While many people would assume that open-concept designs are preferable for collaboration, in actuality the opposite is true. Collaborative tasks are typically specialized in nature and require a great deal of focus. It is almost impossible to focus on a special project in a room where you can see and hear everything transpiring around you. In fact, the need for a focused space dedicated to special tasks led to the creation of conference rooms. Many companies are surprised when they learn that cubicles can be designed to support team initiatives where groups of individuals can work on projects where specific tasks are supported by various workstation features. Because work stations are composed a large number of separate components, they can be constructed in a near infinite number of configurations and dimensions that readily support team meetings, collaborative design work, research and development, and product assembly.