I was discussing the cost-benefit of individual offices with a senior manager at a company several years ago (names withheld to protect the guilty) showing here the research that going from open cubicles to individual offices leads to a 50% - 100% increase in productivity.
And her response (not exact - from memory) was "you want me to bet the future of the company on this?"
The reply I should have made was - you're placing a bet either way. Doesn't it make more sense to bet on what research says is more productive?
Not changing is a decision. And sticking with the status-quo in the face of strong evidence that there is a better way is the road to mediocrity - while other companies that learn from others zoom past you.
At Windward we understand this. Both in the case of individual offices (all developers have always had their own office) and in that I never heard "that's the way we've always done it" used as an argument here.
Oh yes, and that unnamed company? They're out of business now.
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