5 ms·

Computer science has a plethora of studies related to OS process scheduling. All of it is directly relevant to human task management. I've never, ever seen in r

by romaniv 10y ago

Computer science has a plethora of studies related to OS process scheduling. All of it is directly relevant to human task management. I've never, ever seen in referenced in any management talks/books/etc.

calibraxis 10y ago
Don Reinertsen mentioned it. At least in a talk, and maybe in his book "The Principles of Product Development Flow". That's only 1 example, but in my personal estimation he's one of the two most effective management theorists I know. Though I wish he were a better explainer. (The other of course is Shanley Kane.)
- calibraxis 10y ago
  Oh, also Joel Spolsky mentions it too: (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html) (But it's not worthwhile for me to trawl through the managerial lit, so no doubt there's more examples.)
- tonyarkles 10y ago
  Thank you. I couldn't remember the name of the book or the author. There's a lot of queuing theory in the book, along with the mathematical conclusions (eg 100% utilization = arbitrarily long queue times). Fantastic book, I think I'm going to have to make sure it's on the kindle for some upcoming flights.
- rmaccloy 10y ago
  If you're an engineer and have trouble getting past project management methodologies that feel like bullshit (or conversely if you care a lot about them but have trouble convincing your team to) you must read "Principles of Product Development Flow". It's definitely a pretty dry read in parts, but battle through it.
hashkb 10y ago
Management doesn't care what percentage of your brain you use as long as you're shipping.
- _ao789 10y ago
  ..but you do. Because it helps you to finish tasks quicker
djohnston 10y ago
At work, I currently have 4-5 different PM's on 4-5 different projects. Each of them has no idea what the others are asking, and I am constantly bombarded with one off tasks via hipchat or in-person requests. The point is not to complain about work, but to agree that management would do well to recognize the importance of process scheduling and queueing, and that a failure to do so is only detrimental to their own objectives.
- JustSomeNobody 10y ago
  I don't have _that_ many PMs, but when I have multiple people asking me to do simultaneous tasks, I email all of them, asking them to prioritize the list for me. I'm polite about it. And it mostly works out. But I never, ever shy away from doing this.
  - vram22 10y ago
    Very good idea - since it both puts the onus on them, and makes them realize the conflicting demands on your time.
  - trhway 10y ago
    >when I have multiple people asking me to do simultaneous tasks, I email all of them, asking them to prioritize the list for me. exactly, as programmers we should be able to understand and apply basic concurrency management techniques.
- rusanu 10y ago
  Your manager/team lead should be shielding you from such
- mattmanser 10y ago
  Why haven't you got a public list of this that you ask them to add to and argue amongst themselves on the priority? Also, your manager is shit.
- epicaricacy 10y ago
  >I currently have 4-5 different PM's That sounds like Agile done right! /s
jasonpeacock 10y ago
A book just came out which addresses this: "Agorithms to Live By" (http://algorithmstoliveby.com/ http://algorithmstoliveby.com/)
- vram22 10y ago
  Just took a quick look at the link. Concept seems interesting. Have you read it, and if so, any opinion on it?
  - soberhoff 10y ago
    I've read it. It was an easy read. No mathematics. Every occurrence of "NP-complete" was replaced with "intractable" and there are tons of anecdotes, many I hadn't heard before. I didn't come away from the book feeling profoundly altered, but I didn't regard it as a waste of time either. If you're looking for something to read on the train, this will do a solid job.
    - sn9 10y ago
      Sometimes you encounter a book that covers material you already "know", but seeing it in a sort of coherent narrative structure can be the thing you need to change the way you think about and perceive the world.
  - adamb_ 10y ago
    I enjoyed it. Gives an interesting perspective on the mind and human behavior

by romaniv 10y ago

calibraxis 10y ago

Don Reinertsen mentioned it. At least in a talk, and maybe in his book "The Principles of Product Development Flow". That's only 1 example, but in my personal estimation he's one of the two most effective management theorists I know. Though I wish he were a better explainer. (The other of course is Shanley Kane.)

calibraxis 10y ago
Oh, also Joel Spolsky mentions it too: (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html) (But it's not worthwhile for me to trawl through the managerial lit, so no doubt there's more examples.)
tonyarkles 10y ago
Thank you. I couldn't remember the name of the book or the author. There's a lot of queuing theory in the book, along with the mathematical conclusions (eg 100% utilization = arbitrarily long queue times). Fantastic book, I think I'm going to have to make sure it's on the kindle for some upcoming flights.
rmaccloy 10y ago
If you're an engineer and have trouble getting past project management methodologies that feel like bullshit (or conversely if you care a lot about them but have trouble convincing your team to) you must read "Principles of Product Development Flow". It's definitely a pretty dry read in parts, but battle through it.

hashkb 10y ago

Management doesn't care what percentage of your brain you use as long as you're shipping.

_ao789 10y ago
..but you do. Because it helps you to finish tasks quicker

djohnston 10y ago

At work, I currently have 4-5 different PM's on 4-5 different projects. Each of them has no idea what the others are asking, and I am constantly bombarded with one off tasks via hipchat or in-person requests. The point is not to complain about work, but to agree that management would do well to recognize the importance of process scheduling and queueing, and that a failure to do so is only detrimental to their own objectives.

JustSomeNobody 10y ago
I don't have _that_ many PMs, but when I have multiple people asking me to do simultaneous tasks, I email all of them, asking them to prioritize the list for me. I'm polite about it. And it mostly works out. But I never, ever shy away from doing this.
- vram22 10y ago
  Very good idea - since it both puts the onus on them, and makes them realize the conflicting demands on your time.
- trhway 10y ago
  >when I have multiple people asking me to do simultaneous tasks, I email all of them, asking them to prioritize the list for me. exactly, as programmers we should be able to understand and apply basic concurrency management techniques.
rusanu 10y ago
Your manager/team lead should be shielding you from such
mattmanser 10y ago
Why haven't you got a public list of this that you ask them to add to and argue amongst themselves on the priority? Also, your manager is shit.
epicaricacy 10y ago
>I currently have 4-5 different PM's That sounds like Agile done right! /s

jasonpeacock 10y ago

A book just came out which addresses this: "Agorithms to Live By" (http://algorithmstoliveby.com/ http://algorithmstoliveby.com/)

vram22 10y ago
Just took a quick look at the link. Concept seems interesting. Have you read it, and if so, any opinion on it?
- soberhoff 10y ago
  I've read it. It was an easy read. No mathematics. Every occurrence of "NP-complete" was replaced with "intractable" and there are tons of anecdotes, many I hadn't heard before. I didn't come away from the book feeling profoundly altered, but I didn't regard it as a waste of time either. If you're looking for something to read on the train, this will do a solid job.
  - sn9 10y ago
    Sometimes you encounter a book that covers material you already "know", but seeing it in a sort of coherent narrative structure can be the thing you need to change the way you think about and perceive the world.
- adamb_ 10y ago
  I enjoyed it. Gives an interesting perspective on the mind and human behavior