The 3rd Dimension of Work.

As we continue to adapt to the realities of a post-COVID world, the conversation around hybrid work has taken center stage. But at J5, we view this debate through a slightly different lens—one shaped by years of working alongside our clients, in the environments where they operate. For us, the real question isn’t just about balancing remote and office work; it’s about recognizing a critical third dimension of working in the field.

At J5, we’ve always believed that true design and innovation happen when we roll up our sleeves and get out into the world. Yes, we can work from our homes or our studios, but the magic often happens when we step into the environments where our clients and their customers live, work, and engage with the services we design. This fieldwork is where real insights emerge—and where meaningful change begins.

What sets J5 apart from traditional consulting firms is our commitment to this immersive approach. Many consulting firms rely heavily on desk research, remote meetings, and theory-driven frameworks. While those methods have value, they can fall short of delivering the human-centered solutions that we believe in. At J5, we don’t just analyze problems from afar; we go to the source. We enter our clients' worlds to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities they face in their real-world contexts. This is where we uncover insights that can’t be captured in a Zoom call or derived from data alone.

In an image capturing her work, Erika Mahoney, a designer at J5, is seen immersed in a pay-what-you-can market, part of a project aimed at addressing food insecurity. Her presence in the market reflects J5's commitment to understanding user needs at a grassroots level. Erika's hands-on approach allowed her to engage directly with individuals, observing their interactions with the service while fostering an environment of dignity and kindness. Her work in this setting exemplifies J5’s human-centered design philosophy, ensuring that solutions not only meet practical needs but also respect the lived experiences of those they serve.

Learn more here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/pay-what-you-want-market-calgary-united-way-j5-1.6399074

The Importance of Getting Uncomfortable

Many professionals excel in the comfort of their studios or offices, equipped with tools that allow them to refine solutions from behind screens. However, we often underestimate the transformative power of stepping outside of these controlled environments and immersing ourselves in the real-world settings where the services we design come to life.

At J5, we’ve worked in hospital waiting rooms, government offices, and community centers—places where the stakes are high, and the human experience is unfiltered. It’s in these settings that we gain the most valuable insights. Traditional consulting firms often avoid these spaces, preferring the predictability of office-based work. But we know that true empathy and understanding come from engaging directly with the people we serve. It’s in these sometimes uncomfortable environments that the challenges become clearer, the opportunities more tangible, and the voices of those we’re designing for are heard more clearly.

Beyond Hybrid: Fieldwork as a Third Dimension

The post-COVID hybrid work debate has largely focused on two options—working from home or returning to the office. But for J5, this binary conversation is incomplete. Fieldwork is the critical third dimension that elevates our work and differentiates us from other consultancies.

For us, working in the field isn’t an afterthought—it’s an essential part of our process. Whether it’s observing how patients navigate a healthcare system or understanding how citizens engage with government services, we gain insights that would be impossible to see from behind a desk. This hands-on approach allows us to test ideas on the ground, iterate quickly, and ensure that the solutions we co-create with our clients are both relevant and impactful.

While traditional consulting firms may focus on office work or remote solutions, we at J5 believe that innovation happens in the environments where services are delivered. This fieldwork allows us to align with the people and places our clients care about most, ensuring that our solutions are not only human-centered but also deeply grounded in the lived experiences of those we are serving.

In the above image, Sydney Johnson, Head of Design at J5, leads a working session with Indigenous youth, fostering collaboration and creativity as part of a transformational program led by the United Way of Calgary.  Sydney’s approach emphasizes deep listening and co-creation, ensuring that the voices of the youth are central to the design of solutions that truly reflect their needs and aspirations. This moment captures J5’s commitment to designing with empathy, supporting meaningful change in the community.

Learn more about Planet Youth and donate here: https://calgaryunitedway.org/planet-youth/

The Power of a 3 Dimensional Approach to Work

At J5, we’ve embraced this three-dimensional approach to work. We value the flexibility of remote work and the importance of in-office collaboration, but we also know that our best work often happens in the field, alongside our clients and their customers.

By combining remote work, in-office collaboration, and immersive fieldwork, we’ve found a balance that drives creativity and leads to better outcomes. We’re not just reacting to the post-COVID landscape—we’re evolving our ways of working to create more human-centered solutions.

This is where we diverge from more traditional firms that may be reluctant to get their hands dirty in the field. Our approach means we don’t just listen from a distance—we engage, observe, and collaborate in the environments where the work really matters. This makes our solutions more relevant, actionable, and aligned with the needs of real people.

Moving Forward: Expanding the Hybrid Model

As the world changes, so too do our expectations around how and where we work. But at J5, we challenge the binary discussion of home versus office. We see an opportunity to expand the conversation to include fieldwork—an approach that takes us beyond our comfort zones and brings us closer to the people we serve.

Our culture and approach are rooted in this belief: that true design happens when we immerse ourselves in the environments of the people we serve. Traditional consulting firms might shy away from this kind of engagement, preferring frameworks and analysis over immersion. But at J5, we know that it’s not just about doing the work—it’s about deeply understanding the world through the eyes of those we’re designing for, so we can create solutions that make a real difference.

As we move forward, I see tremendous opportunity for leaders across sectors to embrace this third dimension of work. Let’s not settle for hybrid as we know it. Let’s take it a step further and bring our teams into the field—where real innovation happens, and where we can make the most meaningful impact.

If you would like to speak with someone from J5 Design, please book a design consultation here: https://meetings.hubspot.com/jvardalos/business-development