In the late 60s and early 70s computing promised a revolution. With the invention of the the mouse, the graphical user interface and computer-networking technologies, researchers around the world began to believe that everything done in the office would soon be brought into the virtual world and presented on screen. Huge investments were made in attempting to introduce the paperless office and in creating the new organisational structures it would enable.

By the late 90s, despite the success of the web, these plans started to look misguided. Researchers in cognitive science, sociology and computer science came to realise that the virtual world does not offer an adequate substitute for the real world. Instead, the physical form of objects in the workplace can often enable and support key skills and processes. Rather than trying to compress the world into the desktop PC, it became clear that computer technologies should be designed to work hand in hand with the properties of the physical office. Only in this way could new efficiencies be gained.

The Appliance Studio has been at the forefront of this work. Our staff are world leaders in understanding the role of paper. Our research has identified where paper will continue to play a role and where its importance will diminish. This has led to explorations of innovative technologies and organisational processes. It's also been foundational for investigations into the future forms of distributed working, where paper and digital media together create unique opportunities for working across time and space.

With this background, we continue to provide services to clients wanting to explore the future of paper used in office environments as well as the emerging functions of paper in other applications.