Open offices don't improve productivity, especially not in software development, where the ability to focus and concentrate is reduced if not eliminated and stress levels increased. It's simply a way to cram more people into less office space. The hidden costs are ignored.
Open floor plan means when Wally goes into high Zen he floats around the ceiling of the entire floor like a helium filled balloon. It also leads to fights among the employees as to what kind of music they are going to play for everyone on the floor to hear - when some of them begin to sing along with the music Rod Serling will show up.....
- Mere amateurs ! My former bosses put a rapidly expanding desk based department in a warehouse on the industrial estate 200 yards down the road from the main office - all open plan of course !