[rhizome]

Having worked in both open-plan offices and cubicle offices I beg to differ. In open-plan, it's by definition that you can hear other people; in cubicles it evolves into the one or a few congenitally loud people doing the noise. "There goes Amy again."

The visual limitations of cubicles help here, because you have a little bit of privacy that motivates people to respect personal space. I'm quieter in cubicles, but not everybody else is, but in open-plan I have to adapt to everyone communicating loudly by being loud myself.

[noir_lord]

How about some kind of sound meter that is attached to the wall of every cubicle, if it measures sustained sound over a preset level it notifies the boss.

Can shoehorn IoT in there somewhere, then you have metrics for everyone in the place and who is doing the distracting.

Could even have a red light on the top that goes off as well.

(Clearly I'm joking..but only just.).

[nitemice]

I'm sure the boss would love to come round every ten minutes to play school-teacher, and tell the noisy kids to keep it down.

[noir_lord]

Well that's what the IoT aspect is for, so many noise events in a defined period and you just send an automated email with a disciplinary notice (again, I'm joking).

Though actually a distributed noise sensor that reports via a simple interface might actually be a useful thing for businesses.

[rhizome]

Beats hiring managers who know how to run a team, I suppose.