[AnimalMuppet]

Well, as a developer I need to be able to do two things: I need to be able to think, and I need to be able to get information.

Unfortunately, those two are at war with each other. If I can easily and quickly get information from a co-worker, then they can also get it from me. But that easy interruption, which minimizes the disruption to my co-worker's work, also breaks my train of thought.

The private office/cube/open office choice is a tradeoff, balancing communication with deep concentration. What the proper answer is may depend on your team, your project, and maybe even the phase of the moon. However, it does not depend on which book your manager read most recently.