Software development models, pair programming, agile, team rooms, etc.

[Mark Woodward]

I went on an interview at FluidNet, and while I was very impressed with 
what they are doing, and I liked the VP, I had to bow out of the process 
because they had one big team room and practiced pair programming. I 
just got out of a miserable experience with a !Agile process with team 
rooms. I know for me, I find those environments distracting, 
uncomfortable, and stressful.

I originally started down the thought process that these "new age" 
processes were inherently counter productive. Then, recently, I was 
discussing personality types with a friend. Like many established 
psychological tests intended to pigeon hole people, there are usually 
elements of insight in the nonsense. I definitely think there are 
different personality types, and while the resolution of the various 
pigeon holes is far far too small to encompass the true variability of 
personalities, you can say make some basically factual statements, for 
instance, some people thrive in one type of environment while others 
will not.

For me, I'm not a particularly social person. (INTJ) I'm social enough 
when need be, but need quiet periods to think. I would rather be alone 
than surrounded by people. I can't think effectively in a crowd without 
completely shutting them out and most people find this behavior rude. 
The "team room" environment was too distracting and too interruptive. I 
was most productive on "work at home" days where I could focus.  I guess 
I can imagine some people are very socially interactive and may thrive 
in that sort of environment. While no one likes "cubicles," I find them 
preferable to "team rooms," others not so much.

A large percentage of the old timers in our industry show some symptoms 
of Asperger's, I'm one of them, but think RMS if you like. I'm not 
saying we *have* Asperger's, I'm just saying that many of us have some 
degree of social ineptitude. I wonder if the "new age" methodologies and 
processes are prejudicial in some way. I know I can't be effective or 
productive in an intensely social environment no matter what kind of 
training any more that a color blind person  can learn to see color. It 
is not my personality make-up.

So, what do you do guys think?