Path: utzoo!yunexus!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!wang!wdr From: wdr@wang.com (William Ricker) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Life in CubicleLand Message-ID: Date: 29 May 90 15:53:40 GMT Article-I.D.: wang.anf2tj.hpp References: <1990May14.160611.3208@tc.fluke.COM> <3440004@hpfelg.HP.COM> Organization: Wang Labs, Lowell MA, USA Lines: 46 A couple of points on cubicles. See DeMarco & Lister's _Peopleware_ book for chapters describing the good and bad points of cubicles. They site an IBM study which gives optimum cost/ benefit (or minimal for productifity) numbers of square-feet of office, linear feet of shelf and desk/table, and cubic feet of file per office worker. They also discuss at length the tradeoffs of different interaction modes. Key recommendation in DeMarco & Lister is don't let the furniture police design the cubes; instead, allocate 100sq.ft or more per s person to a group, and let them carve it up into group and private space. I once swore I'd never live in a cube -- I've been lucky and only once each in ten years had more than one officemate or not had a window. However, as I've learned to take care of my back by positioning keyboards and monitors in more ergonomic positions, I've had to steal secretarial returns from the halls & remove the legs (knealer chairs need lowere keyboard than even typing returns). And only executives and draftsmen can order standing desks or looking bookcases except by midnight requisition. My 8x8(x5'hi) Herman Miller cube here at lovely Wang Towers has a door, three 4x2 desk units (one at knee level and two at waist height) and more storage than you can shake a stick at. Before I abandoned a shelf in the last move, I had more shelving in my 64sq' cube than IBM recommended in a 100sq' cube. I'm happy. My neighbor (whose office we annoyed the furniture police by enlarging to 8x12 during the move) and I have considered tearing down the wall between our cubes and creating internal screens to have a common "library" area and private spaces for a team effect. Cubes can be a force of good. If a hypothetical next employer expects me to live in a "real office", they're going to have to show me an interesting furniture catlogue. Of course, if the furniture police choose a system that the occupant can't rearrange and do not supply sufficient shelves, cupboards, desks and most importantly doors, things are bad, bad, bad. Good news: corporate policy here has just changed such that there is a new standard cube size. Anyone who doesn't rate a boss-box will in future moves get the same size cube: 8x10, no haggling allowed. (Boss-box == window office with real wall & door, suitable for chewing out peons in privacy, except for the window beside the door.) -- /bill ricker/ wdr@wang.com a/k/a wricker@northeastern.edu *** Warning: This account not authorized to express opinions ***