5 ms·

Several teams in Apple don't have an open floor plan. They pair two individuals in an office.

nbdev 8y ago
I have one word for this, and I'm totally sincere and serious about it no matter how facetious it sounds: Farts.
ghostcluster 8y ago
Except that the gigantic multibillion dollar new space ring was explicitly designed around big open office units, long tables with bench seating, and the 'privacy pods' are exposed clear glass on all sides..
- hfdgiutdryg 8y ago
  long tables with bench seating So everyone at the table has to have identical ergonomics?
  - fzzzy 8y ago
    What an absolute nightmare.
    - piccolbo 8y ago
      You just need to hire engineers that fit the space (between 5'9" and 5'11" tall). What is the problem? Hiring is difficult anyway ...
  - rbonvall 8y ago
    And it sounds like it's identically awful ergonomics.
- ebbv 8y ago
  Wow that sounds like a waking nightmare. If I had to sit on bench seating all day I'd probably quit after a week.
  - briandear 8y ago
    Except that isn’t true. Ergo is a really big deal at Apple. You get a standard chair, but you can have an ergo evaluation and they’ll buy you whatever chair you need if your existing chair isn’t correct. Nobody is spending their work day on benches; that’s a fact.
    - ebbv 8y ago
      This seems like something you should have replied to the parent with. I wasn't asserting what happens at Apple, I was reacting to what he said. If he is making stuff up, call him out not me.
      - briandear 8y ago
        You are correct. Apologies. My intent was to respond that you wouldn’t face such conditions. Def should have been on the parent comment though! I’d quit too if I had to work from a bench all day!
    - ghostcluster 8y ago
      > Ergo is a really big deal at Apple. Apparentlhy not, if you've ever used their new keyboards and touch bars on the premium laptops, or their awful, awful magic mouse.
- yoda_sl 8y ago
  Slightly incorrect! The offices there vary in size from one person to up to a dozen. A lot of offices in various sections of the ring accommodate 2 persons. Yes there is a big glass/sliding door but from what I have seen when closing the door it is quite soundproof (unlike some small conference room). And they provide inside each section different zone with huge whiteboard and sofa/chairs to help facilitate brainstorming/discussion, even each area has its own Apple TV to project on a huge screen through AirPlay. So overall it is quite good from what I was able to see for the few hours I was there. Folks working there like it.
  - lawnchair_larry 8y ago
    No they don’t. They pretty famously refused to relocate to the new space and there was a lit of outrage and rebellion. It’s awful. https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apple-employees-hate-apples-5-billion-open-plan-o.html https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apple-employees-hate-appl... http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/09/01/apples-new-open-office-sparks-revolt/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/09/01/apples-new-open-office...
- geekbird 8y ago
  Yuck. That sounds like hell. You can't pair/team with another person if your neighbor is literally an armlength away.
briandear 8y ago
And lots of teams have single developer offices. Saying “at Apple” is meaningless because there are a wide variety of situations.

I have one word for this, and I'm totally sincere and serious about it no matter how facetious it sounds: Farts.

Except that the gigantic multibillion dollar new space ring was explicitly designed around big open office units, long tables with bench seating, and the 'privacy pods' are exposed clear glass on all sides..

hfdgiutdryg 8y ago
long tables with bench seating So everyone at the table has to have identical ergonomics?
- fzzzy 8y ago
  What an absolute nightmare.
  - piccolbo 8y ago
    You just need to hire engineers that fit the space (between 5'9" and 5'11" tall). What is the problem? Hiring is difficult anyway ...
- rbonvall 8y ago
  And it sounds like it's identically awful ergonomics.
ebbv 8y ago
Wow that sounds like a waking nightmare. If I had to sit on bench seating all day I'd probably quit after a week.
- briandear 8y ago
  Except that isn’t true. Ergo is a really big deal at Apple. You get a standard chair, but you can have an ergo evaluation and they’ll buy you whatever chair you need if your existing chair isn’t correct. Nobody is spending their work day on benches; that’s a fact.
  - ebbv 8y ago
    This seems like something you should have replied to the parent with. I wasn't asserting what happens at Apple, I was reacting to what he said. If he is making stuff up, call him out not me.
    - briandear 8y ago
      You are correct. Apologies. My intent was to respond that you wouldn’t face such conditions. Def should have been on the parent comment though! I’d quit too if I had to work from a bench all day!
  - ghostcluster 8y ago
    > Ergo is a really big deal at Apple. Apparentlhy not, if you've ever used their new keyboards and touch bars on the premium laptops, or their awful, awful magic mouse.
yoda_sl 8y ago
Slightly incorrect! The offices there vary in size from one person to up to a dozen. A lot of offices in various sections of the ring accommodate 2 persons. Yes there is a big glass/sliding door but from what I have seen when closing the door it is quite soundproof (unlike some small conference room). And they provide inside each section different zone with huge whiteboard and sofa/chairs to help facilitate brainstorming/discussion, even each area has its own Apple TV to project on a huge screen through AirPlay. So overall it is quite good from what I was able to see for the few hours I was there. Folks working there like it.
- lawnchair_larry 8y ago
  No they don’t. They pretty famously refused to relocate to the new space and there was a lit of outrage and rebellion. It’s awful. https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apple-employees-hate-apples-5-billion-open-plan-o.html https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apple-employees-hate-appl... http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/09/01/apples-new-open-office-sparks-revolt/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/09/01/apples-new-open-office...
geekbird 8y ago
Yuck. That sounds like hell. You can't pair/team with another person if your neighbor is literally an armlength away.

briandear 8y ago

And lots of teams have single developer offices. Saying “at Apple” is meaningless because there are a wide variety of situations.