Background
The past 2 weeks were a bit busy with inspiring feedback talks and a nice workshop with Andre Häusling. Readings were about cross functional teams, problems with multitasking, human responsibilities, agile architecture and productivity.
Readings Overview
- Cross functional team – building a shopping cart (Youtube video)
- What multitasking does to our brains (Post by Leo Widrich)
- Amazing animations by RSA Animate
- The principles of agile architecture (Alex Yakyma and Dean Leffingwell)
- Universal declaration of human responsibilities
- The science of productivity (YouTube)
Cross functional team – building a shopping cart
Sources: Cross functional team – building a shopping cart (Youtube video)
While investigating what it means to work with a cross functional team I got that hint by Boris Gloger. It really helped me to get the idea. See what amazing results they achieve within 5 days.
What multitasking does to our brains
Sources: What multitasking does to our brains (Post by Leo Widrich)
Leo Widrich references on various studies and nicely summarizes why multitasking isn’t really working – although it seams like that for observers.
“[People who multitask] are not being more productive — they just feel more emotionally satisfied from their work.”
“We were absolutely shocked. We all lost our bets. It turns out multitaskers are terrible at every aspect of multitasking.”
He tries to overcome the habit of multitasking with:
- The single browser tab habit
- The evening planning routine (e.g. with the cool and free Todo List)
- Change work location at least once a day
Amazing animations by RSA Animate
Sources: Amazing animations by RSA Animate
I had fun and learned a lot watching these inspiring videos by RSA Animate about:
- The power of outrospection
- The divided brain (based on Thinking, Fast and Slow
)
- The power of networks
- Drive (based on Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
)
The principles of agile architecture
Sources: The principles of agile architecture (Alex Yakyma and Dean Leffingwell)
This article was an enlightening one after I had a nice discussion with my peer Claudio. I think it really describes what to consider for being agile with your architecture.
- Design emerges. Architecture is a collaboration.
- The bigger the system, the longer the runway
- Build the simplest architecture that can possibly work
- When in doubt, code, or model it out
- They build it, they test it
- There is no monopoly on innovation
- Implement architectural flow
Universal declaration of human responsibilities
“… seeks to bring freedom and responsibility into balance and to promote a move from the freedom of indifference to the freedom of involvement”
“… The basic premise should be to aim at the greatest amount of freedom possible, but also to develop the fullest sense of responsibility that will allow that freedom itself to grow”
A value defining foundation for everyone. For me with a lot of implications on working together.
The science of productivity
- Willpower is not enough (ego depletion)
- 1st step – GET STARTED
- Zeigarnik effect – We try to finish a task we already started
- Deliberate practice (focus on hardest task and slice focus in packets)
- Disciplined scheduling of breaks and tasks (90′ work – 20′ break)
- Deadline on a task
- Use an accountability chart to document your progress (to evaluate work and staying focussed)
- stop multitasking
Thank you for the video about shopping cart. This is what the scrum speaks about. The cross functional teams with members from different specializations and skills, Self organized, product backlog, sprints, meetings. Here is the blog from SCRUMstudy which speaks about the common pitfalls of scrum and how to avoid them http://scrumstudy.com/blog/?p=145
Hi Alana,
nice that you liked it. I'm curious to read and follow scrumstudy … starting … now 😉
Sebastian