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From: raveling@vaxa.isi.edu (Paul Raveling)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng,comp.software-eng,comp.edu
Subject: Re: Offices versus Cubicles (LONG)
Message-ID: <4620@venera.isi.edu>
Date: 26 Jan 88 18:10:15 GMT
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In article <861@ur-tut.UUCP> msir@tut.cc.rochester.edu (Mark Sirota) writes:
>
>Perhaps I'm being a little idealistic, but I believe people work best in a
>cooperative environment, and walls of any size or type only serve to
>destroy cooperation.

	After many years of cooperative work in various environments,
	I believe the physical surroundings have little effect on
	ability to cooperate productively.  The tools that count most
	are . . .

	1.  Feet.  If everyone is within, say, 30 seconds walking
	    distance of each other it's EASY to make the minds meet.
	
	2.  Network (& local) electronic mail.  This easily extends
	    communication ability (e.g., allows saving "memos") in
	    a local group, as well as in a larger group.  

	3.  Shared access to files.  Once done mainly via shared
	    access to a common mainframe and by FTP, networking
	    facilities now make it easy to work collaboratively
	    from separate workstations or separate hosts.
	
	4.  Telephones.  Second best to feet in facilitating
	    "high bandwidth" communication.
	
	5.  Minimal organizational complexity, appropriate meeting
	    planning (neither too seldom nor too often, including
	    the right people, ...)... Excess management is one of
	    the biggest productivity wasters I've seen.
	

	Cubicle environment DO carry a productivity penalty, no matter
	whether the work is individual or cooperative.  My prefernce
	is the private office environment with good sets of these tools.


---------------------
Paul Raveling
Raveling@vaxa.isi.edu