The biggest mistake I see in implementations of open office plans is work areas that are too small. The open office works best when it feels spacious and customizable, not cramped and fixed. Desks and whiteboards on wheels, choice of standing/sitting, and room for teams to self organize is fun and productive. The shoulder-to-shoulder seating at rows of fixed workstations common in off-the-shelf open plans is what's oppressive. In short, if a company is moving to an open floor plan to save on real estate, then they're doing it wrong.
