I personally have mixed feelings about open office plans. I understand the possibilities they offer, but have been skeptical of their implementation and execution. Open-plan offices are usually pitched as the key to unlocking untapped collaboration and communication, however, I do not believe they make good on all their praise.

I have worked in several different work environments from complete open-plan to an all cubicle farm. Each of these have their good and bad points. In an open-plan office there tends to be more ambient noise and distractions, but on the other hand a cubicle farm can become a quiet and mundane. What really is the solution? Bloomberg Businessweek has recently posted an article called "Ending the Tyranny of the Open-Plan Office". I would highly encourage you to read it.

Defining a great office environment is crucial to building a productive team that communicates and collaborates with ease. I think the solution is to offer a variety of spaces that are conducive to extreme focus, informal collaboration, formal collaboration, socializing and eating.

Spaces

• Extreme Focus - These spaces should be similar to a personal cubicle, office, or one to two person study rooms. Their primary use should be focused on production either as an individual or a pair (e.g. Peer Programming or Master / Apprentice). These spaces should reduce or eliminate excess noise.
• Informal Collaboration - These spaces should be large enough to accommodate small groups of people (ideally ranging from 5 to 15). These spaces should also reduce or eliminate excess noise so the group can focus on their collaboration. Informal collaboration spaces could range from a group cubicle, small meeting room or other roughly defined space that helps the group focus together. These spaces may benefit from table space, whiteboards, monitors, projectors, and seating. These spaces should be available on a first come basis but should be limited to no more than an hour. This helps keep the spaces informal and available to others as needed.
• Formal Collaboration - These spaces should accommodate both small and large groups of people based on the company's needs. These spaces should be entirely separate rooms or spaces so the group can give their full attention. These spaces may benefit from table space, whiteboards, monitors, projectors and seating. These spaces may be setup as a formal conference room or classroom. These spaces should have a scheduling system in place to eliminate rooms being double-booked. Coworkers should not be able to override one another on the schedule. If a supervisor has a more pressing need for a room, they should contact the employee that schedule and assist them in finding an alternate space.
• Socializing - These spaces should accommodate small groups of people and they should have some separation from others who are focused on work. These spaces could have a mix of group and individual necessities to encourage discussion as well as individual reading or phone calls. These spaces may benefit from table space, seating, writing space and potentially coffee and water. The focus for these spaces should be more comfortable than informal or formal collaboration spaces. These spaces may even benefit from soft ambient music.
• Eating - These spaces should accommodate medium to large groups of people based on company need. The spaces should be designed around eating as a group to encourage socializing. Eating spaces should be entirely separated from individual, informal and formal work spaces. These spaces may benefit from table space, chairs, refrigerators, coffee machines, water, ice, and snacks.