6. Big Decisions in Chit-chat

Itoi:

Returning to those sessions during lunch break, when everyone animatedly discusses things like Iwata-san describes, does it feel like a meeting? Or is it like small talk?

Miyamoto:

They’re more like small talk. We don’t forget to put in jokes either.

Iwata:

Yeah. I feel as if all the important creative decisions are made during chit-chats.

Itoi:

Oh, we say the same thing at our company, too.

Iwata:

For that reason, we’ve been wondering recently how we can stop meetings from being formal and make them more like small talk. If we don’t, there’s a fear that, in the worst case, we’ll only be able to make worthless decisions.

Miyamoto:

Uh-huh.

Itoi:

When my company moved last year, we created places here and there around the floor where everyone’s desks are so people could easily group up. Having a place like that is important.

Miyamoto:

Oh, uh-huh.

Itoi:

It’s essential to have that in the layout plan. When the number of people increases, that kind of place is encroached upon.

Iwata:

Yes, that’s right. It may be spacious right after the move, but it will get cramped.

Itoi:

Yes, it will. When it gets busy and the number of people increases, the small talk space is the first to go.

Iwata:

Uh-huh.

Itoi:

So when we moved, we made sure that kind of space wasn’t lost. We created space for small talk where desks and chairs couldn’t be easily lined up.

Iwata:

Places like that are important. There was a time when the smoking room was where important decisions were made.

Itoi:

Right! (laughs)

Iwata:

Small talk in the smoking room was where you could figure important things out quickly and come up with good ideas, but the number of smokers has decreased.

Itoi:

Or the company smoking room has disappeared altogether.

Miyamoto:

I’ve created a place for that type of water-cooler palaver for quite some time.

Itoi:

What kind of place did you make?

Miyamoto:

There used to be a table right in the middle of a department with about 30 people, but it started to lose its value when we had to start managing the timetable for it as a meeting place. Recently, we’ve made places for several people to sit down for each team block. Like snack areas.

Itoi:

That’s the same as us! (laughs)

Iwata:

There’s a pile of snacks.

Miyamoto:

Yes. I recommend that.

Itoi:

A snack spot.

Miyamoto:

Uh-huh! Piles of snacks are laying alongside development documents. (laughs)