I agree it works every time its tried.
Remember:
With pizza and powder coated chips (Dorito's) provide plenty of napkins.
And keep the soda coming.
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Yup, works for me.
But,... Don't, please, don't make it NOW.!.
There's nothing worse than we / you have to eat NOW. NO, That does not compute to me. I eat when I can, because that's the way it (& IT) is. I hate it when I hear 'we' have to eat now, (because it's the Lunch break thing to do.) like then therefore I do too. And I just going to hit a magick 'pause-button' and everything will be ok while I doing the feeding time thing.
No. Please just keep the coffee comming. Ask questions, take notes, watch, learn, a keep out of the way, but don't try to stop (or interupt) me.
---always been that way too. -d
But,... Don't, please, don't make it NOW.!.
There's nothing worse than we / you have to eat NOW. NO, That does not compute to me. I eat when I can, because that's the way it (& IT) is. I hate it when I hear 'we' have to eat now, (because it's the Lunch break thing to do.) like then therefore I do too. And I just going to hit a magick 'pause-button' and everything will be ok while I doing the feeding time thing.
No. Please just keep the coffee comming. Ask questions, take notes, watch, learn, a keep out of the way, but don't try to stop (or interupt) me.
---always been that way too. -d
... but I do love free food, the more fattening the better :-D
Way is to give the geek a project with new software/hardware and let them have time to explore it. One of my perks is a IT manager showing me computers/servers and saying no one can figure out why these do not work.
Thats my idea of a great way to pass the time and I did like the food. But with time I now like green tea and fruit but still go for hot chicken wings when offered.
Thats my idea of a great way to pass the time and I did like the food. But with time I now like green tea and fruit but still go for hot chicken wings when offered.
Caffeine is THE lubricant that every IT team that i have ever seen has run on. Coca-Cola is my personal fuel. Never underestimate the power of the atta-boy award Coke to keep the team feeling appreciated.
IT geek. I work at a beer and wine wholesaler. Nothing like a cold beer or nice glass of wine while I'm working! =)
When managers around here need a favor, they not only offer food, they ask if I'm in the mood for beer or wine?!
When managers around here need a favor, they not only offer food, they ask if I'm in the mood for beer or wine?!
I didn't say I was getting drunk!
I just said there was something satisfying about having a nice cold beer while working.
I just said there was something satisfying about having a nice cold beer while working.
I could almost picture someone pulling apart a computer and ZAP!!!
Uber heroines wearing minimal clothing fighting with large blades or multiple guns. At least this works in the gaming geek world.
Message was edited by: beth.blakely@...
Message was edited by: beth.blakely@...
1. Don't act like "the outsider". Most geeks tend to dislike and get fed-up with a non-geek, pious manager. They like someone who is just like them, or at least can understand and relate to them and gives them their due respect and space.
2. Offer free food...of course. A geek loves nothing better than free soda, pizza, coffee, donuts, cupcakes, pie, etc. Geeks would rather spend their money on the latest game or software than food.
3. Don't be nosy. Geeks despise a manager who is always walking around, looking, making idle chat to try and get a tidbit of info. If you wanna know, ask your geek. If he/she doesn't tell you, you don't need to know (unless it pertains specifically to the work that you manage).
4. Don't be a fake. Geeks have "fake-dar". Ungenuine people are seen as idiots by geeks. Geeks accept you better if you're yourself.
Just my two bits.
2. Offer free food...of course. A geek loves nothing better than free soda, pizza, coffee, donuts, cupcakes, pie, etc. Geeks would rather spend their money on the latest game or software than food.
3. Don't be nosy. Geeks despise a manager who is always walking around, looking, making idle chat to try and get a tidbit of info. If you wanna know, ask your geek. If he/she doesn't tell you, you don't need to know (unless it pertains specifically to the work that you manage).
