Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
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Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#2I’m going to use this.
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#3Actually, HN is more of a distraction to me than random people popping by.
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#4You can use dual n-back as a systematized way to do this. Get them to do it for a bit uninterrupted, and then use a random beep generator to generate interruptions. Most people will score drastically lower with random interruptions.
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#5To add to this, there’s a lot of neurodiversity in the programming world. A lot of people have brilliant brains that just don’t work well with interaction. I had a discussion with other people on my team recently and realized I was the only extroverted person on the team. I think it’s also worth saying I personally think I’m one of the worst developers on the team but being able to context switch is unfairly rewarded and gives business people the impression I’m way more competent than I am. Furthermore, to me COVID was the worst thing in the world in terms of social isolation and a majority of my team mates loved it. I wish respecting communication preferences Was more respected. Asynchronous and non intrusive messaging seems so much better for the majority of my coworkers
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#6The example I like to use is sudoku. Often, after a day of programming, it takes me a while to "come out of it" and I explain that to my SO as if she'd been doing hours of sudoku and then had to jump into a social situation.
Similarly, if you are interrupted in the middle of a "solve" it may be difficult to jump back in - especially if the puzzle hasn't been created correctly and you are trying to "debug" which numbers conflict. Some puzzles are harder than others. At times you don't have a pen and paper so you have to keep a mental model of the whole puzzle in your head which makes an interruption that much more jarring.
Not a perfect analogy, but close enough to get me a 15 minute buffer at the end of the day and fewer knocks on the office door :D
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#7This article is why I'm not a programmer anymore. It's just impossible to be a programmer in the office while also trying to be social. I don't want to sit in an office surrounded by other people and get frustrated because it's not quiet or calm. I rather talk to people and have fun.
For me, programming only works when working from home and I'm alone.
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#8Actually, HN is more of a distraction to me than random people popping by.
I choose when to open HN. It might be more often than is ideal, but it's not mid-thought.
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#9To add to this, there’s a lot of neurodiversity in the programming world. A lot of people have brilliant brains that just don’t work well with interaction. I had a discussion with other people on my team recently and realized I was the only extroverted person on the team. I think it’s also worth saying I personally think I’m one of the worst developers on the team but being able to context switch is unfairly rewarded…
Wow maximal wines!
Re: Programmers, teach non-geeks the true cost of interruptions (2014)
#10This is my favorite cartoon about the cost of interrupting developers.
https://heeris.id.au/2013/this-is-why-you-shouldnt-interrupt...