The post-enlightenment scientific approaches of careful experimentation to derive truths about a subject and then engineering systems have revolutionized the world. However, there are limits to this approach that can be seen when applying it to designing human systems. When designing human systems, reductionistic approaches have made positive impacts, but in the end, the designer takes some creative license and works within the realm of uncertainty to design solutions to problems faced. We typically see this as the Art of a Practice. This departure from reductionistic thinking in design is where holism thinking comes in, either unintentionally or intentionally. I propose that researchers in design should intentionally bring a holistic approach to design to further design practices. Holism is a theoretical perspective and thought movement that looks to answer the objectivism of reductionistic thinking championed by Science and Engineering. In this paper, I will explore this in the context of workplace design. In the first portion of the paper, I will define and explore Holism and its relation to other theories through a genealogy analysis. Then I will outline this history of workplace design and relate it to theoretical perspectives outlining a future for workplace design with holistic thinking.