4. Don't be a fake. Geeks have "fake-dar". Ungenuine people are seen as idiots by geeks. Geeks accept you better if you're yourself.
Just my two bits.
This is a pretty decent list. I'm surprised by number 3 though. Most managers just can't keep their control issues from making them constantly nose around what you are working on.
The fact is that most geeks will be proud and challenged to complete tasks or projects. Encourage them to tell you what they've done or what problems they've solved. Even if you don't care, it's important to the geek that someone knows or acknowledges their 'kung-fu' is superior (to the problems they face).
I know I've often solved complex problems with unique, elegant solutions that I am very proud of only to get barely a nod. Just because it seems like a simple problem with an easy fix to you, doesn't mean you're right. Your geek may have pulled off a technical miracle. Find out, be interested, and acknowledge it.
Also, don't assume your way of doing your job is the best way for your geeks to do theirs.
Most of us have a unique personal style and methodology to problem solving and working that we use because it's the best, most productive way for us to work. And we know this is true because we've refined this methodology over the years and we're still refining it. Not to say we aren't open to friendly suggestions. Sometimes an outside view can see things we've missed.
I have had managers that like to walk up unannounced and say "hey, what are you working on?". The problem is I'm usually working on 5-6 things at once. Many of which are precursors to solving the problem you asked me to solve. But it's not often easy to explain the mental juggling act that I use to problem solve, and constantly interrupting me often just makes me 'drop all the balls' and have to start over.
Anyway, that's my ramble for today.
The fact is that most geeks will be proud and challenged to complete tasks or projects. Encourage them to tell you what they've done or what problems they've solved. Even if you don't care, it's important to the geek that someone knows or acknowledges their 'kung-fu' is superior (to the problems they face).
I know I've often solved complex problems with unique, elegant solutions that I am very proud of only to get barely a nod. Just because it seems like a simple problem with an easy fix to you, doesn't mean you're right. Your geek may have pulled off a technical miracle. Find out, be interested, and acknowledge it.
Also, don't assume your way of doing your job is the best way for your geeks to do theirs.
Most of us have a unique personal style and methodology to problem solving and working that we use because it's the best, most productive way for us to work. And we know this is true because we've refined this methodology over the years and we're still refining it. Not to say we aren't open to friendly suggestions. Sometimes an outside view can see things we've missed.
I have had managers that like to walk up unannounced and say "hey, what are you working on?". The problem is I'm usually working on 5-6 things at once. Many of which are precursors to solving the problem you asked me to solve. But it's not often easy to explain the mental juggling act that I use to problem solve, and constantly interrupting me often just makes me 'drop all the balls' and have to start over.
Anyway, that's my ramble for today.
I think that's more of a problem than a solution. While it's true that there needs to be a layer of protection around IT to prevent us from being swamped by the daily 'little' stuff, isolating IT from those they serve (and remember, IT IS a service provider!) does nothing but cause problems.
As for food--well, gee, that works for anyone.
As for food--well, gee, that works for anyone.
I think he means to minimize interruptions. There's nothing worse than to be neck deep in problem solving/designing/whatever than suddenly to have to "resurface" because somebody walked into your cube to ask you for the fiftieth time "When does your script check for the month end again?"
George
George
As a geek and now a manager to boot, I know that this is critical. An IT department that I just took over was riddled with interuptions. The first thing that I instituted was a help desk system (just a simple MS Access program that we built) to manage incoming support requests. This placed a simple management tool between those contact inturuptions that provides a level of service to the users as well as the ability for management to prioritize inturuptions. Policies that separate users from IT staff are not a bad thing. Often users do not understand that IT is a service department, but there is a job that we perform beyond simply fixing their computers when things go down. For some reason many users are under the misconception that computers maintain themselves and that when things are working normally, IT is just hanging out and doing nothing. A simple process can change that mindset to aleviate this type of issue.
you have to change the mentality of modern business.
