Which makes me wonder once again about the current "open office" fad (something I haven't minded, but which seems to drive some folk crazy).
Everything You Think You Know About Interruptions Is Wrong
Contrary to popular belief, interruptions have been shown to improve productivity, not impede it.
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It might improve productivity, but it can still be rude.
I don't think the open office plan is so bad because it maximizes interruptions, but because it doesn't allow anyone a space to call their own. Control of one's environment as work is correlated to higher production, even when it's as simple as choosing the wall art. (I'll have to try to find the source.)
Imagine if you spent an entire day within three feet of your spouse. Neither one of you ever gets relief from the nagging presence of another, even when it's someone you like. That, and the noise, are what would drive me crazy.
+Mary Oswell Having made the change from a walled office to a low-wall cube, I regretted losing my wall art (and about four boxes of other Stuff) — but there was still opportunity (with our configuration) to create personalized cube spaces. (This is more a factor for facilities that "hot desk" everything, which has always struck me as an awful idea for just that reason.)
There are a lot of ways to address close proximity in these kind of situations (starting with where you are pointed and how your monitor blocks view of the other).
On the other hand, yes, it's always nice to be able to close a door.