Meetings of Tomorrow a sensorial experience
use your senses...
Table of Contents
A meeting is a sensorial experience: before/during/after
Our senses The future customer journey Booking as an experience First Impressions Vision: Signage & Navigation Touch technolggy Gustation: Food & Beverages A Natural Break Green - Super Green Meeting Spaces Creating Memories That something extra, aka Sense Number Six
1.
Introduction the meetings of tomorrow... Alertness discovery. Learn Our ofof TomorMeetingscomes come with to life when you enOurrevolutionary revolutionaryMeetings Meetings row concept a compilation of ideas how tothe facilitate bring tomorrow is isthe future of meetings. gage whole meetings brain andthat participants our creativity, and using moti- all and inspiration toto take into the getprogress, to discover something Meetings come life you when you from participants our future. Meetings come to and life when of their senses. There iswith ALIVENESS engage the whole brain clients are vation Our suggestyou engage the whole brain and yourus- multi-sensory in discovery.experience. Learn how to facilitate given an experience like none other ed manipulation of colour, lighting, atclients are given an experience like meetings that bring out more creativing all of their senses. none other, using all of their senses. mosphere, sound, taste, mood, ity, discovery andsmell, motivation from the amongst other aspects is proven to During meetings, people can feel any- participants from our multi-sensory stress,Our increase relaxation and During meetings, people feelings like experience. manipulation of varithing from drained to motivated, mind- reduce simultaneously. somewhere the scales of drained ous perception levels, color, lighting, numbed to on mind-expanded, detached creativity to motivated, mind-numbed to mindto engaged. The good news is it’s your sound, smell etc etc impacts stress blown, detached to engaged. Introducing Sense Number Six, PLAY, reduction, increases creativity and choiceand whether you change this. The good news is that it’s your choice the sacred act that provides escape Inspire your clients with our complete relaxation all at the same time. whether not you impact this for the from the distractions of the working sensoryor experience PLAY immerses the userSix, in the better. This book will help you discover world. Introducing Sense Number PLAY This book will help you to discover goal your client is looking to acheive your senses and how to employ them your senses. Play is a sacred act that provides an and acts as a form of release, so that to the extenet where efficiency and enjoyment collide. he or she may reach their ultimate po-
tential during The senses escape from the the meeting. realized world. It imare heightened it. merses the userand andcuriousity acts as asets form The act of play is new, however the of release. The senses are heightened ritual is familiar sets to all. and curiosity in. The act of play is new however the ritual is familiar. This is a way to break away from the monotony of boring meetings. To the This is a way to break away from achieve “synergetic euphoria” monotony of boring meetings. To the new meeting space achieve this ecstasy, thechallenges new Umeaall previous assumptions. It provides placFolkethus space challenges all of the es, physical and mental, to explore assumptions internalized thus far. It and re-interpret materiprovides placesconventional to explore and real. interpret everyday material. As one journeys through the sight, their story Inspire your clients Meetings of is recorded by thewith sensation of touch, Tomorrow, the ultimate sensorial expeand so on. rience.
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Learn how to facilitate meetings that encourage productivity and creativity from motivated participants with our multi-sensory experience.
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Vision: Something for your eyes.
2.
A sight. Form. Colours. Light. Motion. People.
Audition: What you hear. designing with
Our senses
A sound or a song can revive feelings from your memory. Confirm an interaction. Beautiful ambience.
Gustation - What you taste. Healthy and good food. Home made bread. Snacks. Mints. Vitamins. But you knew that!
Olfaction - What you smell. Why does it always smell like freshly baked buns at the metro stations in the morning?
Tactition - What you feel. Materials. Textures. Surfaces. Instruments. Why do you get hot handkerchiefs after a plane flight? X factor - The unexpected. Playfulness. Good will. Breathtaking environments. The sum of all senses- the little extra.
3.
bathroom break
Sensorial customer journey
food fika consistent design
BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
decide presentations
comfortable furnitures
book
creating memories with sensorial gifts relaxing atmosphere
communicate requests
interactive environment/navigation
before
our sensorial booking app
4.