I'd love to change it...but, I'm afraid I'd go to prison for that type of action
I'd love to change it...but, I'm afraid I'd go to prison for that type of action
When I think of isolation to me is, 5 foot cube walls that with a wall section that cover half the entry point. And no cube sharing. My cube has a report printer in it.. Its distracting when ppl print to it and just walk in my cube to get the work. Once I become full time, OUT it goes.
Isolation is not recommended. Securing the IT geek from unnecessary interruptions is a better policy to utilize. Isolation implies lack of communication and involvement and that will not help.
Supporting web site: http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives2/the_science_of_interruptions.php
Quote:
Information is no longer a scarce resource - attention is. A scientist of human-computer interactions recently studied how high-tech devices affect office work behavior.
Each employee spent only 11 minutes on any given project before being interrupted and whisked off to do something else. What?s more, each 11-minute project was itself fragmented into even shorter three-minute tasks, like answering e-mail messages, reading a Web page or working on a spreadsheet. And each time a worker was distracted from a task, it would take, on average, 25 minutes to return to that task. To perform an office job today, it seems, your attention must skip like a stone across water all day long, touching down only periodically.
Once interrupted, people often forget what they were working on.
This is part of the reason that, when someone is interrupted, it takes 25 minutes to cycle back to the original task. Once their work becomes buried beneath a screenful of interruptions, office workers appear to literally forget what task they were originally pursuing. We do not like to think we are this flighty: we might expect that if we are, say, busily filling out some forms and are suddenly distracted by a phone call, we would quickly return to finish the job. But we don?t. Researchers find that 40 percent of the time, workers wander off in a new direction when an interruption ends, distracted by the technological equivalent of shiny objects. The central danger of interruptions, Czerwinski realized, is not really the interruption at all. It is the havoc they wreak with our short-term memory: What the heck was I just doing?
:Unquote
Quote:
Information is no longer a scarce resource - attention is. A scientist of human-computer interactions recently studied how high-tech devices affect office work behavior.
Each employee spent only 11 minutes on any given project before being interrupted and whisked off to do something else. What?s more, each 11-minute project was itself fragmented into even shorter three-minute tasks, like answering e-mail messages, reading a Web page or working on a spreadsheet. And each time a worker was distracted from a task, it would take, on average, 25 minutes to return to that task. To perform an office job today, it seems, your attention must skip like a stone across water all day long, touching down only periodically.
Once interrupted, people often forget what they were working on.
This is part of the reason that, when someone is interrupted, it takes 25 minutes to cycle back to the original task. Once their work becomes buried beneath a screenful of interruptions, office workers appear to literally forget what task they were originally pursuing. We do not like to think we are this flighty: we might expect that if we are, say, busily filling out some forms and are suddenly distracted by a phone call, we would quickly return to finish the job. But we don?t. Researchers find that 40 percent of the time, workers wander off in a new direction when an interruption ends, distracted by the technological equivalent of shiny objects. The central danger of interruptions, Czerwinski realized, is not really the interruption at all. It is the havoc they wreak with our short-term memory: What the heck was I just doing?
:Unquote
Huh. And I thought it was because I have ADD. I'm routinely distracted by shiny objects.
that we suffered from ADD, that is why it takes soooo long to get back into it.
Maybe its just because we are actually Human----who woulda thunk!
Maybe its just because we are actually Human----who woulda thunk!
The more removed you are from the customer, the more customer service suffers. Interruptions are a part of daily work--no way around it. Managing them, via process, is critical--but that shouldn't mean IT is isolated from the business unit. Heck, getting IT to interact with 'the rest of the office' is typically a large enough issue without encouraging the opposite.
