I've been seriously annoyed about that since I started working in one of those open offices. I've read a few articles about it and cannot understand why would someone like to be in such an environment. Stack Exchange's organization/culture seems to be a quite balanced approach, providing both the common areas where people can be together working/relaxing AND a proper space for them to stay focused while working alone on something. Really good to know there are companies trying to get it right instead of cool.
Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
31–40 of 78 posts
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
Consultants are also part of the problem. I did a Master's degree that shared half its classes with the MBA, and we had some case studies where a consultant was the hero by literally tearing down a wall between sales and operations (the small company had communication and "empathy" issues). I always end up linking to this summary of Chapter 12 of Peopleware: http://javatroopers.com/Peopleware.html#Chapter_12
I'm reminded of an old Dilbert comic--which I can't seem to find online--where the CEO or consultant is hailed as visionary by alternately proposing "centralize everything which is decentralized" and "decentralize everything which is centralized." I guess that could be applied to physical space...
I believe it's a page from Build a Better Life by Stealing Office Supplies, not an actual strip.
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#33The thing to consider here is Stack Exchange is a company that serves geeks, and is built by geeks. Naturally the culture and values of the company are going revolve around developers. But for a huge chunk of the companies out there everything revolves around sales and marketing. The actual role and importance of developers varies from company to company but very few of them are going to revolve around them in the sa…
Consultants are also part of the problem. I did a Master's degree that shared half its classes with the MBA, and we had some case studies where a consultant was the hero by literally tearing down a wall between sales and operations (the small company had communication and "empathy" issues). I always end up linking to this summary of Chapter 12 of Peopleware: http://javatroopers.com/Peopleware.html#Chapter_12
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Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#34It bums me out some to see the standard-bearer for private offices in our profession showing us floor-to-ceiling glass walls in a panopticon arc, "not as creepy as you think"[1]. The Overton window's shifted so far to the cage-free side that privacy isn't even in our frame? OK, a few companies still believe in offices with walls. I don't doubt that it's a fine place to work, likely nicer than the cubicles I've worked…
The glass walls would be more tolerable if the mid-section was opaque/frosted glass, so you still get the light but you also get a degree of privacy.
Adjustable blinds would address my beef, too.
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#35I've recently left one organization for another. I was a Dev in a Cube for for several years. I now have my own office with a large window. It couldn't be a more pleasant experience.
I think with open plans you're sharing a lot more germs too. How many times have your co-workers came into work sneezing? Even in a cube farm, those germs just spread. At least with an office you can keep you and your germs better confined.
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#36There is another possibility, that all offices are fundamentally flawed creations designed not to foster work so much as to create a dynamic of control. When you pay someone and you control both their place and time for over 1/3 of their daily life, there are inherent problems. I'm not sure that any office plan is ever going to be super ideal because of the fundamental problems of power and control that come with an…
Absolutely. People, and especially a very large fraction of people in the software industry, are loathe to think that anything other than ability and pure reason factor into, well, anything. Maybe I've just had some poor experiences but I find it is safe to assume that the majority of decisions around office configuration, benefits, salary, etc., are made based on power dynamics, ego, and bean counting (which is itse…
"People, and especially a very large fraction of people in the software industry, are loathe to think that anything other than ability and pure reason factor into, well, anything."
I would phrase it slightly differently.
We understand full well the world in general doesn't work this way. But we want to carve out a small part of the world where things do work this way, as much as possible.
I think Fog Creek (now Stack Exchange) is trying to embody this ideal in how they have structured their offices. Joel was a developer, and designed his office space in a way that he believes will lead to the greatest possible productivity for his developers.
So the biggest criticism is aimed towards places like Facebook, Google, and other software firms who pay lip service to geek ideals, but prove in how they lay out their office spaces what they really care about.
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#37The thing to consider here is Stack Exchange is a company that serves geeks, and is built by geeks. Naturally the culture and values of the company are going revolve around developers. But for a huge chunk of the companies out there everything revolves around sales and marketing. The actual role and importance of developers varies from company to company but very few of them are going to revolve around them in the sa…
Marketing person here. I hate open offices too.
My boss insists it makes everyone more "open."
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#38Am I the only one that considers lunch to be a sacred, personal time that I don't want to spend on small talk with coworkers? I need my lunch break to recover from the day's stress and pace, so I can come back refreshed and ready to code for 4-5 more hours. As an introvert, I find the team lunches to be waay more stressful than actual work, and that eliminates any benefits of a nicely cooked meal. If I end up in a te…
My work environment has a high concentration of nerdy people with similar interests to mine, so I look forward to our lunchtime conversations, even though I'm also pretty strongly introverted.
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#39The new offices my company is moving to will have an open floor plan and a foosball table. Time to fight for remoting rights.
Don't tell me.
They want to put the foosball table next to your desk.
When will they learn!
Re: Why We Still Believe in Private Offices
#40It bums me out some to see the standard-bearer for private offices in our profession showing us floor-to-ceiling glass walls in a panopticon arc, "not as creepy as you think"[1]. The Overton window's shifted so far to the cage-free side that privacy isn't even in our frame? OK, a few companies still believe in offices with walls. I don't doubt that it's a fine place to work, likely nicer than the cubicles I've worked…
I wonder if you can turn around and face the glass walls when sitting, or if you have to have them to your back. If it's the latter, there's zero privacy advantage in this case to having a private office.