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Medieval libraries were the first to adopt the cubicle concept, providing monastic scholars with private space for contemplation. It took corporations another few centuries to warm up to the idea. Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, noted in an interview that office cubicles first became commonplace in the late 1960s. He theorized that modular environments were originally intended to increase communication and allow workers to select components best suited to their professional needs. When big businesses realized how much money cubicles saved, there was no turning back. The Smithsonian
points to an even earlier shift in office environment. Starting in the mid-1800s, huge corporations with thousands of specialized employees began to emerge. Effectively administering such large enterprises required a new structure. So by the turn of the century, a system of open spaces had evolved, allowing managers to monitor their staff more easily. Soon after, some employers added partitions to keep workers from chatting on the job. This same report also cites the 1960s as a turning point in "office landscape." Most modern businesses are focused on -- even obsessed with -- making sure information circulates as quickly and seamlessly as possible. As a result, millions of working stiffs are
living in a cubicle world.
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