Primary sense
Secondary senses
Senses & Booking a new ways of thinking booking
One of the first impressions a client will make is from the process of One of the impressions clibooking thefirst meeting. If it iswith not a easy ent exciting is from the of booking the and theprocess customer can meeting. If it not clearly efficient, nor easily go elsewhere. In order to exciting,the thebest customer can easily provide conference the goes elsewhere. In order to provide the best conference the initial details need to be quick but thorough. Allow the client
initial details need to be quick but very thorough. to adapt their meeting down to the last sensory detail, and be ready to Allow the client to adapt their meetimprove their explicit intentions. ing down to the last sensory detail. Every organization is different, so Every organization is different, with their culture, and identity, so this should be satisfied but also break away from
they should meet their way, to suit their company culture and break the ordinary your help. away from thewith ordinary with Customithe help through the Meetofzation Ume책is streamlined Folketshus. Customization ingsbeofdone Tomorrow booking application can through the Meetings of where they can specify every detail, or Tomorrow booking application. choose a pre-populated theme.
during
Primary sense
5.
Secondary sense
First impression Create the right impressions from the beginning
As you approach the conference centre from outside, you first notice the building with its architecture and colours. The exterior is important because it is the first meeting with the building you are going to enter and later interact with. An exciting entry can enhance the users positive attitude towards a conference and its content. From the exterior you can judge whether or not it is a modern, well maintained conference centre. The faรงade needs to be clean and the sign big, clear and contemporary, with good graphic design.
Next, you look for the entrance. It is very important for it to be clearly visible and to be easily accessible. For instance, use a friendly clear colour for the frame of the main entrance, to make it stand out from the rest of the windows the journey is clear for the customer. Making it clear and better visible will the make building it easy and nice to enter into. So far, the primary sense you would need and want to use, is your vision. Reaching the door, you look to fig-
An exciting entry can enhance the users positive attitude towards a conference
ure out how it opens. Do you need to touch anything or is it automatic? Here, two major tactile areas to keep in mind are the floor and the door handles, if applicable.
be to have colourful lines on the floor guiding to a set of monitors with a map of the place, as well as towards the reception.
Once you enter for the first time you might feel lost or confused. You start to use your vision and audition to figure out where you need to go, and if you are unsure then you look where to ask for directions. It is important to be greeted by an easy to see navigation system accompanied perhaps by an audio message. An example would
It is also important for you to quickly notice the reception desk, which must be visually marked as such, so that you don’t find yourself standing in the middle of the lobby, confused, for too long. It should stand out from the rest of the room, and your eyes must be drawn to it with the aid of the surrounding visual composition: for example using lights to brighten the
reception and darken the surroundings, or patterns in a certain direction. Did the lobby look busy, confusing (vision, audition)? Was the air bad (olfaction)? How are the conference workers dressed? The first impression of the interior is made at this point.
Primary sense
6.
Navigation
in the meetings of tomorrow
Have you ever tried to be lost in a new building? It is common not to know your way around in a new place, and in conference/meeting situations it is most often an unknown building. The importance of good navigation should not be underestimated. The following chapter will focus on intuitive navigation and good signage. The term intuitive navigation refers
Secondary senses
lost in a new building? Let your senses guide you! the navigation system that is well thought and planned is easy and clear to follow. A good navigation and signage will give the customers a more pleasant journey around the building. It can even make the walk from A to B more fun and intriguing. The structure of a building is not always logical and by using a good navigation system, even complex plan solutions can seem easy and fun to follow.
clear navigation route... Here are some guide lines that can make it easier for the customers. - Arrange your order of the information you want to show - essential information goes first - Keep it simple stupid- KISS - Create clear paths to lead your customers - Use good and readable typography - Light as a guidance can be used - Use of colours in the right way
good signage is clear
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Interactive navigation and signage will give the customers a more pleasant journey around the building
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Make guidelines or put structure in the floor/walls by using tactile elements. It is friendly to blind people too‌
Guide customers to the restaurant by the mmmh smell‌. Guide people around using different smell, fresh on toilet, energizing oils in different meeting rooms, emphasize the purpose of a meeting through aromatherapy
Lost? Click here and a sweet guidence will help you
Use music and ambient tones to guide you. Loud, slow, jazz etc. Audi-signs to guide you
Primary senses
7.
