I recently read that Apple’s new office plan is receiving bad press. This surprises me, given that Apple usually has their handle on the latest in ideas. Yet, upon investigation, it’s clear that they appear to not be particularly innovative in their approach to work spaces. Here’s why.
The report I saw says that Apple is intending to use an open office plan. This is where all the tables are out in the open, or at best there are cubicles. The perceived benefits are open communication. And this is plausible when folks like Stan McChrystal in Team of Teams are arguing for ‘radical transparency’. The thought is that everyone will know what’s going on and it will streamline communication. Coupled with delegation, this should yield innovation, at the expense of some efficiency.