There seems to be a lot of research activity recently in trying to figure out the best office design for the “new way of working.” At two extremes, should everyone be given a private office with a door they can close to minimize distractions or, should everyone be seated in open-plan spaces to encourage collaboration among team members?
Between these two extremes are variations and combinations of office space designs that have the goal of matching environment to work task. Since work and the studies of it will continue to evolve, our best preparation is to know how to get the acoustics right for every office type.