I also work in Bing.
Most people are in offices or in an area with a few people, but (at least for me) our team is scattered around, so we're not nearby each other at all. It's not easy to stop by or ask a quick question without going for a short walk.
Personally I like the office arrangement - you can make it silent, control the temperature, etc. I do wish that teams were grouped more closely together but that doesn't seem to be a concern for anyone higher up.
It depends where you work in Microsoft. Most everybody I work with has their own office. I have several friends at Microsoft who work in open office spaces. As with most things in life, there are benefits and downsides. Personally I like my own office, but I have yet to work in an open environment.
Re:PM at Microsoft (2005)
by shanselman on Friday September 26, 2014 @12:42AM
(#8371359)
We're moving towards more open spaces. Buildings like 44 have large scrumish workrooms, no private offices.
Has this 'more-hats' change you describe (specifically ops) changed that at all? Where I work, I hear an argument against offices: that they promote and encourage isolation in what can be an ops-heavy role at times (I see the merits but think there are better ways to combat that)
My company is at orders-of-magnitude different size than MS, wondering if something similar occurs there.