Comments on: Standard work and the folly of multitasking. http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/ Working At The Intersection of Personal Productivity and Lean Manufacturing Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:18:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Chris Mahan http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Chris Mahan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158 on the sentence: "Create standardized work, and then try to improve it." My reaction as a programmer is: If I do anything more than once, I automate it with a computer program (sometimes I don't even do it once. I just program it.) Then I use these programs together to create automated workflows. Yes, I'll occasionally review these and tear-down-rebuild better. As far as writing down how to program, that's much harder to do. It's somewhat akin to writing down how to write well. You can a couple of pages of rules on grammar, etc, but that won't make the writing be good. It really requires focused human intelligence. on the sentence: “Create standardized work, and then try to improve it.” My reaction as a programmer is: If I do anything more than once, I automate it with a computer program (sometimes I don’t even do it once. I just program it.)

Then I use these programs together to create automated workflows.

Yes, I’ll occasionally review these and tear-down-rebuild better.

As far as writing down how to program, that’s much harder to do. It’s somewhat akin to writing down how to write well. You can a couple of pages of rules on grammar, etc, but that won’t make the writing be good. It really requires focused human intelligence.

]]> By: Kathleen Fasanella http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Kathleen Fasanella Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-159 ~knocking head on the desk~ I'm more than familiar with standard work and will blather upon its necessity with anyone I can trip and sit upon but until I read this, it never occurred to me that the brilliance of standard work was due to the elimination of multi-tasking. One, two, connect the dots, duh, I don't know where my head was at. Thanks! ~knocking head on the desk~
I’m more than familiar with standard work and will blather upon its necessity with anyone I can trip and sit upon but until I read this, it never occurred to me that the brilliance of standard work was due to the elimination of multi-tasking. One, two, connect the dots, duh, I don’t know where my head was at. Thanks!

]]> By: dan http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/comment-page-1/#comment-160 dan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-160 Veteran Manager: I totally agree that you'll have to handle more than one issue at a time. However, there's a difference between managing several projects concurrently and trying to do two things at once, and it's the latter habit that should be stopped. If you're working with R&D at 10am, then work with R&D at 10am -- don't start taking phone calls and answering emails from Marketing. Do that at 11am. Kathleen: it's amazing how easy it is to spot the lack of standard work in others, or in external processes, but how invisible it is in the way we process information. I've just completed an A3 examining my own work and it was shocking to me just how much I vary from my self-defined standards. Chris: the instinct to program repetitive work is something that comes so naturally to programmers! For those of us who are English majors, it's not quite so innate (sadly). Veteran Manager: I totally agree that you’ll have to handle more than one issue at a time. However, there’s a difference between managing several projects concurrently and trying to do two things at once, and it’s the latter habit that should be stopped. If you’re working with R&D at 10am, then work with R&D at 10am — don’t start taking phone calls and answering emails from Marketing. Do that at 11am.

Kathleen: it’s amazing how easy it is to spot the lack of standard work in others, or in external processes, but how invisible it is in the way we process information. I’ve just completed an A3 examining my own work and it was shocking to me just how much I vary from my self-defined standards.

Chris: the instinct to program repetitive work is something that comes so naturally to programmers! For those of us who are English majors, it’s not quite so innate (sadly).

]]> By: Chris Berlin http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Chris Berlin Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-182 I just saw a news report on TV that explained how students in a VA school are using Iphones in place of books to save costs, have live updates, etc. The teacher promoted this as a great way to teach multitasking and was excited that her students were engaged in this activity. The video showed the kids heads down not interacting with anyone! I just saw a news report on TV that explained how students in a VA school are using Iphones in place of books to save costs, have live updates, etc.

The teacher promoted this as a great way to teach multitasking and was excited that her students were engaged in this activity.

The video showed the kids heads down not interacting with anyone!

]]> By: veteran manager http://timebackmanagement.com/blog/standard-work-and-the-folly-of-multitasking/comment-page-1/#comment-193 veteran manager Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-193 The study certainly has come up with a different perspective but not a realistic assessment. Managers have always been required to juggle a lot of information and each manager has found his own technique to do so. My experience ( paint manufacturing with daily interaction with onsite R&D and Marketing)sees our managers able to effectively juggle simultaneous launches of new products from inception thru production to commerce. The reality is: "If you can't juggle, the business finds a new juggler". An saying I recall from a CEO on measuring performance: There are managers(people) who get things done and those that don't. In a business world where cost control is under the microscope and resources are not always available, I don't see this changing. There is no alternative than to learn to juggle. The study certainly has come up with a different perspective but not a realistic assessment. Managers have always been required to juggle a lot of information and each manager has found his own technique to do so. My experience ( paint manufacturing with daily interaction with onsite R&D and Marketing)sees our managers able to effectively juggle simultaneous launches of new products from inception thru production to commerce.

The reality is: “If you can’t juggle, the business finds a new juggler”. An saying I recall from a CEO on measuring performance: There are managers(people) who get things done and those that don’t.

In a business world where cost control is under the microscope and resources are not always available, I don’t see this changing. There is no alternative than to learn to juggle.

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