Context Switching 2

[dragonwell]

I found a couple articles that support my feelings on "Context Switching" - that is, having to stop what you're doing to do something else (even for five minutes) costs you orders of magnitude more than five minutes of time wasted. The first, from Joel:

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html

and also here:

http://www.agileadvice.com/archives/2006/11/how_two_hours_c.html

So what do you think? Is this a real or imagined problem? Do you have any techniques of dealing with this?



[blue]_______________________________________[/blue]

 

[Welshbird]

I wish I did have a technique for dealing with this!

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[SQLSister]

Since context switching is inherent in my job, I feel the pain daily. The best advice I can give you is to note down where you were before switching to the more urgent task. And hit save on the file you were working on before switching. At least that way when you come back to the othre task, you know exactly where you left off and you didn't lose any work due to accidentally closing the window while inthe middle of something else.

And if I have to stop while a part of my code is still definitely not working, I throw in a comment to that effect as well before switching. When you get back to it three days later you might not remember that this particular SQl statement was giving you bad results.

Checklists help a lot on large tasks as well. It is easy to forget a step or think you did it when you didn't when switching back and forth between multiple tasks.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[Glenn9999]

Being distracted from a job, I think is much more productivity-sapping than simply wasting time. It's hard to get into something, especially of an intellectual nature. Especially if you get pulled away from it and have to come back to it. I noticed that even at the beginning of a day (for programming), that you have to spend about 5-10 mins to reacquaint yourself mentally with what you're doing.

I even tend to schedule things around times I know I'll get interrupted (meetings, etc), simply for that. If I finish up something I'm doing like 5 mins before the meeting I tend to just sit and wait around instead of trying to get going on something and then be interrupted and have to spend that time all over again after the meeting.

It's hard not to notice. Of course the ultimate distraction is the cube farm when you hear everything going on in a six cube radius. LOL

 

[Welshbird]

Our 'cube farm' has intermittent barriers between cubes... and they are at that height that you can see over them when you are sitting down without having to do a meer-cat impersonation. and I don't like to be interrupted when I'm busy on tek-tips!

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[Opieo]

Heh.
My work has what I like to call "quadicles" after the idea of a cubicle.
Here is what it would look like kind of:
W = wall of cubicle, P is where a person sits, one in each corner, and T is a small table in the middle.

http://WWWWWWW

W W W
W P P W
T
W P P W
W W W

http://WWWWWWW

And these are back to back, so the long wall of one has more people on the other side with the same setup (naturally).
Its interesting, but I wish I was in a corner where it wasn't lit by 1000 suns overhead in form of fluorescent lighting.

~
Give a man some fire, he will be warm for a day, Set a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life.

 

[sleipnir214]

I once say the ultimate in context-switching. A T.V. reporter was interviewing an air traffic controller while the ATC was on duty. The interviewer asked the ATC a question, and the ATC's answer ran something like, "Well, I certainly think that the current Roger, Delta 318. Climb to 10000 and maintain heading traffic control system needs upgrading..."

It was breathtaking. He had been listening to the radio while answering the reporter's question and without missing a beat skipped into an entirely different converstation and back. The only clue at first was a change in his voice. I learned watching that video that context-switching can be improved on with practice and that some people are just simply orders of magnitude better at it than others.

But having talked to ATCs, the secret of successful context-switching seems to be four things: [ol][li]Know at all times the priority of every task and care of tasks in that order.[/li][li]When a new task is handed to you while you are already doing one, take the time to figure out the priority of the new task, then add it to the queue in the right place.[/li][li]Learn to reanalyze and reorganize your priorities quickly: all it takes is for one pilot to say the magic words, "I am declaring an emergency" for an ATC to completely reorganize his day. Sometimes you will have to, too.[/li][li]Remember that unlike an ATC, your job is not perpetual life-or-death decision-making and that it's okay to occasionally misprioritize.[/li][/ol]


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions! TANSTAAFL!

 

[Welshbird]

I used to work as a technician in a pharmacy, and we all gained the skill of holding one conversation and still being able to listen to another.

For example, my boss and I would be chatting about the weekend, and when the next order was due from a wholesaler, and both of us would stop and join in a conversation happening at the counter to stop someone buying medicines which would interact badly with each other.

