Diesel's 'Capsule' Room Cuts Pointless Meetings Short

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With the average person spending over 9,000 hours in meetings over the course of their career, it's no wonder that business bosses are looking for more efficient alternatives - be that five-minute, standing-only gatherings or dynamic 'walk and talks'.

And while most worker bees don't have the luxury of 'doing an Elon Musk' (who reckons people should simply walk out of bad meetings), the fact that 50 per cent of conferences are, according to The Guardian, a waste of time, means it's in everyone's interest to keep things short and sweet.

Thank goodness, then, for lifestyle brand Diesel, who - inspired by founder Renzo Rosso's ethos that 'the best decisions I've ever made were quick' - have just unveiled a prototype meeting room that's purposefully uncomfortable.  

Designed by Publicis Italy, the 'Capsule' is a 'cramped, unembellished space' that forces the group to get straight to the point and wrap things up within a quarter of an hour. It features a countdown clock set to 15 minutes, at which point the table tilts, threatening to overturn coffee cups and scatter papers and laptops to the wind, while lights flash on and off and music blares out making conversation impossible.

The end result? More freedom, claims Diesel; when choices are made quickly, there’s more time to enjoy life. Gimmicky it may be, but it's nonetheless an entertaining manifestation of the company's commitment to a work-life balance - and fits in neatly with its long-running 'For Successful Living' tagline. 

Having premiered the prototype at Milan’s Wired Next Fest last week, the campaign also saw Diesel reach out to other companies for their suggestions on creative ways to shorten the dreaded office meeting.