Way, way back when IBM discovered, gasp, that the largest gain in programmer productivity was giving each one an office. Have also read it takes 15 min to regain train of thought after an interruption. What is pair programming doing to us and worse open offices? And phones?

Any suggestions to something better? The 'powers that be' will never allow private offices (even though all of them have a private office) and the people who get things done *hate* the open office layout. A hybrid? What would an ideal layout look like?

@JustThat For a short time (~3 months) I had my own office and it was *sweeeeet*, until I needed to collaborate and I realized I was trading productivity for teamwork. Petty jealously, but it was real. Providing value for the team was more important than staying in my introverted utopia.

We're moving to a new+bigger office building and I suggested a hybrid office layout (tall walls, simple/smaller dev footprint, with multiple open areas where we could all collaborate). I didn't have pictures+examples, so all I got was blank stares and "Sorry, the decision has already been made". Luckily, there are many loud voices also saying open offices suck, so maybe there is a chance.

@PaperTrail sounds like you just want 80's-90's cubicles back.

Let me spoil it for you, that didn't work either

MEA CULPA, MEA CULPA. Shortly after posting I ran across an uncle Bob video that set me straight on pair programming. I didn't realize that they share a single workstation and that roles and people are rotated.often. Builds skills and improves quality.
Back a million years ago, IBM offices had a small sign which read "THINK". A supervisor finds a programmer with his feet up on the desk. What are you doing? Thinking. Can't you do that on your own time?

I've got to get more sleep. Dave Riley of Continuous Integration on YouTube is who I watched. When I went searching for uncle Bob I kept finding hour plus videos instead of about 10 minutes.
Hope this helps as he packs a lot in a short video.

If I needed to collaborate and the people I needed were in other offices, I'd relocate them and their entire workstation into my office.

Then we could pow-wow for the day and move them back when they're done.