I think you're getting off topic. This is about geeks not the department. The geeks shouldn't be the ones on the front lines of customer service IF you can help it. They are far better suited to a less inturuption friendly environment and will be WAY more productive and (see article title) HAPPY. Yes, IT needs to talk to people. No one is saying that they shouldn't. Geeks, on the other hand, are happier and more productive when they are given a more isolated environment. This is most obvious when you think about projects. Developers make poor business analysts (usually). Why? Because business analysts get interupted and spend a lot of time listening. Developers should be allowed to read a requirements document(s) and write code. They tend to be happier (fewer inturuptions), users tend to be happier (fewer confusing conversations with a geek) and the product almost always ends up being better.
You're saying the members of the IT department should be isolated but the department itself shouldn't be--so there's some non-geek face that acts as a go between?
What I'm saying is that IT has geeks and non-geeks. This article is talking about geeks and what creates a happier work environment for geeks. Separation from "the user community" is something that every geek I know (myself included) has always appreciated when possible. The front line IT staff that interface with users tend to be the less geeky group and actually enjoy the distraction of users. These people tend to the the business analysts, help desk technicians and PC techs. The "go between" as you called it exists within the IT department. Every IT group has geeks and non geeks.
Sometimes just having someone intercept and log the call goes a long way to finishing up all the other tasks you already have on your plate.
From personal experiences, I agree with the article and many of the responses.
I work in an open area, and everyone knows where I am. We have a policy that we do not accept walk-ups, but many people do anyway.
Personally, I can be in a netmeeting and on the phone with someone else and someone will walk up and try to interrupt me anyway, over some stupid thing usually.
I have to put someone on hold to let this person know to either send me an email or IM, or to place a call the proper way.
Usually, they will linger around, waiting for me to get off the phone, which is a further distraction as well.
Tell Me, if I am already helping people who requested help the proper way, why would it be bad for me to be behind a closed (locked) door? I have worked in a large tech room like that before and rarely had complaints about being inaccessible. As an IT pro, I leave various ways to be reached, but I cannot actually work on 4 or 5 things at a time. Everytime that I have tried, I ended up forgetting where I was in each task, and the ones that were almost completed, I would need to spend 2-10 minutes to figure out where I was on it.
I work in an open area, and everyone knows where I am. We have a policy that we do not accept walk-ups, but many people do anyway.
Personally, I can be in a netmeeting and on the phone with someone else and someone will walk up and try to interrupt me anyway, over some stupid thing usually.
I have to put someone on hold to let this person know to either send me an email or IM, or to place a call the proper way.
Usually, they will linger around, waiting for me to get off the phone, which is a further distraction as well.
Tell Me, if I am already helping people who requested help the proper way, why would it be bad for me to be behind a closed (locked) door? I have worked in a large tech room like that before and rarely had complaints about being inaccessible. As an IT pro, I leave various ways to be reached, but I cannot actually work on 4 or 5 things at a time. Everytime that I have tried, I ended up forgetting where I was in each task, and the ones that were almost completed, I would need to spend 2-10 minutes to figure out where I was on it.
Making users comply with the process is NOT the same as isolating IT. I never disputed that having a process and enforcing compliance was invaluable. But locking IT away from everyone? Sheesh.
it does not mean that they will give bad service. I have worked in 'the cage', 'the dungeon', and the like in several positions. It worked out great.
First, IT can be a pretty noisy bunch, so separation is not a bad thing.
if they are easily reached, then isolation should not be a problem, or allow for worse service, and the tech's can 'dig in' on some problems that may take weeks if constantly bugged.
I have run into this issue 'as stated' many times before. 1 of them it took me almost 2 weeks to find a fix for a BSOD problem (random), that in my estimate should have been fixed in a day or 2. But, being interrupted a lot, caused a lot of delays.
If I had a choice, I would be locked away, at least for a few hours a day.
2 desks would be perfect. I can spend quality research time without distractions, and still be highly available for most of the day.
First, IT can be a pretty noisy bunch, so separation is not a bad thing.
if they are easily reached, then isolation should not be a problem, or allow for worse service, and the tech's can 'dig in' on some problems that may take weeks if constantly bugged.
