RESTORING SPACE PLANNING TO ITS CREATIVE & ANALYTICAL ROOTs

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Space planning is supposed to be an exciting blend of creativity and analytics—balancing the art of crafting visually engaging spaces with the science of optimizing for sales and customer experience. Yet, let’s be honest: for many in this field, it’s devolved into a grind of procedural minutiae. The reality for many visual merchandisers is a daily battle with complex systems, endless clicks, and little room for innovative thinking. Instead of thriving in a dynamic environment, we’re left feeling like cogs in a machine.

Death by a Thousand Clicks

At its worst, space planning becomes a checklist of repetitive, mechanical tasks. The power of modern

software has grown exponentially, but its complexity often outpaces its usability. What should be a tool for innovation and insight feels more like an anchor—one that ties up time, energy, and, worst of all, creativity.

And that’s where the real problem lies: when the job becomes about “doing” rather than innovating, we lose the spark that drew many of us into this field in the first place. Success starts to be measured not by outcomes or fresh ideas but by how efficiently one can churn through a list of tasks. This not only stifles imagination but also makes the role less attractive to fresh talent. After all, nobody’s dream career is built on button-pushing.

It’s time to confront the truth head-on: a significant portion of space planning is mechanical. That’s not going to change overnight. But what can change is how we approach that reality.

First, we need to acknowledge this reality at all levels—from leadership to IT to the space planners themselves. Most importantly, the team needs to understand that reducing the mechanical load is not a threat to their job security but a chance to redefine their roles into something far more valuable and fulfilling. The goal isn’t to eliminate their expertise but to create room for it to shine.

To do that, we need to declare war on the mundane. If a task is boring, it’s time to ask hard questions: Is it really necessary? And if it is, is there a better, faster, or simpler way to do it?

Complexity has hidden costs—costs that aren’t just about time and money but about morale, creativity, and long-term organizational health. When you eliminate complexity, you unlock bandwidth. And bandwidth is where innovation thrives.

The Approach: Mapping the Path to Simplicity

The path forward begins with a brutally honest audit of how we work. Every process needs to be mapped—not just the outcomes but the endless steps required to achieve them. And crucially, this must include how we interact with systems. In many cases, the problem isn’t the tasks themselves but the inefficiency of system interactions. It might be the system is capable, but inadequate training leaves it untapped, or the team’s knowledge has not been shared.

From there, classify every step: Is it necessary? If yes, how can it be improved? This is where data integration, automation, and better training come into play. The aim isn’t just to save time—it’s to create simplicity. Simplicity breeds bandwidth, and bandwidth breeds creativity.

Breaking the mechanical components away from the visual merchandising role could also be a game-changer. Let’s face it: the knowledge of “how to do it” is critical today but won’t be the differentiator tomorrow. What will set great teams apart is their ability to think critically and creatively about the why and the what.

Partnerships with internal IT teams and software solution providers are key to this transformation. Together, we need to create a roadmap for system improvements—not just adding features but focusing on creating intuitive, user-friendly interactions that eliminate unnecessary complexity.

The Results: Creativity Unleashed

By streamlining processes and reducing complexity, the results will speak for themselves. Cycle time will shrink, freeing up space planners to do what they do best: innovate. This extra time isn’t just idle—it’s the fuel for meaningful change, the thrust that propels the team forward.

The pace and significance of innovation will accelerate. When space planners have the bandwidth to combine creativity, analytics, and context, the outcomes will be transformative. Store layouts will no longer just “work”— they’ll inspire.

This shift will also have profound effects on team morale. Job satisfaction will soar, making it easier to attract and retain top talent. People want to work where they feel their contributions matter, where their creativity is valued. By focusing on what makes the job fulfilling, we can create roles that people genuinely want to step into—and stay in.

Finally, this approach can serve as a model for other areas of the organization. The principles of simplicity, automation, and creativity aren’t exclusive to visual merchandising. They can—and should—be applied across the board, creating a culture that thrives on innovation.

Space planning doesn’t have to be an endless slog through procedural minutiae. By confronting the realities of the job, simplifying processes, and embracing the power of automation, we can restore the role to its rightful balance of art and science. This isn’t just about making work easier—it’s about making it better, for the team, the organization, and, ultimately, the customer.

The job doesn’t have to be what it’s become. It can be so much more—and it’s up to all of us to make that vision a reality. Let’s declare war on the boring and get back to what truly matters: innovation, creativity, and impact.