Why You Should Redesign Your Office For Introverts

Want to concentrate, or shut out the annoying gabfest? Close your door. Maybe put a sign up if you really don't want to be disturbed (I only did this once).

Want to participate in the design session happening right outside? Just open your door and scoot your chair over. Grab a whiteboard pen and jump in if you want to contribute.

Most open space is a short-sighted cost savings measure that comes out of the wrong budget, designed by people who are not engineers. The space designers I've talked to seemed to be more interested in "the language of the space" and color coordination and carpet wear, and always spoke condescendingly about noise and distraction concerns. Maybe the "pattern language" stuff is important, but I'd be happier if architects and the people who pay them really understood how engineers work.

Right now, I'm winding down at the end of the day. 25' away, there are a dozen interns in a conference room, a handful of which are talking continuously. I'm in a room with a wall of windows, sitting on a big beanbag chair. The A/C drowns out the noise outside, and I can get some serious work done - or catch up on HN, as the case may be. Either way, I can actually understand what I'm reading.

When I'm in need of a break, I'll often wander to the kitchen for a glass of water or through the bullpen. I might join in a conversation here or there, and often someone will call me over to ask my opinion of something. This means that time that I would have otherwise spent looking out the window or holding my head in my hands is now spent being diverted on something that likely adds value to the company.

So, yes - I agree with the author's main premise. It's important for an office for engineers, developers and creatives to have quiet, semi-private spaces mixed in with areas where you incidentally come in contact with other people.

Snark aside I agree it is important to support different work styles and needs, but I am not sure I can appreciate why introverts would be more important than any other group.