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Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

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Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#111

Post by mathgeek »

cauch wrote: post #96
ath3nd wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If one requires interrupting 6 other people to maintain flow, it's probably a good idea to start phrasing (hyperbole intentional) it like: 'To keep my own flow, I need to destroy the flow of all my colleagues' And not: 'My colleagues destroy my flow when they can't babysit me and respond to my questions asap, how dare they' It's like driving and then going like: 'Gee, all these other drivers are sure in my way, I nee…

> If one requires interrupting 6 other people to maintain flow Where is this "6" coming from? Again: 1) You may be incapable of doing work when someone walks next to you, but this is not the case of a lot of people. It's like driving and then going like: 'Gee, when these cars are putting their blinking lights on and it is distracting me, they should all quickly park before I arrive'. 2) My flow is fine, thank you ver…

The “6” is coming from the original comment in the thread.

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#112

Post by ffgjgf1 »

ath3nd wrote: post #56
spike021 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Basically like having a toddler around. Unnecessarily condescending response to the OP, to be honest.

Fair take. I am not trying to be condescending here, but it's hard to view this behavior as anything but overly disruptive. https://www.businessdit.com/distraction-work-statistics/ Instead of "just a quick question", the OP could prepare a list of their questions, and ask them all at the allocated time. A scheduled deep dive into the questions the OP has might even be more productive than multiple unscheduled disrupt…

> could prepare a list of their questions,

Unless 90% of the questions you spend time coming up with become entirely irrelevant after you receive the answer to the first one

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#113

Post by Aeolun »

jusssi wrote: post #110
zeristor wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you have the head of sales ringing a bell for a sale every few hours too?

To me, this seems like a positive problem.

I think what ends up happening is that you sell a lot of stuff that gets steadily worse over time.

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#114

Post by creakingstairs »

broast wrote: post #101
nox100 wrote: post #18

Some do, not all do. I do much better in a room with ~6 people that are working on the same project. Much better than working at home. Much better than a private office (which I've had). Having people around me working on the same project is invaluable for me for * asking quick questions and getting an instant answer. vs chat where I may not get an answer for hours. * running ideas by others. This doesn't happen on c…

I always find it surprising that so many people struggle to make effective human connections over chat. I think it must be generational, as I believe these are the connections I and other young people prefer.

I've made numerous friends over IRCs, Warcraft 3 chat channels and whatnot and had preferred it over face-to-face (and I still prefer chat over zoom calls!) but as I've gotten older, I started appreciating talking in real life more and more, and now struggle to form connections over chat. I wonder if there are others who are in the same boat.

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#115

Post by ath3nd »

esskay wrote: post #106

It has to be said, if you're employing programmers and making them sit in an openplan office you're willingly and knowingly making their job significantly harder, and their day worse. Open plan might work great for some types of work, but for highly technical and mentally taxing work it's quite litterally the worst possible working environment you could be providing. There's a reason that many programmers prefer to w…

Who would win:

- literally 100s of publications showing how disruptive and destructive to focus it is to be working in an open office work and how much distractions it brings:

https://theconversation.com/returning-to-the-workplace-heres...

https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-truth-about-open-offices

https://www.businessdit.com/distraction-work-statistics/

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/eve...

https://juliety.com/effects-of-distractions-at-work

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/11/why-open-offi...

- A bunch of extroverts who just can't wait to tell you what they did over the weekend. Backed, of course, by C-level dudes who simply can't bring themselves to believe work can be done if they PERSONALLY can't see you at your desk working.

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#116

Post by infecto »

ath3nd wrote: post #37

People like you are the reason I personally don't want to be in an office. > asking quick questions and getting an instant answer. vs chat where I may not get an answer for hours. Basically like having a toddler around. Sorry for the negative take here but how it's written it feels like you don't necessarily realize that some people do need deep work, and prioritize your quick satisfaction to other's focus. Or I migh…

[flagged]

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#118

Post by isoprophlex »

ath3nd wrote: post #115
esskay wrote: post #106

It has to be said, if you're employing programmers and making them sit in an openplan office you're willingly and knowingly making their job significantly harder, and their day worse. Open plan might work great for some types of work, but for highly technical and mentally taxing work it's quite litterally the worst possible working environment you could be providing. There's a reason that many programmers prefer to w…

Who would win: - literally 100s of publications showing how disruptive and destructive to focus it is to be working in an open office work and how much distractions it brings: https://theconversation.com/returning-to-the-workplace-heres... https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-truth-about-open-offices https://www.businessdit.com/distraction-work-statistics/ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/eve... https:…

The asshats holding the bags of money, obviously

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#119

Post by throw0101c »

esskay wrote: post #106

It has to be said, if you're employing programmers and making them sit in an openplan office you're willingly and knowingly making their job significantly harder, and their day worse. Open plan might work great for some types of work, but for highly technical and mentally taxing work it's quite litterally the worst possible working environment you could be providing. There's a reason that many programmers prefer to w…

> Open plan might work great for some types of work […]

I'm curious to know: why types are, or people consider to be, good for open plan?

Generally, office type jobs tends to be one where people need to use their brains to concentrate on something, and open plans tend to be able to create / not block distractions, they would be antithetical to being able to concentrate.

Re: Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

#120

Post by ath3nd »

isoprophlex wrote: post #118
ath3nd wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who would win: - literally 100s of publications showing how disruptive and destructive to focus it is to be working in an open office work and how much distractions it brings: https://theconversation.com/returning-to-the-workplace-heres... https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-truth-about-open-offices https://www.businessdit.com/distraction-work-statistics/ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/eve... https:…

The asshats holding the bags of money, obviously

Bingo!
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