Posted by: Alex Lange | October 20, 2009

Accomplish More Using Timeboxing

I was planning to use the title “Crush It Using Timeboxing” but it seemed a little combative. Maybe I should have… you are in a battle against time every day. Timeboxing is a time management technique used in rapid application development (RAD) processes such as dynamic systems development method (DSDM) and other agile development techniques. However, the general concept work equally well with non-project efforts and your personal life. The good news is you’re probably already doing a version of it just not as thoroughly as I’m about to suggest. Here are the cliff notes on timeboxing…

In software project management, you have three constraints with an immutable relationship: time, scope and resources (often referred to as the ‘Iron Triangle’). Some may argue quality is a fourth but let’s assume that in software, as in life, quality should never be a variable. Startups typically have fixed resources so you rarely can throw a horde of programmers at a project (just like your personal life) which only leaves time and scope. Typical projects work to a fixed scope and start with an estimated timeline. Inevitably, you realize some features can’t be completed in time so the project either will be late, over budget (you threw a horde at it) or worse… it drops in quality.

When timeboxing, the deadline is fixed and scope is reduced as needed. You essentially stack rank the requirements (most important first) and determine what can be delivered in a fixed, unmovable window of time. If unforeseen issues happen along the way, you remove items from the bottom of the list. You can always move that item into the next timebox if necessary. Agile teams do this all the time: we’ll release a version to staging every other Friday, for example, and complete whatever features will fit.

Startups thrive in timeboxing environments. Why? With limited resources, you are constantly in a race against time to meet objectives. You never have time to think through every contingency or write thorough enough product specifications. Besides, it’s arrogant to believe you’ll actually know what your users really want no matter how much you ask. Research, build and release quickly… then iterate and improve often. Pareto’s Law states that 20% of the features give you 80% of the benefit. Feature prioritization is the key… are you really working on the optimal 20%?

Development teams also benefit from the immediate feedback. Try never to have a timebox last more than three weeks whenever possible. The team pushes hard for a short period and then gets immediate feedback after the release. Additionally, it’s easier to estimate how much work can be accomplished in a fixed amount of time than how much time it will take to do a fixed amount of work, which makes goal achievement more consistent. Immediate feedback and consistent wins create incredible momentum.

Timeboxing isn’t limited to product delivery. You can apply this principle to most tasks in your life. You already do it if you think about it. “I need to get the house cleaned up before the Thanksgiving guests arrive at 4:00.” In this case, you’ll do the best you can until 4:00. Imagine that you needed to develop a speech for the sales conference in two weeks. You might write and rewrite the speech, torturing your friend and family with alternate versions, for a week while neglecting a few unrelated tasks along the way. In the end, it probably wouldn’t be much better than if you simply fixed a reasonable amount of time to the task.

Ready to CRUSH IT?

Imagine if you did this across the board. What would happen if you allotted a fixed amount of time to every task on your list, prioritized them often, put them on your calendar as an appointment and had the discipline to stick to the schedule? I can tell you from personal experience that my productivity tripled. It eliminated:

  • Procrastinating items where I didn’t know where to begin or seemed overwhelming (breaking large items into smaller blocks is huge… you can do anything for 30 minutes)
  • Spending too much time on items I enjoy but can complete quickly and easily.
  • Perfectionism on certain tasks
  • “Fire drills” because I was mired in a project for too long only to realize three other projects had been neglected.
  • My project / task list from growing faster than I could accomplish them.

Here is how I do it…  I define a project as anything that takes more than one step to complete. Using that definition, I currently have 63 projects in play between my role as CTO, advisory positions, personal goals, home projects, etc. These are active and do not include projects that start in the future. Each project has a “next action” which is the immediate next step to keep this project moving forward. Between the next actions and miscellaneous “to do” items, there are 84 items on my “to do” list. I methodically assign each one a duration (you should be pretty good at determining how long a task would take you). I then look at the entire list and stack rank what’s most important along with any pending deadlines. Each task is added to my calendar, and I stick to my schedule religiously. Now I cheat a little, and if you use MS Outlook, you can too! I use a program called Taskline (found here: http://www.taskline.com/default.asp ) which allows me to assign durations, deadlines and dependencies (need to buy lumber before building the planter box). It then schedules the tasks using a critical path algorithm and puts a copy on my calendar. It has multiple ways to prioritize, can break a task into multiple smaller chunks (assignable by task) and provide a warning if you’ll miss a deadline. If you aren’t using Taskline, you can go through the same process at a high level and only calendar a few days in advance.

Whether you are managing software projects or your personal goals, I highly recommend leveraging timeboxing. Used correctly you and your teams will accomplish amazing, often unimaginable productivity. Prioritization is imperative for this to work as well as sticking to your schedule. Lao-tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Timeboxing will put you on a quick and steady pace…

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Posted by: Alex Lange | March 27, 2009

Secret to Start-up Effectiveness: Have a Mind Like Water.

