Too Many Decorations

Anna works in a cubicle next to that of a longtime analyst, Amy, who decorates her cubicle for a holiday about once a month, even minor ones like Flag Day. The decorations are not only visually excessive; many of them include lights and/or sound, including ones that are activated by motion sensors. Not surprisingly, the constant sounds and motion are annoying for nearby employees, to the point of interfering with telephone conversations with other employees or clients. To further complicate matters, Amy tends to react strongly and defensively whenever someone disagrees with her, so the group has tacitly chosen to avoid the situation and find ways of coping with it. The authors plan to publish this short case as an open education resource and would like help writing a teaching note that will align with this goal.