In the mid-twentieth century, the design of workspaces underwent a dramatic transformation with the introduction of the "Action Office" system. Developed by Robert Propst in 1964, this layout aimed to increase productivity by providing workers with flexible, customizable components, such as standing desks and movable display shelves. [1] Propst believed that office workers were more creative when they had freedom of movement and visual privacy. Ironically, corporate employers stripped away the system's dynamic elements to maximize space, leading to the birth of the standardized, sterile office cubicles that dominate workspaces today.
The writer is considering adding the following sentence at Point [1]:
"Propst, who held over 120 patents during his career, also designed a timber-harvesting machine and a specialized hospital bed."
Should the writer make this addition here?
- AYes, because it establishes Propst's credibility as a prolific inventor who was capable of redesigning the modern office.
- BYes, because it provides necessary context regarding the other industrial design projects that influenced the Action Office system.
- No, because it interrupts the paragraph's focus on the design philosophy and evolution of the Action Office system by introducing unrelated details about Propst's other inventions.Answer
- DNo, because it contradicts the paragraph's claim that Propst was primarily focused on increasing corporate office productivity.