I've kinda lost the skill now though as I just don't need it so much.

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[philhege]

T.V. interviewers need to stay the hell out of ATCs. That post was one of the scariest things I've ever read. I don't care about the controller's ability to context-switch; I care that he stays in context, which is controlling aircraft, not chatting with the bubble-headed bleach blonde that comes on at 5.

I'm still slack-jawed.

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.

 

[aarenot]

Lets be real. The only way for someone to understand context switching is for them to do something that actually requires real context in the first place. For the most part, that only includes technical people.
Anyone have any good analogies or ways to express what context switching is to someone who does not do technical work?

The only one I can think of that might convey the concept to the non-technical person is acting.
An actor can take hours, or even days to get into character, and sometimes they will remain in character for the entire day, or even multiple days in order to react as the character, not react as the character would. Once the actor goes out of character, they may need time to get back into character before they can perform. The longer they stay in character, the better they perform as that character. The shorter time they are in character, the lessor their performance. It can be time consuming, and or difficult to get back into character to the point that great performers simply try to stay in character for as long as possible.

 

[KornGeek]

To further aarenot's analogy...

OK, now that you understand the idea of context switching in terms of an actor getting into character, to appreciate what technical people do on a regular basis, picture an actor getting into the character of a person with multiple personality disorder who changes between personalities quickly and at random intervals. Also, the personalities have very little in common.

 

[KenCunningham]

Yeah, I used to be schizophrenic but now I'm in two minds about it.

 

[AlexCuse]

KornGeek - I never thought about it like that. Maybe when I say my job makes me crazy, it is not so far from the truth as I would like :-(

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[KornGeek]

No, no, no, no,

I meant that our different jobs are like different personalities, not that we're (necessarily) crazy. Then again, if the shoe fits...

 

[AlexCuse]

Gotcha. I think it is a tough job to have without becoming crazy though. Maybe that is why so many people seem to get burnt out?

It's a stretch, but imagine a brain surgeon jumping over to the next room and doing heart surgery, and then on to the next room to give someone stitches....

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[philhege]

Star for you, Alex. Many of us practice in so many sub-disciplines that your analogy fits well.

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.

 

[KenCunningham]

...except that (generally) we don't work in life-threatening situations? No problem, Alex, I know you said it's a stretch!

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[Opieo]

Wanting to be good is not always enough.
I have some friends who want lots of things but cannot stop complaining about the fact that they have to work. Not necessarily that work is bad, just that they actually have to do anything.
I believe that once people hit a certain level of wanting something (be it to be good at context switching for your job, or just good at your job in general), you are willing to work for it, and accept the negatives that come with it (sometimes we deal with unpolite people at work, for example).
Judging by that you took the time to bold the word good (light attempt at some mild humor, sorry), it seems that you are serious about it, and are probably willing to put forth the effort to truly be good (at whatever it is you are refering to).
Putting forth the effort to be good makes the world of a difference, because it will show in what you do, and people will notice.
I like this group on these forums just for the reason that whenever I have a problem, be it technical or supportive (my thread on Lack of Work for instance), you guys are all here to help. It is appreciated, and has made a difference.
I come here because I want to be good at my job, and sometimes I get stuck on something. I have the drive to admit I need help, and some people claim that is a step in the right direction. Whether it is or not, I am not sure, you can decide. It does seem to help though, with you guys helpin out from time to time.
Thank you guys!

~
Give a man some fire, he will be warm for a day, Set a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life.

 

[KenCunningham]

Opieo, that's supposed to be my sig. It's a line from a Squeeze song 'Another Nail In My Heart'. I must make that more obvious I guess.

I'm with you - this place has been more help than any number of manuals over the past seven (I think?) years I've been a member.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[Opieo]

Whoops, my bad. =\
Sorry about that, I couldn't tell and have never heard that song before.
I thought it was just with reference to the working and us talking about our craziness and context switching.
I hope I made a point that others can relate to at least with the previous post.
Lol, I cannot help but laugh, not sure why.
I am very happy.
Maybe because it is Friday and I am eagerly looking forward to asking Julie out tomorrow when I see her .... (okay, that is just getting way off topic, stopping there).
Have a great weekend everybody!

~
Give a man some fire, he will be warm for a day, Set a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life.