The Interruptive Nature of Operations (2014, Velocity Barcelona)

http://blog.xkcd.com/2011/02/18/distraction-affliction-correction-extensio/

The Interruptive Nature of Operations

Avleen Vig & Carolyn Rowland

Remotes

Impact

The Fix

Culture

Interruptions are all around us

“Interruptions averaging 2.8 s long—about the time to perform a step in the interrupted task—doubled the rate of sequence errors.”

- Michigan State University study, 2013

Interruptions Come at a Cost

$588b(at least!)

Impact to you

● Increased stress

● Missed deadlines

● Slower career progression

CC BY http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdenker/33237141

Impact to your team

● Lack of dependability● Increased workload for others● Increased technical debt

● Degraded communicationCritic

al problem

for remotes!

Interruptions and Operations

Evan, thevlue, CC BY

Why do we do this job?

Interruptions are all around us

Interruption Sensitive Environments

https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishredcross/4397471329

jbgeronimi CC BY

Leonardo Rizzzi, stars6, CC BY

Interruptions are the job

“The person who says something is impossible, should not interrupt the person doing it.”

- Chinese proverb

Let’s fix it!

http://buzz.socialmarketingforprinters.com/blogs/images/109195046.jpg

Resist destructive urges

Jason Howie, jasonahowie, CC BY

Balancing Small vs Large Tasks

● Focused Batching

● CodeT days

Horia Varlan, horiavarlan, CC BY

The Confident Multitasker

Jason Weaver, indyplanets, CC BY

http://www.onlinecollege.org/Multitasking/

vm.swappiness=0

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/collaboration.jpg

2.1 hours/day(546 annually)

Rich Anderson, memestate, CC BY

● Lists

● Tickets

● GTD

Task switching

http

://xk

cd.c

om/3

03/

3 minute attention span

William Warby, wwarby, CC BY

(or maybe 25 minutes)

Duncan Hull, CC BY

40%

Improving alert design

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chronic_fatigue_syndrome.JPG

Improving alert design: Etsy 2011

● 24 hour avg:1 page/5 mins

● 8 hour avg:1 page/1.5 mins

Improving alert design: Attention

“Information is not a scarce resource.Attention is.”

- Herb A. Simon (1971)

github.com/etsy/opsweekly

Improving alert design: Etsy 2011-14

Improving alert design: Etsy 2011-14

● 24 hour avg:1 page/2 hours

● 8 hour avg:1 page/40 mins

Tool overload

Tony Hall, anotherphotograph, CC BY

Paul Downey, psd, CC BY

Removing barriers to focus

Jessica Mullen, jessicamullen, CC BY

Attention Deficit

“High” Priority Interruptions

In-person

Instant Messaging

Other notifications

Chronic interrupters

CultureImprovements Inside...

Level Up

W_Minshull, CC BY

Manage emergencies

#warroom / standing down stations

http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2012-05-16/etc_emergency21__01__630x420.jpgBarbara Abate, biaph, CC BY

Meetings

Managers vs makers

http://www.expertcomics.com/enr//wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1slippery-300x200.jpg

Calendars

How Urgent is It?

Synchronous vs Asynchronous

Judith E Bell, jhandbell, CC BY

Visual indicators

● Headphones

● IRC / IM status to Do Not Disturb

● Closed door

How to take vacation

Peter tropical.pete, CC BY

Setting expectations

“Be right back!”- Avleen Vig, circa 2000

(still not back…)

Ask for

http://www.smartsheet.com/files/haymaker/Help.Support.Advice.Guidance.Assistance.jpghttp://pixabay.com/en/road-sign-help-street-sign-shield-464648/

Working RemotelyThe future is now!

Unique Challengeshttp://funny-pictures-blog.com

/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/M

EM

E-Leisure-Interruption.

jpg

Scheduling When You’re New10:00: Wake up10:30: Lounge around in pyjamas11:00: Breakfast11:30: Oprah!12:00: Lunch13:30: Write some code14:00: Play with cat14:30: Pile of laundry calls

Scheduling As A Pro

09:00: Wake up09:15: Shower09:30: Breakfast09:45: Emails10:15: Plan the day10:30: Meeting11:00: Write code

13:00: Lunch13:45: Meeting14:30: Tickets16:30: Wrap up tasks17:00: Done!

Home Office

John Lambert Pearson, orphanjones,CC BY

Cultural Shift

Logan Ingalls, plutor, CC BY

● Remote by default

● Extroverts and Introverts

● Nurture flexibility

When You Visit The Office

You are differently productive!

Pascal, pasakaru, CC BY

Where do I begin?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XguhVMDDtZ8/TrgFtH8Pi6I/AAAAAAAAAx8/dFOheYXk5JE/Sweetie187, CC BY

Questions?

@avleen @unpixie

http://xkcd.com/705/http://xkcd.com/705/