Innovation is fundamentally social. Study after study has shown that the best ideas are more likely to arise from a casual chat around the water cooler or coffee shop than any scheduled meeting. They’re the result of serendipity — a chance encounter at the right time by the right people, regardless of rank and affiliation. Serendipity is also what makes cities great (and so productive). Should we be managing for serendipity instead? And if so, what comes after the office? How can we create smarter cities through social networks, more open workplaces, and better public spaces? Greg Lindsay