In the early days of exploring flexible work arrangements, our organisation faced what seemed like a straightforward question: “How do we enable our staff to work from home?” With the increasing demand for flexibility and advancements in digital collaboration tools, we assumed the challenge lay in providing the right technology and policies to facilitate remote work.

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The Discovery: The Real Problem to Solve

Applying a Human-Centred Design approach, I engaged with staff across different roles to understand their pain points, needs, and expectations around remote work. Through workshops, interviews, and observations, an unexpected insight emerged:

The real problem wasn’t about working from home. It was about how people signalled their availability—regardless of location.

Employees, whether remote or in-office, struggled with the same fundamental issue: How do I know if someone is available to be interrupted for my work? This challenge was particularly frustrating for those who needed focused time and those trying to collaborate effectively across locations.

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The Prototype: A Simple but Effective Solution

To test a potential solution quickly and without relying on technology, I developed a low-fidelity prototype: a physical status indicator using a traffic light system.

Each person placed a stick on their computer screen with three coloured pegs:

• Green = Available for interruptions

• Yellow = Available soon, but currently focusing

• Red = Do not disturb – deep work in progress

This simple visual cue allowed team members to communicate their availability transparently and reduced unnecessary interruptions.

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The Scalable Solution: Digital and Physical Integration

The prototype proved highly effective in small-scale testing, leading to a broader, more integrated solution:

• Microsoft Teams was adopted as the primary digital availability indicator (yes, pre-COVID!). Employees were encouraged to set their status to reflect their working mode.

• Luxafor flags (USB-powered indicator lights) were introduced in open-plan offices. These external indicators mirrored Teams statuses, making it easy for in-office colleagues to respect availability signals.
   

The Unexpected Benefits

This approach not only addressed the remote work challenge but also solved an entirely different problem: introverted employees transitioning to open-plan offices. By providing a clear and respected way to indicate availability, employees felt more comfortable in the new environment, leading to:

• Increased productivity due to fewer interruptions

• Greater autonomy and focus for deep work

• Improved collaboration with clear expectations on availability
   

Conclusion: The Power of Human-Centred Design

By challenging initial assumptions and focusing on real user needs, we uncovered a deeper workplace challenge and developed a solution that benefited both remote and in-office employees.

This experience reinforced a key lesson: The problem we think we need to solve isn’t always the real problem. Human-Centred Design helps us uncover the root issue and create solutions that truly make a difference.