Manager's Schedule vs. Maker's Schedule

theodp writes "Ever wonder why you and the boss don't see eye-to-eye on the importance of meetings? Paul Graham explains that there are Maker Schedules (coder) and Manager Schedules (PHB), and the two are very different. With each day neatly cut into one-hour intervals, the Manager Schedule is for bosses and is tailor-made for schmoozing. Unfortunately, it spells disaster for people who make things, like programmers and writers, who generally prefer to use time in units of half a day at least. You can't write or program well in units of an hour, says Graham, since that's barely enough time to get started. So if you fall into the Maker camp, adds Graham, you better hope your boss is smart enough to recognize that you need long chunks of time to work in. How's that working out in your world?" Ironically enough, I have a meeting to attend in three minutes.

Comments

'Maker Logic' seems natural to me.

[A. B3ttik]

...but then again, I'm a programmer.

Where I'm at now, our system of measurements is basically just "I'll get it done today or tomorrow" to "It'll be done by the end of the week." There's simply so many potential obstacles and unaccountable variables that any more precision than that is pointless.

Where I used to work, we worked on a "Point System" where 1 Point was equal to about 1 Programmer-Day, and 8 Points were equal to 8 Programmer Days. Ideally, an 8-Pointer should take one programmer 8 days to complete and two programmers 4 days to complete. Of course, that always fell through. A half-pointer (4 hours) might take me anywhere from 10 minutes to two and a half days.

Re:What is it with meetings?

[D Ninja]

Two reasons: meetings make people feel important and they look like work (without having to do real work). I have found that most information gleaned in meetings can be e-mailed or distributed in some other manner.

With that said, there is a lot that can be learned in the "important" meetings. People give away a lot of information (body language, facial expressions, etc) about certain situations that can be very valuable. That is where I find most of the value in meetings. Plus, it is a good way to build and keep team cohesiveness.

Thrashing is the enemy

[BlueBoxSW.com]

As a lawyer I'm friends with told me years ago. That's what they call it in his industry, at least.

The time wasted switched from or back to a task you hadn't completed yet.

I agree with the article. One meeting can dramatically decrease the productivity for the whole day.

As a result I try to divide my time between all-day (or half day) tasks, and leave other days for things that take 1-2 hours a pop, including meetings.

Using the GTD (Getting Things Done) methods help organize things as well, but that's been covered many times here.

Stand-Up Meetings

[thepainguy]

When I was a manager running a project to go live on a large web site, I knew the developers were busy. In the final weeks I limited meetings to a single, end of the day stand-up meeting. That let people report on status and issues, but limited the negative impact on people's productivity.

Re:i petitioned my boss a week ago

[SuurMyy]

I'm surprised if your boss will agree to let you work fewer days, even if it would benefit the company. Many managers are afraid of losing control. Many are oft afraid that if they give someone special privileges there will soon be others demanding them as well.

Then there's the issue that who knows if you're really working in the evening if there's no-one to watch you do it? And if you would be trust-worthy, how about the others who will soon be demanding to be able to work evenings as well?

So, it's very likely that your boss won't agree, despite it being superficially obvious that they should. It's just so much more emotionally safe saying nay.

Truth be told, I would probably be the most effective if I worked just six hours a day, uninterrupted. However, having tried to explain in a job interview why I'd like to "slack" so much, I have given up the fight. There are just some things that are inexplicable to some people. At the end of the day, it's not all about being productive. You also have to work "in a proper manner", which means that you get up early in the morning and work at least a good solid 9 or 10 hours despite your brain starting to fart after the first six. See, you gotta be a team player - and team players play by the rules, no matter how ineffective they make you.

If your boss is more enlightened than I'm expecting them to be, consider yourself very lucky!