Start-ups are an unforgiving mistress. She will always have her hand on your back… and be pushing. She will force you to change your focus constantly. Glory is her “carrot”… time is her “stick.” Start-ups require agility and nimbleness to succeed. Rapid changes in focus are inevitable, but they do take a toll on effectiveness.

Now, I’m a bit of a productivity / effectiveness junky. I’ve read countless books, tested so many philosophies that it was counter-productive and tried every gadget possible. As I’ve become older, wiser (hopefully) and more effective, I’ve found that simple, slow and focused is better. I’m back to paper and pencil and take more notes now than I ever did in school. Although I consider myself a GTD black belt, I ultimately focus on the three things must I accomplish today. Nothing however, has improved my effectiveness and arguably been more life changing than adopting a “mind like water.”

In “Getting Things Done,” David Allen says that in karate there is an image that’s used to define the position of perfect readiness: “mind like water.” Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. Now imagine a boulder. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriate to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm. It doesn’t overreact or under react. It certainly doesn’t proactively worry or have an opinion about the oncoming rock.

Achieving a mind like water requires discipline. To begin, you must stop thinking about ten things at once while typing on your Blackberry while in a meeting. Just be in the meeting. If there is something more important that you should be doing, don’t go to the meeting. It is a complete fallacy that multi-tasking equates to effectiveness. Train yourself to be “in the present” and focused on the process… not the result. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t be results orientated. You should have big, hairy, audacious goals. Plan your objectives in painstaking detail. Organization should be your middle name. However, all of this is a precursor to being effective. Focusing on the process means you are aware of the mechanics of what you are doing. If you are simply walking… notice your stride, posture, etc. and not about what you have to do when you get to your destination. If you planned effectively, you already know. Planning “on the fly” never results in the best answer…

Now that you’re in the present, you must eliminate judgment and doubt as new input and requests arrive. Let’s face it, your opinion only matters to one person. Let it influence (not direct) your planning, analysis and problem solving but never input collection. The sheer tonnage you don’t hear as your inner voice is forming an opinion could stop a herd of buffalo in their tracks. Remember… be in the present. Focus on the process of hearing what the person is trying to convey.

Have a practicing mindset. Take action toward your objectives as if you are practicing to do it better the next time, observe the results and correct. Everyone has a different view of an ideal outcome. Even your own view will change as you approach your objective. Perfection is a moving target so stop worrying about how you “stack up.” Everything is possible… if you believe differently, don’t work for a start-up. This focus on practicing quiets the internal dialog of our mind of judgment and anxiety. It’s that judgment and anxiety that holds you back from the solution.

Having a “mind like water” leads to equanimity. Equanimity is the key to effectiveness ensuring you can handle any change a start-up throws at you.

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Posted by: Alex Lange | March 17, 2009

SEO Quick Start…

New to SEO?  A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Here is a little tidbit about me:   I read… a lot.   At least a book a week and I am particular about what I read.   No fiction unless it’s a “classic,” and only as a break between research groups.   I generally pick a subject and then focus exclusively on it between three and six months.   Yes… sounds boring and sometimes it is.   The good news is I’m often testing concepts as I learn and try to distill what I find into pearls of … well something close to wisdom.

There are many books, articles, consultants, blogs and training seminars on Search Engine Optimization (SEO).   I’ve read countless, attended “Bruce Clay” training (which I recommend simply because there’s no better way to learn than complete immersion) and tried a dozen software applications from the free to the ridiculously expensive.   Not surprising, they all cover the same 80% of what you need to know which is just enough to get you into trouble.   The remaining 20% you’ll need to get from various forums and “expert opinions” and will need to test the concepts to figure out what works for you.

All of the basics fall into three categories:  Code, Content and Links.   Suffice it to say you need to focus on all three and anything that says any one is more significant than the other is bunk.   Also, be wary of anything that doesn’t stand the following test: “Are the changes I’m about to make in the best interest of our visitors?”  You’ll see recommendations on many “gray area” techniques.  It’s not “black hat” but ultimately you’re trying to game the algorithm.   All I can say is everything you need to know about these techniques you learned from your mother.   The hard right answer is the best answer and there are no shortcuts.   SEO takes work… it takes a constant vigil.  In the end, every little bit will build on itself and create your SEO foundation.   A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Now, if you’re just starting the journey, here is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to understand the 80%.  It’s by no means a definitive list, and you’ll still need to do the work.  Hopefully it weeds out a ton of redundant information and will get you focused, excited and ready to roll up your sleeves.

Good news… you should have a clear enough understanding to complete the basics.   Bad news… you’re just getting started.  If you do everything right, you can get in striking distance of leaders.  To win, you need to focus on the other 20%.   Take the time to measure your progress and how you stack up against the competition.   When you’re ready for the next leg of your journey, it’s time to understand the intricacies of silos / themes ,  PageRank management and more…

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