July 20, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Becoming Highly Productive
July 20, 2010 at 11:22 pm
I find it necessary to create automation for those repetitive tasks that there is never enough time to automate. By forcing time in the schedule to automate a task here or there, I can shave more time out of my schedule later in the week or month to do automate another task, or build something else.
Another very useful thing to do is to program any maintenance tasks with fault tolerance, fail-safes, and with considerations for odd-ball scenarios that may cost time down the road. Programming effectively and defensively will increase ROI and give back the time several times over.
I am constantly reminded that during peak production, things get crazy busy. I like to think that if all of that is planned for in advance and mitigating controls are in place - the craziness is not so crazy and there is more time to accomplish real tasks.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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July 21, 2010 at 6:04 am
I have jobs that monitor jobs:-)
One mistake I see made (and sometimes make myself) is to try to handle 100% of possible scenarios. The 80/20 rule often applies, and maybe with a little bit of thought we can push that to 85/15 or 90/10 without adding a lot of time. The key is to build processes that either handle all cases, or gracefully degrade on the edge cases. For me it's often building something that does the 80% to get me the immediate time savings, and then I can use that to try to handle the other cases if it looks to be frequent enough to be painful. Hard to draw the line in the right place.
July 21, 2010 at 8:09 am
What does "highly productive" mean in our line of work? How do you measure it? If I worked in a bicycle shop and assemble 3 bicycles an hour, rearrange my workspace and now am assembling 4 an hour, I have a measurable increase in productivity.
Measuring productivity in I.T. is more a feeling than a measurement and is difficult to prove.
What would happen, for instance, if you were able to create enough jobs monitoring jobs that you became so productive that you were no longer needed? :hehe:
And, are you ever productive enough?
July 21, 2010 at 9:09 am
Andy Warren (7/21/2010)
I have jobs that monitor jobs:-)One mistake I see made (and sometimes make myself) is to try to handle 100% of possible scenarios. The 80/20 rule often applies, and maybe with a little bit of thought we can push that to 85/15 or 90/10 without adding a lot of time. The key is to build processes that either handle all cases, or gracefully degrade on the edge cases. For me it's often building something that does the 80% to get me the immediate time savings, and then I can use that to try to handle the other cases if it looks to be frequent enough to be painful. Hard to draw the line in the right place.
Same here on the jobs monitoring jobs.
As for the 80/20 rule - I agree. I just finished an SSIS package to handle a repetitive manual task from our marketing department. The requirements typically do not change - but there is that chance. I built the package to handle the 80%. I figured I could provide manual intervention when they need a variance.
I also like the idea of "set it and forget it." You think really hard about it while creating the solution, create documentation and then don't have to keep repeating the process for future runs (minus the 20%).
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
July 21, 2010 at 9:13 am
OCTom (7/21/2010)
And, are you ever productive enough?
No. You increase performance and start outputting more, then they expect more.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
July 21, 2010 at 9:45 am
CirquedeSQLeil (7/21/2010)
OCTom (7/21/2010)
And, are you ever productive enough?
No. You increase performance and start outputting more, then they expect more.
In my opinion (IMO), this is what kills the youthful ambition we all have to be better, faster, more productive. Once you realize the bar just keeps being reset, you stop sweating your butt off to squeeze out more. There has to be some personal benefit, again IMO, to extra productivity. If it helps reduce your stress, then perfect. If it reduces one stress but then management uses your 'extra time' to give you another stress, it's a wash.
I'm not saying never try to be more productive, but sometimes you have to analyze the management first to see if it's worth the effort.
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July 21, 2010 at 10:09 am
amenjonathan (7/21/2010)
...sometimes you have to analyze the management first to see if it's worth the effort.
I have seen this with management. You bust your butt (16+ hour days for weeks or months straight with no days off), get everything right, follow all the procedure - and they still bust your chops and ream you. This kind of management would tell the employee that no matter the effort or productivity - your work will be perceived as worthless so don't try. I don't like that kind of management. That doesn't serve anybody any purpose except to make a good example of poor management.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
July 21, 2010 at 10:11 am
Over time you’ll become more valuable, because you get more done, and because your tasks run smoothly.
More valuable, yes, but to whom? The only person you can truly count on to appreciate that extra value is you. Getting higher-ups to value the extra ROI is often an uphill climb, and getting them to reward you for it is far more challenging than creating the ROI in the first place.
July 21, 2010 at 10:20 am
douglane4 (7/21/2010)
Over time you’ll become more valuable, because you get more done, and because your tasks run smoothly.
More valuable, yes, but to whom? The only person you can truly count on to appreciate that extra value is you. Getting higher-ups to value the extra ROI is often an uphill climb, and getting them to reward you for it is far more challenging than creating the ROI in the first place.
heh...We just had to beg management recently to even say thank you to the team that just busted their butts in a project that required the team to work long days and nights to get done within the 4 day window. Outside help was promised and then taken away. Even then, the thanks received was strained and insincere at best.
Still, knowing that you won't have to work nearly as hard because you are now working smarter is of considerable worth to self.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
July 25, 2010 at 5:46 pm
If the your management is good at their jobs than they will notice and appreciate the greater productivity 🙂 This is one of the first things that I look for in the dbas that work on my team. Greater productivity leads to higher ROI for the department, and the company.
And yes, it is also very self rewarding to make something a bit better than it was 🙂
July 26, 2010 at 7:29 am
I am always looking for ways to be more productive/efficient. Making scripts and my own processes more efficient, and if I am lucky making the processes of others I interact with more efficient. I am fairly new in my current position and I have already made a number of substantive improvements. I am able to get more done in the same amount of time. It is a win for me and a win for my employer.
However, except in transient circumstances like project deadlines, etc. I don't believe in giving your life to your employer and then expecting them to thank you for it. Do your job to the best of your ability all the time, give your employer a solid value in the product of you, but don't devalue your product by giving things away all the time. If you are working 60 hours a week, unless you are getting paid VERY (20% to 50% above market) well, you are devaluing your product. Find another job or change your work paradigms.
On the other hand some employers will not appreciate your product no matter the value you provide. In those situations keep your eye on employment websites and find another job at your earliest convenience.
In all cases, even those where you are undervalued, be honest, trustworthy and professional. Being anything less will tarnish your brand and damage your ability to provide a good value/service to any employer.
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