I have run into this issue 'as stated' many times before. 1 of them it took me almost 2 weeks to find a fix for a BSOD problem (random), that in my estimate should have been fixed in a day or 2. But, being interrupted a lot, caused a lot of delays.
If I had a choice, I would be locked away, at least for a few hours a day.
2 desks would be perfect. I can spend quality research time without distractions, and still be highly available for most of the day.
I completely agree with w2ktechman, 2 desks would be a godsend. I am a lone Geek working in a medium print company and expected to ensure that everything from the kettle, to the desktops, to the servers, to the digital presses, to the MD's home network is kept up 100% of the time, 7 days a week.
This means it is a huge juggling act to shoe horn in the actual projects I should be working on, like the company website, the customer print order and stock control online app, all company reports, MIS maintenance, email spam and virus updates, you name it. Oh and answering the phone when no one else in the building can be asked.
Add to that the expectations of the staff that I MUST be able to answer, ON THE SPOT, every vague problem, error or task they come across in every SINGLE application in the building AND answer THEIR client's problems at the drop of a hat.
2 desks? That would be a welcome luxury, gimme some time to actually learn the damm applications I'm mean't to be supporting.
And yes the odd bacon roll for breakfast goes along way to making me feel appreciated, even though I might only get to actually eat it the following day.
This means it is a huge juggling act to shoe horn in the actual projects I should be working on, like the company website, the customer print order and stock control online app, all company reports, MIS maintenance, email spam and virus updates, you name it. Oh and answering the phone when no one else in the building can be asked.
Add to that the expectations of the staff that I MUST be able to answer, ON THE SPOT, every vague problem, error or task they come across in every SINGLE application in the building AND answer THEIR client's problems at the drop of a hat.
2 desks? That would be a welcome luxury, gimme some time to actually learn the damm applications I'm mean't to be supporting.
And yes the odd bacon roll for breakfast goes along way to making me feel appreciated, even though I might only get to actually eat it the following day.
I'm right with ya.
I was the IT dept interface with our staff/agents until the brains of our 2 man department got shipped out to the big sand box for 16 months. So now Im trying to find enough time in a day to research issues and still get everyone happy.
I was the IT dept interface with our staff/agents until the brains of our 2 man department got shipped out to the big sand box for 16 months. So now Im trying to find enough time in a day to research issues and still get everyone happy.
Leading or managing a team of Techs means allowing them the ability to do their job with as few interuptions as possible. The Leader/Manager SHOULD insulate them so they can focus on doing their job, not a have to worry about the "process". Allowing those interuptions is a sign of a LAZY Leader/Manager of Geeks. I think the author used a poor choice of words, insulate means to protect them for needless interuptions.
Is not the life of IT. I agree with W2k too. I run network/system support/help desk for 400 users. I AM the guts of the IT department here as there are only 2 of us. My supervisor really does a great job in keeping the general mass away from me and I have technology point people in all of my offices that handle requests and then forward them on to our department. The system works "relatively" well but there are often times when people slip past the guards and end up at my door with their "issues". Funny side note to this is, if they show up at my door they must spend the next 3 minutes with small talk (Hows the kids, the family? Man isn't the weather outside great today? Looks like a good day to be out playing golf, by the way are you working that slice?) and other non-important generalities before they get to ask me anything technology related. It is a HUGE pet peave of mine when I am on the phone doing support and someone shows up at my door at stands there waiting for me to finish my call (no matter how long I have before I am done). BUT, on the flip side, I have been told by our leadership that I have a greater than average sense of "people skills" as it pertains to the trials and tribulations of the average end user. I am sure it is all of those years I spent in customer service jobs that gives me the advantage of being in IT AND a people person. I feel that showing face in the trenches makes you more approachable and puts the end users at ease and confident in your skills in being able to solve their issues. This actually works in making the free food thing a regular event in my department. Showing a little compassion and understanding no matter how trivial the problem usually leads to breakfasts showing up on my desk or cookies baked from scratch or all the plethora of free sandwich coupons from wherever in my mailbox. You gotta love it!
