Context switch

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Software development is like miniature painting. You need to focus on the intricate detail, getting everything else off the mind. You can either look at where this bit fits in the big picture, or work on the detail, but not both at once.

Blessed are those who can switch seamlessly.

mat_attack — Feb 28, 2007 2:09:05 AM — # ↩

Do these seamless switchers actually exist?
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Feb 28, 2007 10:39:49 AM — # ↩
  
  I don't know, but I'm suffering the pain of having to manage others and write code myself. It takes days to switch mindsets each time.
  - say_yes04 — Feb 28, 2007 1:15:07 PM — # ↩
    
    i have seen that a quick nap helps context switch immensely.
    - mat_attack — Feb 28, 2007 11:39:31 PM — # ↩
      
      Hmm i just end up feeling really groggy.
  - mat_attack — Feb 28, 2007 11:43:57 PM — # ↩
    
    Here is something that works for me. (When I actually get down to doing it, I suffer from considerable lazyness.)
    
    Prepare scripts for actions you can predict in advance, that way you really don't have to really think when the time comes, this is generally true for a lot of management type tasks.
    
    What this translates to is, if you can find a pattern make it a process.
    - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Mar 1, 2007 10:10:28 AM — # ↩
      
      I do that too, but the trouble is when that list of scripts get stagnant, or polluted with unscripted tasks. Then you stop looking at it.
ext_35105 — Feb 28, 2007 11:45:50 AM — # ↩

Testing OpenID
Sorry for the spam dude!
mannu — Feb 28, 2007 6:09:53 PM — # ↩

I was hoping I'd get better at context switching with time and experience. Not sure it's actually happened (I'm still lousy).
deponti — Feb 28, 2007 8:47:50 PM — # ↩

Would it be like those trick images where first you see one image and then the other, and the human brain is NOT geared to seeing both images together? Or do you know people who can do both simultaneously?
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Mar 1, 2007 10:09:16 AM — # ↩
  
  It's more like reading a book and closing it without placing a bookmark. You then lose time trying to find where in the book you last where. More interruptions = More time lost. And, the longer you're away, the lesser accuracy with which you'll remember exactly where.
ashwinne — Mar 4, 2007 1:42:04 PM — # ↩

Or is it just age? There used to be a time when I'm sure I was doing more than this in less time. Just not able to do it now.