The good, the bad, and the ugly

Tal Aviv

What is multitasking?

(computing)

The simultaneous execution of multiple tasks (programs) under the control of an interrupt-driven operating system.

What is multitasking?

(buzzword, figuratively) The practice or capability of handling

more than one task at the same time.

Wikipedia – 7/26/2009 http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/multitasking

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”

Most professionals

Pride themselves on being able to multitask.

Deal with more then one project / task at a time

Claim to wear more then “one hat”.

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”Consider

If you are not multitasking, are you wasting precious moments?

We can read, eat, and listen at the same time simply because we want every free minute counts.

Throughout our lives, doing it all in less of a time is the way of life.

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”Consider the following situation:

You are a critical resource and you are currently working on 3 projects.How long will it take to finish all 3 projects?

Project 1 Project 2 Project 3Expected Duration 5 Days 5 Days 3 DaysExpected Sales in $ 5,000,000 5,000,000 3,000,000

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”Assume you start working on project 1.

After 2 days, the Project manager of Project 2 comes and ask for status update.

You don’t want to show no progress so you stop working on project 1 and start working on project 2.

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”

A day later the Project manager that knows your task should take only 3 days asks for a status update and start screaming when he hears that you made no progress.

You calm him down promising to work on his project the next day.

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”A week has passed and the current situation is

No Project was completed, all PM’s are upset

Day 1 2 3 4 5

Project 1 1 2 2 3

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”Another week of multitasking has passed:

No project is completed. All PM’s are screaming their heads off

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Project 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 2 2

Is Multitasking “Good” or “Bad”Week 3, finally we see some results

Project 1 is done after 12 days (estimated 5)Project 2 is done after 13 days (estimated 5)Project 3 is done after 11 days (estimated 3)

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Project 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 2 2 3 1 2

What if Multitasking was not allowed?The time to complete the 3 project is still the

same but:

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Project 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3

•Project 1 is done after 5 days•Project 2 is done after 10 days•Project 3 is done after 13 days

What if Multitasking was not allowed?Project 2 & 3 are still late, but over all performance is

greatly improved.

How soon will the company start bringing money in?How much money will they make in the 13 days if

multitasking is not allowed?

If multitasking is not allowed, what will be the impact on the organizational culture?

$$$ Oriented resultsIn real life cash flow is the life line of a

company.The speed of $$$ recovery might mean the

survival of the organization. Is time important?

3 Projects with multi taskingProject Cost

Revenue per week

Days to complete Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Project 1 $10,000 $5,000 12 -$10,000 -$10,000 -$4,000 $1,000 $6,000 $11,000

Project 2 $10,000 $5,000 13 -$10,000 -$10,000 -$6,000 -$1,000 $4,000 $0

Project 3 $6,000 $3,000 11 -$6,000 -$6,000 -$3,600 -$600 $2,400 $5,400

Total $26,000 $13,000 -$26,000 -$26,000 -$13,600 -$600 $12,400 $16,400

•Project break even point is after 4 weeks•Profit after 6 week: $16,400

3 Projects with NO multi tasking

Project Cost

Revenue per week

Days to complete Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Project 1 $10,000 $5,000 5 -$5,000 $0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000

Project 2 $10,000 $5,000 10 -$10,000 -$10,000 -$5,000 $0 $5,000 $10,000

Project 3 $6,000 $3,000 13 -$6,000 -$6,000 -$4,800 -$1,800 $1,200 $4,200

Total $26,000 $13,000 -$21,000 -$16,000 -$4,800 $8,200 $21,200 $34,200

•Project break even point is after 3 weeks•Profit after 6 week: $34,200

Results?We broke even 1 week earlier when no multi tasking was involved.

We more then doubled our profit after 6 weeks. ($34,200 Vs. $16,400)

Is multitasking good or bad – Exercise Pt.1Each person gets 2 sheet of paper, one blank, one

striped.You will tear each sheet on paper in to 5 stripesYou will tear each stripe in to 6 pieces

The pieces do not need to be symmetrical or identicalNo additional equipment to be used.

After 3 tears you will switch to the other sheet and vice versa.

The instructor will call out the time every 30 seconds

Is multitasking good or bad – Exercise Pt.1

What is the class distribution for:

Time?Yield (errors)?

Is multitasking good or bad – Exercise Pt.2Repeat the exercise but this time no multi

tasking.

Finish with one sheet and only then move to the other sheet.

The instructor will call out the time every 30 seconds.

What is the class distribution for:Time?Yield (errors)?

Is multitasking good or bad? Set up time

How long does it take you to switch from one task to another?

How long does it take you to get your mind off of the previous topic and focus on the new one?

Do you need different tools, set up, information, etc?

Who accounts for all the time lost?

Bad Multitasking

Bad Multitasking is the act of dropping a primary function or activity for any length of time, in order to take up another task, simply to show that progress is being made on more than one project.

Bad MultitaskingIn the first example we saw

impacts to revenue due to project multitasking, but is multitasking always bad?

Bad MultitaskingConsider an administrative assistant, do you

really want them to finish typing a letter before picking up the phone?

The situation must be investigated before a decision to multitask or not to multitask