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Let me take you through my dream office

blog.coderbyheart.com

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Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#31

Post by Klockan »

r00fus wrote: post #29
mynameishere wrote: post #8

Traditional closed offices, conference rooms for group work, and multiple non-shared unisex bathrooms (exactly like the kind in a typical house--how innovative!) That's the perfect office, and I know because I've worked in it and every other variation.

How many houses have unisex bathrooms with stalls? I know it was popular on Ally McBeal, but how many of these exist? Or am I just sheltered and unworldly?

I think he meant unisex bathrooms without stalls. That is each bathroom contains its own toilet and sink and there is a normal door you can close to it without any gaps. Every office and every school outside of US I have been to have had those.

Personally I think it is really strange that people who earn six figures still has to shit next to each other with almost no privacy.

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#32

Post by dasmoth »

GuiA wrote: post #26

Cool post. A few issues I see: - 30 people team?! I find 10-12 or so to be the max size before things descend into chaos - 3 person office seem like a wrong compromise to me. If you want to optimize for focused time, individual offices are best. 2 people offices can be alright, but you'll necessarily have moments when someone comes to talk to your coworker for 30 minutes about blablabla. If you want to optimize for i…

Agree -- it's better than most (and good job fleshing out the design), but there does still seem to be an air of "let's make 1-person spaces undesirable because we don't really trust the minions to work without someone watching them."

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#34

Post by aninhumer »

repiret wrote: post #24
Arizhel wrote: post #5

This has a lot of problems. First, legal problems: you can't have a unisex multi-stall bathroom in the USA. I'm not sure if it's actually illegal (it probably is in many states), but it'll never fly even if it is. Honestly, what you really need is a male restroom that's about 5 times the size of the female restroom. Again, that won't fly politically, but practically it makes sense because there's so few women in soft…

> First, legal problems: you can't have a unisex multi-stall bathroom in the USA. I'm not sure if it's actually illegal (it probably is in many states), but it'll never fly even if it is. It is illegal in the US, see 29CFR1910.141(c): "...toilet rooms separate for each sex, shall be provided in all places of employment [...] Where toilet rooms will be occupied by no more than one person at a time, can be locked from…

That sounds like it's fine as long as you have fully enclosed lockable stalls? (i.e. "toilet rooms")

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#35

Post by tckr »

Domenic_S wrote: post #33

You have to have meeting rooms. People always say you don't, but you always do. Where do you do sprint planning? Project brainstorming? Private meetings (with actual privacy needed, like reviews)?

No dedicated meeting room? Yes, meetings should be reduced to an absolute minimum and can be held in one of the offices or in the stand-up area. This makes them public and everyone easily has the chance to join in. The same is true for client meetings, which in my experience rarely take place at the office if you are an agency, anyway. So, no dedicated meeting rooms necessary.

Sprint planning: in the town hall if the sprint involves most of the team, or in on of the offices. A three people office can accommodate a small sprint team of 6-7 people.

Project brainstorming: In the town-hall, in the kitchen, maybe outside when taking a walk?

Private meetings: In most cases, the privacy of the corner seating areas will be enough, but I think most of the times at least small office will be vacant, because not everybody is in the office all the time.

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#36

Post by loteck »

As a technologist working at a company that helps businesses design & build office space, one item I notice always lacking in conversations about office space is growth.

The article brushes off growth by suggesting you just open a new office when you've grown. This suggestion lacks understanding of how growth happens. It's rarely an instant doubling of headcount. Most organic growth creeps up.

So let me invade your "dream" office with a bit of tough reality. Everywhere you imagined 3 people, 6 months later, put in 5. Then 4 months later, every available "single quiet" space, replace with a full time desk. Then in 60 days put a few part timers and interns out in common area, permanently. Now hold the line for a couple years while we find affordable space to relocate everyone to.

Your dream space becomes just another overcrowded, noisy envitonment due to the realities of cost and efficiency that drive every business.

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#37

Post by tckr »

GuiA wrote: post #26

Cool post. A few issues I see: - 30 people team?! I find 10-12 or so to be the max size before things descend into chaos - 3 person office seem like a wrong compromise to me. If you want to optimize for focused time, individual offices are best. 2 people offices can be alright, but you'll necessarily have moments when someone comes to talk to your coworker for 30 minutes about blablabla. If you want to optimize for i…

> 30 people team

If it's a product team, you can easily have a company with 4-5 teams (design, development, marketing/sales, support, content) so it's not to uncommon to have a team grow to that size. And this size is still manageable, if they are not all doing the same.

For me 30 is the max, I prefer it smaller, too.

> 3 person office

For me that's the ideal tag team: a junior, a medior and a senior working hand in hand is great. In general I find my to be the most agile in teams of three. 3 opinions are a choice, and you can quickly find input if you don't have to stand up to move.

If I'm in the office I want to use that opportunity to be in close contact.

> The wall covering the door

You can peak through the window left and right of the door to see everyone in the room.

> Bathroom stalls

Good point, I'll just update the design (similar to the shower)

> Library

Yes, you could be right.

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#38

Post by tckr »

dasmoth wrote: post #32
GuiA wrote: post #26

Cool post. A few issues I see: - 30 people team?! I find 10-12 or so to be the max size before things descend into chaos - 3 person office seem like a wrong compromise to me. If you want to optimize for focused time, individual offices are best. 2 people offices can be alright, but you'll necessarily have moments when someone comes to talk to your coworker for 30 minutes about blablabla. If you want to optimize for i…

Agree -- it's better than most (and good job fleshing out the design), but there does still seem to be an air of "let's make 1-person spaces undesirable because we don't really trust the minions to work without someone watching them."

I actually imagined having a second floor which is even more quieter, just with offices. There you could have single person rooms.

Joel Spolsky built this type of office: https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2003/09/24/bionic-office/

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#39

Post by tckr »

snegu wrote: post #11

Definitely a place I would like to work. Only thing it's missing is a place for nursing moms to pump (and an in-house daycare if I'm dreaming).

Yes, looking at the feedback, I think I should add more quiet / private space (bigger library, private meeting rooms).

Re: Let me take you through my dream office

#40

Post by tckr »

BatFastard wrote: post #13

LOTs of things I like about this office layout. What I would add, black out blinds on all outer facing windows. I don't see a refrigerator or a coffee machine/water/drinks. What I don't like. I would say rather then a white board, do a white wall. Is the TV screen really needed? Its so easy to just teleconference on your monitor. Stand-up room needs to white board space for sure! Maybe use a projector instead of a th…

> What I would add, black out blinds on all outer facing windows. I don't see a refrigerator or a coffee machine/water/drinks.

Right, unfortunately the asset library of the editor does not contain these items.

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