Touch-tech enhancing the experience...
Leverage the great flexibility and potential of digital environments. We recommend investing in an innovative visual platform such as a projector system embedded close to the floor, which can overlay any sort of information to guide the guests, improve the ambiance and with the use of sensors (cameras, infrared, kinect) can be gamified and interactive. Such a system would be scalable and future proof, as you could always change what to display, how users interact with it, and where you display it.
Secondary senses You can guide the users of the building by making interactive paths, that can create a fun and intuitive way of navigate. Similarly, imagine a room where you can display anything you want on every wall, ceiling and floor. It doesn’t mean that the whole surface would be plastered with clutter, though. Think of a small, interactive, school of fish gently swimming by, during the break. Or even a bunch of clouds slowly moving towards the speaker, directing your eye towards the front
yeah and so easy ans intuive wow this is a fun way to navigate!
of the room, should your eyes drift away during a presentation. Keywords can be written in the clouds by the meeting facilitator. Such effects can be used to empower the speaker, or to energize the guests, whether it is a subtle logo in a corner, or a forest environment. As well as being interactive, via touch or sound, this technology can be combined with aroma-therapeutic smells and breezes, subtle white noise or ambient sounds. You can take your guests anywhere, say, the top of the Eiffel tower, and it doesn’t cost much, since everything is virtual.
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You can take your clients anywhere, say the top of the Eiffel Tower
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Primary sense
8.
hey! this fika is great Secondary senses
Taste it
a new way of tasting food
The key to a guest’s heart is through their stomach, and it’s not just about taste anymore. All of the senses will be considered for a rewarding fika experience. When they are sitting in the meeting room, “mysiga” chimes quietly sound, and the fika light goes on. Guests get up to stretch and the freshly baked smell and scent of
coffee beans guide them on a tour to the fika, which is a much needed small walk. They are presented with appetizing treats for their eyes and healthy food for their souls. Upon making their choice, they enjoy energizing fika that sparks conversation in therapeutic light that is both refreshing and calming.
Primary senses
9.
A natural break a sensorial moment
Why do fancy restaurants invest so much in the restrooms? Restrooms are much more than a place to go when nature calls. It’s a place for taking a break and spending time with yourself to collect your thoughts. Well designed restrooms can enhance the customers overall experience. Goes without saying, but combining the use of all senses can make a big difference.
Secondary senses Some of the these restrooms have a very relaxing atmosphere. But more specifically, how is this achieved? The usage of materials like stone, paper quality, and how the tap feels when you turn it connects to the tactition sense. Lighting setup and the usage of colors will stimulate the visual sense. Candles with scents will affect the smell sense. Lounge music or the sound of water also has a calming effect
I feel so much more relaxed now, with the lighting and the smell
Think of what you want to express. A church usually have a very relaxing atmosphere to it. Why? Soft lighting, candles, silence or harmonic music, and feel of space. By making the restrooms a sensory experience maybe can also help your customers to perform better, take a break or just enjoy the atmosphere.
Primary senses
10.
Meeting spaces a new space to facilitate the best outcome of a meeting
The requirements for external meeting rooms and a conference center stems from the company not having sufficient space or resources, but quite often they are looking for a drastic change in scenery. While they want to ensure their meeting is productive and useful, you will be the one who makes your client look good
Secondary senses as they hosted their event at your unique venue. There are many different meeting themes that can be used depending on your clients desires. In the following text we will give you inspiration for many different ways of how to facilitate a meeting
feels like a day in the fresh air
The Back to Nature theme brings the meeting into a temperate outdoor atmosphere 365 days a year. Edible plants and trees grow in the room and fish and sea creatures swim in large aquariums, providing the restaurant with a sustainable source of food.
The scent of fresh fruit and coconuts fills the air while oceanic colours inspire the senses. In the wintertime, guests can take breaks in a refreshing mist room, as well listening to their speaker while sitting in the energizing sunroom. The meeting room dĂŠcor
is inspired from nature with bamboo on the individual desks and wool chairs. On the ceiling a large ball of light acts as the sun for the duration of the meeting and sets as soon as it has come to an end, far later than the actual sun.
