Here's an idea. Let's assemble a group of non-engineers to redesign the work environment for software developers and software testers. Let them base all their ideas on the work flow and behaviors of the non-engineering departments like accounting, HR, administrative, and operations. Next have them throw out the idea of actually considering what it's like to work day in and day out in an engineering environment where disruptions mean slowing progress, less productivity, and irritability among the employees.
Now, tell them to wrap their ideas with words like "open", "fresh", and the trump word "collaborative".
Okay, I can't keep that up.
I've worked in many environments, from folding tables at startups to door'ed offices. I've had high and low wall cubicles. I've even worked in a metal box (those that know need no explanation). I've been around. I know what does and what doesn't work.
Engineers and many non-engineers often work "in the zone". If you know what I mean, good. If you don't know what I mean, no one can help you.
If a person is put in an "open" environment where there are no cubicles, just open desks, no "private" space, how do you think that affects their productivity?
Now, tell them to wrap their ideas with words like "open", "fresh", and the trump word "collaborative".
Okay, I can't keep that up.
I've worked in many environments, from folding tables at startups to door'ed offices. I've had high and low wall cubicles. I've even worked in a metal box (those that know need no explanation). I've been around. I know what does and what doesn't work.
Engineers and many non-engineers often work "in the zone". If you know what I mean, good. If you don't know what I mean, no one can help you.
If a person is put in an "open" environment where there are no cubicles, just open desks, no "private" space, how do you think that affects their productivity?
Let's talk about that. One of the claims of the open space supporters is that it fosters easy and open communications. They say it makes it easier for people to discuss their tasks and projects. They say it improves productivity. But does it really?
Let's consider a typical engineering team at a company working on a mature (already deployed) product. Joe's working on supporting an existing large customer with a feature request. Mary is working on a feature request from sales for an upcoming contract. Bill and Amy are working on some critical bugs in separate obscure areas of the code that are complex and requires a lot of concentration. Each one has a schedule deadline in less than four weeks.
Sue, Keith, Margaret, and Jack are working on a long term project that won't be complete for about eight months. Casey and Alyssa are new grads doing bug fixes to learn their way around the code base. Lydia and Tom are interns doing whatever is needed.
So Lydia, Tom, Casey, and Alyssa naturally ask a lot of questions. Something they would do in any office environment regardless of walls or cubicles. I know because I did when I was new and I do when I have transitioned jobs and I have answered countless questions from other engineers just like them.
Sue, Keith, Margaret, and Jack will be working on the same basic project for a long time, so they will be collaborating regardless of the office environment.
And those guys with the schedule crunch Joe, Mary, Bill, and Amy? They are working on very separate projects from everyone else. They all work on the same code base so they all will collaborate in ways as needed.
What looks like collaboration when considering Lydia, Tom, Casey, and Jack is to Joe, Mary, Bill, and Amy a lot of disruption. It is a lot of interruptions to their "zone". It slows them down.
Similarly, Sue, Keith, Margaret, and Jack, though they don't have the same schedule pressure, they need to remain focused on keeping a longer schedule on track over the eight months. The collaboration from others often distracts and diverts their attentions to the point that schedule does become an issue.
So what is my point?
Even in a high wall cubicle environment where we have that private space, many engineers still put on headphones to keep the distractions at bay and get into the zone. Countless engineers listen to music while working just to drown out the already too busy and noisy office environment with it's "hall talk", impromptu meetings in cubes that spill over to neighboring cubes, and the office antics.
It has been said that cubicles are "bland" and "boring". I don't see that as a problem. I see an open table environment without walls to cover distractions and provide at least the illusion of privacy to be disruptive. It is not "fresh" and "modern". It is reminiscent of the bullpens of the early to late 20th century with rows and rows of women putting typewriters through their paces.
Before I am accused of sexism it is a fact the overwhelming majority of office typists at that time were women. Look it up. I defy that fact to be disputed.
So this is what an open environment once looked like.
And that is what comes to mind when people talk about it now:
The only difference is the density.
Look, if open office environments really worked all that great, why is it that so many of the companies that opted for them later had to do retrofits to combat acoustical problems, remove some of the "openness" in exchange for private space, and in general, gradually move to more and more private spaces?
Because they don't work for people and the don't take into account the behaviors from the typical engineer that in many aspects demonstrates characteristics common in the autism spectrum.
Open plans don't work for engineering teams with the possible - and only a possibility, not a given - exception to small teams working on a single focused task or project like is often found in startups and one product companies (think Facebook).
So when management arbitrarily makes the decision to move it's engineering department to an open space plan what can they expect? Glad you asked. I'll tell you what I've seen over the years.
