Sharing resources on campus is a key part of making university facilities more sustainable and effective. By sharing what we have, everyone benefits from better, more flexible teaching spaces and services. However, for sharing to work well, teachers and staff first need to be aware of what’s available.
At Aalto University, some teachers have expressed that they sometimes feel uncertain about which learning spaces and services are available to them, even though the university offers this information. To gain a clearer understanding of this situation, the JAVIST project embarked on a journey to explore these concerns. JAVIST project (Jakamisella viisautta / Resourceful sharing) aims to foster co-usable learning and innovation environments. The project partners are Aalto University, Aalto Campus & Real Estate, University of Helsinki, and City of Helsinki.
Our team utilised the Double Diamond Design process to navigate through four phases systematically: discovering the problem, clearly defining it, developing ideas, and delivering a solution. Through engaging interviews and interactive workshops, we found that the challenge was multifaceted and extended beyond just a lack of information. Many teachers communicated that they often could not proactively allocate time to explore available resources due to their busy schedules. One educator noted, “Knowing what kind of spaces are available isn’t always clear.” Another shared, “In the busy routines, I unprioritise learning about it at times.” Despite these challenges, educators showed enthusiasm for training sessions aligned with their ongoing activities and expressed interest in understanding how services and spaces can enhance their teaching practices.
From these insights, we have developed an understanding that although teachers work under demanding schedules, they are eager to engage with resources more meaningfully when provided with convenient opportunities. This creates an excellent chance to enhance resource visibility and accessibility, fostering a more collaborative teaching environment. By concentrating on these areas, we aim to minimise potential challenges before needs become pressing and streamline the process for sharing resources among teachers, thereby enriching the teaching culture at Aalto University.
To address the issue, the team gathered ideas directly from teachers and tested them in discussions with university service providers. This process generated 20 ideas for better supporting teachers in discovering and utilising available spaces and services. These were organised into four categories, each with a specific role in communication and engagement: informational resources, community engagement, training and support, and events and tours.
The first category, informational resources, includes methods that provide clear information in a static, one-way format. These resources aim to create a rich information environment for teachers, using familiar channels. For example, enhanced online service information ensures that when teachers have a question, they know where to go and can quickly find what they need. A regularly scheduled newsletter delivers updates on significant changes in space or service, registration opportunities, and key events. On campus, visual communication tools such as digital signage, physical guides, visual explanations near learning spaces, and information kiosks assist teachers in identifying and understanding services as they navigate the university. In areas where services are used, clear, well-placed instructional signage facilitates access and aids teachers in following the correct procedures without needing to ask for help.
The second category, community engagement, centres on interactive, peer-based methods that strengthen connections between teachers and services. This includes formats such as faculty ambassadors, buddy systems, and gamified challenges that make exploring and using spaces more collaborative and enjoyable. One practical approach is the use of special interest groups. These function as advisory boards composed of teachers who are already active users or are strongly interested in a service or space. For instance, teachers involved in media-rich teaching could regularly contribute to developing media creation facilities. Their direct input assists in shaping the services based on genuine teaching needs, without necessitating time-consuming outreach for feedback. These peer networks also promote knowledge-sharing and enhance the efficiency of service development.
The third category, training and support, enables teachers to gain hands-on experience and direct guidance in a manner that is relevant and easily accessible. We have learned that teachers are more likely to attend training when it aligns with their actual needs: no one wants to be trained “just in case.” Suggested formats include interactive webinars, personal consultations, and space utilisation workshops. These activities are ideally brief, convenient, and linked to concrete teaching goals. For example, Marsio’s Teaching Studio, a flexible space for recording, webinars, and hybrid teaching, has benefited from scenario-based training sessions that correspond to teachers’ specific teaching plans. Integration into professional development programmes also ensures that space-related learning becomes an organic part of teaching development, rather than an added task.
Finally, events and tours offer accessible opportunities to explore campus resources. These include guided tours, open house events, department presentations, and pop-up demonstrations in the spaces themselves. Such formats are particularly beneficial for teachers who are interested in a space or service but have not yet determined how or when they might utilise it. A visit to a Self-service Studio, for example, may feature brief demonstrations, real-life usage examples, and the opportunity to meet the service providers, thereby reducing the barriers to future use by making the space more familiar and approachable.
The four categories establish a new framework aimed at enhancing awareness of shared facilities and services on university campuses. This framework seeks to boost the usage of teaching spaces and services by assisting educators in recognising their value and feeling confident in their use.
We chose to utilize a dot survey because it is engaging and immediate. The design is simple: users place a dot sticker on a survey poster that represents their usage.
Our survey poster graphic is pictured in Figure 1 (on the right). We chose 9 locations for the dot surveys by categorizing the meeting rooms by floor, building section, and intended use.
Each information campaign is designed using a triangulation strategy. This means combining at least one element from each of the three engagement categories—community engagement, training and support, and events and tours, while always backing these efforts with consistent informational resources. This approach ensures that communication is not only informative but also engaging, timely, and accessible.
The framework was recently tested in a campaign to promote a new Teaching Studio in the Marsio building, part of Aalto Studios’ educational media creation services. The campaign included a newsletter introducing the studio, live department visits to present its features, and a training session held directly in the space. The session was well attended and received excellent feedback, showing how combining information with engagement leads to stronger outcomes.
The outcomes of this sub-project will now be integrated into the ongoing work of the Aalto University Teacher Services team. The new framework will help make future information campaigns more effective, ensuring that teachers not only know what’s available but also feel ready to use and share the spaces and services around them.
Text: Valeria Gryada, Aalto University.
Resourceful sharing project is co-funded by European Union. Please find more information on the project HERE.