The Up in the Air theme gives the guests the impression that they have left Umea, without having to. It is used for a more relaxed style of meeting where they put on slippers and coordinating, comfortable loungewear. They are taken up to the exclusive cloud lounge, on the top floor of the building, which is where they begin their session, truly getting away from it all with no distractions. Air traffic floats past the room and displays key words and topics that they continuously speak about. They are all recorded in the system and meeting notes are emailed directly to the participants.
up in the air
bring out your inner child
The Inner Child theme brings a creative environment for those not sure how to tap into it. The guests arrive down through the fireman pole and sit on yoga balls that keep them active and attentive. During their collaboration a graphic artist draws their meeting minutes on the interactive whiteboard using pictures, key words and symbols. Breaks are kept active with an instructor entering in for quick stretching sessions and a few laughs are had. Participants are given a treat bag that includes edible crayons for sketching ideas.
top secret information
The Secret Agent theme is for small groups of people who require a confidential, focused space. The guests sit close in sophisticated dimly lit environment. They share a large touch tevchnology table where they discuss important ideas and documents. Whether they are coffee or cognac connoisseurs, they are treated to a tasting session where they test out different kinds and sip away as they work out the details of their latest scheme. They are delighted with a wall of e-books, a library filled with literature appropriate to their meeting that is downloaded before they arrive. Should the meeting need to break off into a more intimate environment, the sliding bookcase reveals a soundproof confidential room.
Primary senses
11.
Green invasion plants smell good and make you feel good
Ever since the beginning of our existence we have been surrounded by vegetation, and why not bring that into our future of meetings? What if participating in a meeting was like taking a stroll in the park? What if you could eat the plants in a meeting room? What if you could bring more life to a building? Working with integrating vegetation in your daily meeting can stimulate you and your customers in a new and exiting way. It can stimulate all of your senses; taste, smell, sight, touch, hearing, and is a very efficient way to
create a memorable experience for the users. By bringing more vegetation into the building you can also create a stronger sustainable statement for the users. Maybe the chefs could even pick their herbs in the conference center creating new encounters with the guests? We believe it is good to dream about a greener future. We believe in a green invasion as complete sensory experience. There are many ways to bring in plants. It can be a plant-covered wall, big rooftop terraces with herb gardens, or ensuring there are plants in every meeting room. It can even be by making grass paths to follow and by having green atriums inside the conference center. We call it the “plant a seed and it will grow- effect� and how it will stimulate you can read here.
Secondary senses
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By bringing living, breathing vegetation into the building you can create a stronger sustainable statement
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The smell of herbs and flowers have influence on you.
Touching a plant can make you think about a good memory or stiumulate you sense of taste.
Not all plants are editable but some are and taste delicious
Plants have many different shades of green and can be beautiful and colorful
after
Primary senses
12.
Memorable
What if your conference was legendary... could be a good idea. It will keep your hands warm in the winter and make them think about the conference center, connecting it with a positive Giving the customers a physical object feeling. Another way to make the customers will help them remember! But make sure it’s more than visually appealing. remember can be to take a special A good idea is to give them something photo on the location, that will be given to all the participants. It can, for functional. But what is functional? instance, be a photo taken in a locaA USB sure is functional, and will always work, but it will never stand out. tion that is unique for the conference house, the photo can be scented or A good give-away is something that the customer doesn’t know that he giving in a bag with herbs from conneeds. This far up north a handwarmer ference centers garden. How can you make sure that the positive mood is kept after the meeting?
13.
To sense it up
an improved customer journey... 13. To sum it up....(nice ending) Whether it is a small meeting with a few people or a large conference with 1000 attendees, your job is to make sure that you’ve done everything possible to make their stay memorable and exciting. With consideration for all of our senses guests can feel that they’ve been through a truly unique experience.
You are now more than just a nice meeting room and more than a large conference hall. With our system, you can be sure that when past guests talk about Umea Folketshus, they will use words like fresh, inspiring, delicious, clever, and invigorating, and the news will spread.
smells good?