3 ms·

There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all. This greatly varies depending on the cubicles. The cubicles at the feynman computing center

There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all. This greatly varies depending on the cubicles. The cubicles at the feynman computing center in fermilab were practically reconfigurable offices with dividers nearly reaching to the ceiling. There are certainly bad cubicles which serve almost no purpose at all. I think what you'll find is it's mostly just a regression over time from private offices to open floor plans. Throughout the middle ground it starts out with office-like cubicles, and towards the open plan end of the time window they have low, thin walls before completely vanishing. In my opinion it's mostly cost-driven. Companies are trying to increase the worker density, especially in areas like silicon valley where ft^2 is at a premium. They're just using "improved collaboration" as a consolation prize without admitting "we simply can't afford to give you all reasonable isolation anymore, and there's so many of you engineers on the market you no longer all have leverage to demand it" Frankly, the talented folks easily get sufficient leverage to work from home or wherever they want anyways. So it's not really all that big of a deal, unless you're stuck in the office because you lack the leverage to escape.

pdonis 8y ago
> There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all. This greatly varies depending on the cubicles. You realize that these two statements contradict each other, right? My experience has been that cubicles offer little or no noise isolation as compared to no cubicles; both alternatives are basically the same (i.e., much worse) in comparison with offices.
- maxxxxx 8y ago
  I almost find cubes worse because I can hear stuff around me but I can't see where it's coming from.
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  YMMV is not a contradiction. You're applying a worst case experience with a cubicle to all cubicles. I've had offices that sucked too, it doesn't mean offices are universally bad.
  - pdonis 8y ago
    > YMMV is not a contradiction YMMV was your second statement. Your first statement was a flat assertion that is false for many people, including me. > You're applying a worst case experience with a cubicle to all cubicles No, I'm saying that the worst case experience exists and is basically the same as no cubicles. Your statement that I objected to was "There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all", which is simply false for the worst case (which I think is fairly common actually).

pdonis 8y ago

> There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all. This greatly varies depending on the cubicles. You realize that these two statements contradict each other, right? My experience has been that cubicles offer little or no noise isolation as compared to no cubicles; both alternatives are basically the same (i.e., much worse) in comparison with offices.

maxxxxx 8y ago
I almost find cubes worse because I can hear stuff around me but I can't see where it's coming from.
newnewpdro 8y ago
YMMV is not a contradiction. You're applying a worst case experience with a cubicle to all cubicles. I've had offices that sucked too, it doesn't mean offices are universally bad.
- pdonis 8y ago
  > YMMV is not a contradiction YMMV was your second statement. Your first statement was a flat assertion that is false for many people, including me. > You're applying a worst case experience with a cubicle to all cubicles No, I'm saying that the worst case experience exists and is basically the same as no cubicles. Your statement that I objected to was "There's a whole lot more noise isolation than no cubicles at all", which is simply false for the worst case (which I think is fairly common actually).