Peopleware Papers: Notes on the Human Side of Software, The

Chapter 5. Official Space

Your office mate chews gum, plays “Where-in-the-World-is-Carmen-San-Diego?” on his desktop machine, and interrupts with burps, groans, and stupid questions whenever you are trying to logic your way through some obscure bug. You've been with the company several years and feel it's high time you had a private office. You go to your boss saying you need more room and more freedom from distracting noise and interruptions. You say it's cost effective, that if you had more space and fewer distractions you'd be more productive. You mention studies to prove it. You need at least a hundred square feet of dedicated work space and thirty square feet of desk-and-table-top. A window would be good, too. In Denmark they legislate that ...