The problem with the open-office / everybody in their own room / some mixture articles and proponents of various solutions is that they all seem to ignore the effect of calcification.
The Open-office Trap
11–20 of 161 posts
Re: The Open-office Trap
#12This is a dupe from January of this year. Here's the discussion from then: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7024488
Even though I know it's a dupe, I'll upvote it every time.
Re: The Open-office Trap
#13We've just moved into our first place where everyone has a private office. It's absolutely amazing! I had been complaining for years about open-plan offices [1], but I was actually surprised at just how much more productive it is to have a door that closes! [1] http://blog.circleci.com/silence-is-for-the-weak/
I've personally had the opposite experience. I'm far more productive in a team environment. In video games my most product times are when an artist and/or designer and I sit together and work together. Even when we are not directly interacting with each other seeing stuff on each other's screens lets us see what each other is working on and communicate early and often.
I understand that some people in certain roles would do much better with no interruptions in a private office but it's not a one size fits all solution. If your work consists of something you can mostly do on your own that's certainly one case where private offices might be a win. If your work consists of lots of collaboration it seems less clear. At least to me.
I'll also note that at least for me I'm much happier around other people than isolated in a private office. I'm not saying I want to be an a 1960 bullpen but a room/area with 2 or 3 other coworkers I'm working on stuff with is my personal ideal.
Re: The Open-office Trap
#14What's funny is that I actually have no idea what a non-open office would look like. I've worked for 15 years and have never even walked in an office that wasn't open. How do you give each person an office without using like 5x the space as a cubicle farm? That's the real reason that companies like open offices - because they can jam a lot more people in the same space. Someone who is ok with a 6x6 cubicle would feel trapped in a 6x6 office.
Re: The Open-office Trap
#15[deleted]
Re: The Open-office Trap
#16We've just moved into our first place where everyone has a private office. It's absolutely amazing! I had been complaining for years about open-plan offices [1], but I was actually surprised at just how much more productive it is to have a door that closes! [1] http://blog.circleci.com/silence-is-for-the-weak/
I've personally had the opposite experience. I'm far more productive in a team environment. In video games my most product times are when an artist and/or designer and I sit together and work together. Even when we are not directly interacting with each other seeing stuff on each other's screens lets us see what each other is working on and communicate early and often. I understand that some people in certain roles w…
Working alongside 2 or 3 other coworkers isn't really the same thing as an open-office though. At the moment I'm sitting in an office of approximately 30+ people. Working on my own in this environment is annoying. Working with my team (2-3 other people) is also annoying, as we can't speak without being overheard. And I'm sure when we're working as a team, and conversing a lot, we'll be annoying others who require some quiet.
A private office doesn't mean you have to work on your own, it just means you have the option to.
Re: The Open-office Trap
#17There is definitely a need for better working environments.
This small table with a wool shell looks nice, and the idea could (with heavy modification) be used to create long benches of private working space where noise and visual distraction is reduced and people are not boxed into cubicles.
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/13088/gamfratesi...
Re: The Open-office Trap
#18We've just moved into our first place where everyone has a private office. It's absolutely amazing! I had been complaining for years about open-plan offices [1], but I was actually surprised at just how much more productive it is to have a door that closes! [1] http://blog.circleci.com/silence-is-for-the-weak/
I've personally had the opposite experience. I'm far more productive in a team environment. In video games my most product times are when an artist and/or designer and I sit together and work together. Even when we are not directly interacting with each other seeing stuff on each other's screens lets us see what each other is working on and communicate early and often. I understand that some people in certain roles w…
So go hang out in other people's offices to regain that experience. Back when I worked in offices I'd do that or have coworkers do that all the time.
Re: The Open-office Trap
#19There is definitely a need for better working environments. This small table with a wool shell looks nice, and the idea could (with heavy modification) be used to create long benches of private working space where noise and visual distraction is reduced and people are not boxed into cubicles. http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/13088/gamfratesi...
I get a 404 on that link. Can you check it out?
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Edit: found it http://www.designboom.com/design/gamfratesi-the-rewrite-desk...
Re: The Open-office Trap
#20We've just moved into our first place where everyone has a private office. It's absolutely amazing! I had been complaining for years about open-plan offices [1], but I was actually surprised at just how much more productive it is to have a door that closes! [1] http://blog.circleci.com/silence-is-for-the-weak/
I've personally had the opposite experience. I'm far more productive in a team environment. In video games my most product times are when an artist and/or designer and I sit together and work together. Even when we are not directly interacting with each other seeing stuff on each other's screens lets us see what each other is working on and communicate early and often. I understand that some people in certain roles w…
"I've personally had the opposite experience. I'm far more productive in a team environment. In video games my most product times are when an artist and/or designer and I sit together and work together."
A few people working together on a single task is not an open office. In a "real" open office you couldn't actually talk to the artist and designer beyond a few sentences because if you did you would disturb the other 10-20 people within earshot.