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The Centre for Transformative Work Design, part of UWA's Business School, is currently working with Lynne Chapman, a talented illustrator and urban sketcher from Sheffield in the UK, over a two-month residency.

Lynne is immersing in workplaces to sketch people at work across Perth and in rural and remote WA, and is accompanied by the Centre’s researchers who conduct interviews around work design.

ARC Professor Sharon Parker, Director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design, said art is a powerful communication tool that is particularly useful in explaining abstract concepts such as the characterstics your work needs to have in order to be motivating and less stressful.

“As sketching allows images to be captured quickly, the sketches will enable us to illustrate real people in real work places, which when combined with narratives, will provide a powerful way to communicate with the community about the importance of good work design and how it can be achieved,” Prof Parker said.

“When looking at the sketches, we want managers and employees to have light-bulb moments about the effects of good and bad work design. We hope they apply this knowledge back at their workplaces."

Lynne Chapman said she has enjoyed the challenge of using her sketchbook to try and capture people as they go about their business.

“The UWA residency is adding an extra layer of interest: I am learning so much as I sketch, getting a fascinating insight into what different jobs involve and how individuals feel about their work. It's fun not knowing what I'll discover next or what situations I'll need to work around - I've sketched squatting on the pavement and from the corner of a sheep pen; I've even found myself painting in the dark!” Lynne said.

This initiative is also an opportunity to foster inspiration for research by, for example, collecting people’s comments and narratives.

The residency will conclude with an exhibition of the sketches and narratives mid-year.

To see the completed sketches and find out more about the project, visit to sketchingworkdesign.com .

The Centre is currently searching for workplaces where work design has been changed for better or worse. If you would like to discuss a project opportunity, contact Project Lead, Abbe Rorrison [email protected] (+61 8) 6488 7295.