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meetings Tag

August 31, 2023 In Agile, Meetings, Process, Productivity

Optimizing Standup Times for Distributed Engineering Teams

In the modern age of software development, where remote work has become more of a rule than an exception, managing co-located and distributed software engineering teams comes with its unique set of challenges. One of the most debated topics is: When’s the ideal time for a daily standup?

Software engineers are an eclectic breed. They’re often deep thinkers, introverted, and sometimes have schedules that deviate from the typical 9-5 mold. Their peak productivity might be at midnight or at dawn, and distractions, especially meetings, can be a bane to their workflow.

So, what’s the best time for a standup?

Prospective Time Slots (in US Pacific Time) and Rationale:

  1. 9:00 AM:
    • Pros: It’s the start of the conventional workday on the West Coast. Engineers have fresh minds and can set the tone for the day.
    • Cons: For East Coast teams, this is lunchtime, and for the West Coast engineers who are night owls, this might be too early – especially if they want to get some exercise in before work.
  2. 11:00 AM:
    • Pros: Still morning on the West Coast, with enough time to get warmed up and into action, and early afternoon on the East Coast. It’s a good midpoint, with enough time after lunch for the East Coasters to get their brains back in action and take a focus break during the traditional mid-afternoon lull.
    • Cons: It may interrupt the flow of work, especially for those who have started their day early.
  3. 1:00 PM:
    • Pros: Post-lunch on the West Coast and late afternoon on the East Coast. A good time to regroup after a break for the Westies.
    • Cons: For those on the East Coast, the day is almost over, and for those who had a productive day, it may feel like quitting early while they’re trying to squeeze out a bit more code before the end of the day.

Considering the diverse nature of our engineers, their varied peak productivity times, and the need to accommodate multiple time zones, it’s imperative to strike a balance.

Our Stance at Facet Digital:

At Facet, after considerable deliberation and trial, we’ve settled on 11:00 AM (Pacific Time) as the ideal time for our projects to hold daily standup meetings. Here’s why:

  • It’s a good middle ground, ensuring no one’s day starts or ends with a meeting.
  • For our West Coast team, it allows a solid workblock in the morning and then another after the standup.
  • For our East Coast team, it’s early afternoon, allowing them to provide updates while still having a chunk of their day left.

In conclusion, while there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’, it’s essential to understand the unique characteristics and preferences of software engineers. A standup should empower, not hinder. Hence, select a time that minimizes interruptions, respects individual work rhythms, and fosters collaboration across time zones.

Could've been an email
August 14, 2023 In Code, Process, Productivity

Why Your Dev Just Bought a Magic 8-Ball

✋This is the first post in a series on software developer productivity DOs and DON’Ts. Check back often for upcoming posts…

Software Developer Productivity Killer #1: Useless Meetings

Picture this: your software developer, let’s call him Bob, is at the peak of his creative genius. He’s coding at the speed of light, the characters dancing on his screen in a coordinated ballet. Just then, the dreaded ping – yet another meeting request. Bob’s heart sinks, his momentum wanes, and he wonders if he should swap his laptop for a typewriter to dodge digital meeting invites.

Alright, now before you brandish pitchforks my way, let me clarify – not all meetings are evil. Some can be life-affirming soul-searching odysseys. But many, oh-so-many, are like that extra sprig of parsley on your dish. Looks nice, but no one knows why it’s there.

😱 Why Developers Loathe The Meeting Monster

  1. The Zone Disturbance: Every time a developer is yanked out of “The Zone”, it takes a good 15-30 minutes to get back into it. The Zone is that magical realm where developers wield their wizardry. You know what doesn’t exist in The Zone? Meetings about whether to use Oxford commas in comments.
  2. The Mismatch of Tongues: Developers speak in code; managers often in spreadsheets. It’s like expecting a cat and a goldfish to discuss the merits of wet vs. dry food. Spoiler: the goldfish doesn’t care as long as it’s wet.
  3. The “This Could Have Been An Email” Syndrome: 85% of what’s discussed in meetings (okay, maybe a cheeky estimate) could have been summed up in a well-crafted email. And the other 15%? Probably could have been a Slack message.

⚔️ How To Slay The Useless Meeting Dragon

  1. Agenda is a Must: If you can’t write down what the meeting is about, chances are it doesn’t need to happen. An agenda makes the difference between a focused huddle and an aimless gossip fest. Some even go farther – consider adopting the ‘Amazon 6-Pager’ method where dense topics are distilled into a concise 6-page narrative; it encourages clarity and deep thinking…and provides a higher bar to requiring a meeting.
  2. Time is Money; Cap It: Unless you’re solving the mysteries of the universe, most meetings shouldn’t exceed 30 minutes. Set a timer if you must! And if anyone starts with, “This might be off-topic, but…” – it’s a trap!
  3. Ask “Who Really Needs to be Here?” If Bob’s expertise is in back-end development, he probably doesn’t need to opine on logo colors. Send Bob back to his magical coding realm. He’ll thank you. So would your CFO if he could calculate the ROI of the salaries in the room vs the outcomes of the meeting.
  4. Post-Meeting Homework: Summarize. Distribute. Action. If there are no clear next steps after a meeting, then what was it all for?

💡 Conclusion

Meetings aren’t the enemy. It’s aimless, purposeless, could’ve-been-an-email meetings that developers detest. Think before you ping. Remember, every time you pull a developer into a needless meeting, somewhere in the world, a Magic 8-Ball gets a question like, “Should I attend this meeting?” And the answer is, more often than not, “Outlook not so good.”

Next time you’re tempted to drag your tech team into a meeting, ask yourself: “Do I really want to be the parsley on Bob’s plate?” If the answer is no, rethink that invite.

Now, if you’re struggling to optimize team productivity and communication, remember there are experts (like yours truly) who can help. Because, let’s face it – you could do it, but why would you when there’s a cheeky genius available for hire? 😉