Jrat, being an IT person and having good people skills is great for a position like the one that you have. I started my IT career in a very similar position.
I would suggest to the group that this is an exception and not the norm, but gives an opportunity to prove the point of the article.
Even with these above average people skills, Jrat mentions that having someone inturupt a support call is a pet peeve. I think that this proves the point of the article very clearly. It's not a bang against geeks to say that we appreciate a little space and issolation/insulation from interuptions, it's a fact. Even for those with better than average people skills
I would suggest to the group that this is an exception and not the norm, but gives an opportunity to prove the point of the article.
Even with these above average people skills, Jrat mentions that having someone inturupt a support call is a pet peeve. I think that this proves the point of the article very clearly. It's not a bang against geeks to say that we appreciate a little space and issolation/insulation from interuptions, it's a fact. Even for those with better than average people skills
Good morning, all. I've been reading through the posts and thought I'd toss out my two cents. Why? Well...I haven't been flamed in so long I kinda miss it. Or as a programmer-geek for years and now a PM-geek, I see what Paul is trying to say.
To start, let me draw a distinction between "worker" GEEK and "manager" GEEK. In general, I believe the article is discussing how to keep your "worker" geeks...those that actually generate REAL work (i.e.: products, programs, etc) happy while you...the "manager" geek...those that document, coordinate, and are overall responsible for the real work getting done...do the manager type work.
As a programmer in several areas that did not have a strong "manager geek" presence, many times the customers that my area supported would come directly to me to get things done. Now that I'm in a PM position...I'm having to break my customers of this habit because it minimizes the time my workers can actually spend DOING what the customer needs.
Besides, I can't tell you how many times I've arrived at some wonderful, insightful, or just plain scary answer to some conundrum by simply sitting in my dim little cubie-cave twiddling a rubber band.
Geeks need privacy to enhance their creativity as well as their productivity! Nobody is eliminating the customer...but they should have a well-designated "contact" besides Programmer Joe.
Again....just my two cents....
To start, let me draw a distinction between "worker" GEEK and "manager" GEEK. In general, I believe the article is discussing how to keep your "worker" geeks...those that actually generate REAL work (i.e.: products, programs, etc) happy while you...the "manager" geek...those that document, coordinate, and are overall responsible for the real work getting done...do the manager type work.
As a programmer in several areas that did not have a strong "manager geek" presence, many times the customers that my area supported would come directly to me to get things done. Now that I'm in a PM position...I'm having to break my customers of this habit because it minimizes the time my workers can actually spend DOING what the customer needs.
Besides, I can't tell you how many times I've arrived at some wonderful, insightful, or just plain scary answer to some conundrum by simply sitting in my dim little cubie-cave twiddling a rubber band.
Geeks need privacy to enhance their creativity as well as their productivity! Nobody is eliminating the customer...but they should have a well-designated "contact" besides Programmer Joe.
Again....just my two cents....
Donald, well said. Those of us that are "manager geeks" that understand basic princinples of project management usually see this as a no-brainer. Managers from the business world don't seem to understand this one, but I agree with your key point. "Worker geeks" need their privacy to maintain the productivity that we need from them.
Communications are critical in any organization, so isolation is a poor choice of phrasing in describing how to manage interruptions. IT geeks need to focus to be more productive and minimizing distractions is critical. Interruptions need to be minimized and flexible (provide choices) to allow optimal productivity.
I don't know about you folks, but I am often in the process of writing code, or checking code or something that does require some definite concentration. Sometimes the least interuption will lose all of the hours that you have just put in. I would agree that isolation is good. Now, the Help Desk is another matter. That should be readily accessible to all that need help. Just don't make the Help Desk staff also the code writing staff.
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