A) Resentment to being treated like just another resource, not deserving the dignity of a private space (that is nearly a quote from many engineers).
B) Increase in the number of engineers wearing headphones in an attempt to ignore everyone and everything.
C) Schedule slips as the so-called collaboration reveals itself to be mostly disruption and interruption slowing down progress.
D) Employees leaving to take jobs in other companies without open office plans. They won't say that is the reason they are leaving, but most will admit it is a significant contributing factor.
E) Decreased morale to the point of impacting business for the first year. As people leave and new people come in and are resigned to the environment it will improve, but not dissipate.
F) Many experienced engineers will pass opportunities to go to companies with open environments.
G) A lot more WFH emails. If you are unaware of that acronym it means "working from home", a message subject sent out in email to your team when you are going to be working from home for the day.
Consider item G for a minute. If you have the choice of working from the comfortable atmosphere of your home, or in a place where you have no privacy for eight hours, endless chatter and disruption, and the constant feeling that people are watching everything you do, where would you choose to work?
These are not thought experiments or guesses. These are observations I have made over the years and are real.
I understand there are a lot of proponents of the open environment for the office. Funny thing though, that majority of engineers are not proponents of them.
I find that telling.
Now, let's consider some very specific, and very real, concerns from engineers over open office plans.
1) Where is my personal whiteboard? While this may not seem like a big issue to a lot of people this is a HUGE issue to engineers. We use our whiteboards all the time. We need our whiteboards. And no, we don't want to share a whiteboard on wheels that is shared by several engineers.
2) Where is my ergonomic desk and chair? A lot of engineers have opted for standing desks, desks that can do both standing and sitting.
3) Where do I put all my stuff? Many of us are packrats and while arguably we may have too much junk, as engineers we think differently than most normal people. We think "I may need this" because one day we probably will and we don't want to have to go hunting it down. The open spaces don't have much in the way of private storage and more importantly, your messy desk is exposed for everyone to see.
4) What about my extra equipment? Not everyone works with just a single computer on their desk. Often, engineers have equipment or extra computers - that may be specially configured build or test machines - and any number of peripherals on their desks. In these new open environments, space is at a premium, where do we put our equipment?
5) Will there be enough space for my two extra large monitors and everything else I need? There is no escaping it, engineers need screen real-estate. We need lots of screen size to get lots of windows display at once.
These are very practical concerns that have no easy solutions in open plans. There are solutions however in cubicle environments which satisfy the needs and requirements of engineers regardless of how boring or bland the cubes may be.
When it comes down to it, you won't hear employees openly griping excessively about open environments (for the most part). The reason is simple, they don't want to lose their jobs... yet. But, silence on the part of the employees who choose to not speak does not equate to support or even consent. It could mean they are afraid, but not accepting.
So much of what I have described constitutes a toxic work environment: constant observation, restrictive desk space, lack of equipment, and fear.
Now, let's consider some very specific, and very real, concerns from engineers over open office plans.
1) Where is my personal whiteboard? While this may not seem like a big issue to a lot of people this is a HUGE issue to engineers. We use our whiteboards all the time. We need our whiteboards. And no, we don't want to share a whiteboard on wheels that is shared by several engineers.
2) Where is my ergonomic desk and chair? A lot of engineers have opted for standing desks, desks that can do both standing and sitting.
3) Where do I put all my stuff? Many of us are packrats and while arguably we may have too much junk, as engineers we think differently than most normal people. We think "I may need this" because one day we probably will and we don't want to have to go hunting it down. The open spaces don't have much in the way of private storage and more importantly, your messy desk is exposed for everyone to see.
4) What about my extra equipment? Not everyone works with just a single computer on their desk. Often, engineers have equipment or extra computers - that may be specially configured build or test machines - and any number of peripherals on their desks. In these new open environments, space is at a premium, where do we put our equipment?
5) Will there be enough space for my two extra large monitors and everything else I need? There is no escaping it, engineers need screen real-estate. We need lots of screen size to get lots of windows display at once.
These are very practical concerns that have no easy solutions in open plans. There are solutions however in cubicle environments which satisfy the needs and requirements of engineers regardless of how boring or bland the cubes may be.
When it comes down to it, you won't hear employees openly griping excessively about open environments (for the most part). The reason is simple, they don't want to lose their jobs... yet. But, silence on the part of the employees who choose to not speak does not equate to support or even consent. It could mean they are afraid, but not accepting.
So much of what I have described constitutes a toxic work environment: constant observation, restrictive desk space, lack of equipment, and fear.
