Processes for the Process-Averse

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One way to get a good groan from your team is to mention the word “process”. Engineers in particular worry that process will mean their momentum will get slowed or halted, and usually have experience to justify that worry. With an understanding of workflow and high-level individualization, this doesn’t have to be the case. As a tech lead and now manager that has converted many process skeptics, I’m excited to show you my processes for process.

This talk has been presented at TechLead Conference 2023, check out the latest edition of this Tech Conference.

FAQ

Understanding the foundation in process implementation is crucial as it helps team members grasp why certain processes are necessary. This foundational knowledge supports building a strong basis upon which the rest of the process structure can be effectively developed and understood.

To convince team members who are averse to processes, it's effective to demonstrate the tangible benefits that these processes bring to them, the team, and the company. Showing how processes can save time, reduce stress, and streamline work can help in building trust and acceptance.

Iteration is vital in process management as it allows for continuous improvement. Processes often need adjustments and refinements based on real-world application, and iteration helps in tweaking these processes to better fit the team's needs and enhance efficiency.

In remote teams, maintaining concise and topical communication is key. Utilizing various platforms like Slack, GitHub, or Notion for different types of communication and ensuring that the team knows where to find and how to use these tools effectively can reduce miscommunication and increase efficiency.

Documentation ensures that all team members have access to necessary information and guidelines, which helps in maintaining consistency and continuity. Automation can streamline repetitive tasks, reduce errors, and free up team members' time for more critical tasks, thus enhancing overall productivity.

To handle redundant processes from outside the team, it's effective to consolidate similar processes, communicate with higher management about the redundancies, and propose solutions that streamline these processes while still achieving the desired outcomes.

Tara Z. Manicsic
Tara Z. Manicsic
21 min
09 Mar, 2023

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Video Summary and Transcription

This Talk discusses the foundation, formation, and iteration of process, emphasizing the benefits and building trust. It highlights the importance of optimizing processes, using life cycles and meetings to streamline workflow and avoid mistakes. Exposing work through demos and documentation fosters collaboration and provides more exposure opportunities. The Talk also emphasizes concise communication, tailoring processes to individual team members, and addressing challenges through effective communication. Automation is recommended to save time and streamline workflow, while maintaining a balance with personal interactions.

1. Introduction to Process

Short description:

Hi everyone. Thank you for joining me today. I want to talk to you about the foundation, the formation, and iteration of process. We'll focus on the benefits and building trust. Let's start with the foundation. Explain why it works and why we're doing this. Motivate and inspire the team. Then, we'll discuss the formation and the actual logistics. Finally, we'll cover iteration and the importance of saving time.

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for joining me today. My name is Tara Manicksik, and I'm here to talk to you about process for the process of verse. In our industry, there are a lot of us out there. I used to be one, but now I have learned so many benefits of process and convinced many process of verse teams that I want to share that information with you in hopes of helping.

So I want to go about this in a different way today, instead of showing you what my processes are and how to convince the process of verse about them. This is the way that I talk to the team about process. So first, we talk about the foundation. Why does this work? Get a good understanding. Have the team really conceptualize and understand why we're going about this to build that foundation, to then scaffold or form the process on top of that. So once they have the understanding, then I can show them the formation of how it works. Like the actual logistics and what they're doing. And then, finally, iteration. Spoiler alert. Your process will not work the first time. It might, but it won't. But let's jump into each of these because in this way, we're not talking about specific processes because all of our processes are going to be the same from one another. But there's the keystone elements of how we deliver them, what benefits we show, and why these benefits are important, which is where we'll be spending most of our time, is talking about how to build that trust by showing them how this will benefit them, the team, and the company.

Then we'll have little tidbits on actual process, tips in what I've learned, and then how to go about iteration. Let's jump in. First, foundation. Explain why it works, and probably the number one question in all process implementation, and for good reason, is why are we doing this? In our industry, most of us are developers, designers, engineers. We're problem solvers, which means we need a problem. We will find a problem to solve, which is great in our work, and sometimes, that's just how our brains work. The answer to that is to give the researcher expected results or the reasons for why these processes will work and do great things for us and work for us. And, you know, do this at the start, so it's not like they immediately jump into a project dragging their feet saying, oh, I have to fill in this information because they told me so. Instead, maybe motivate and inspire them to do these processes because of how beneficial they will be. So like an example of a process, roadmap, timeline, task list, and the benefit that will benefit the individual, the team, the company is saving time. So these next few ones we'll talk about saving time in general. And so how can a road map a timeline, task list, you know? It's like, they take, it takes an effort to make these, but like spend money to make money, spend time to save time.

2. Optimizing Processes

Short description:

Having a roadmap timeline task list can save time and prevent unnecessary DMs. Removing blockers as soon as possible is crucial. Project templates and life cycles help streamline processes.

So having those things all your ducks in a row, you know what to work on next. So as soon as you get done with one thing, one task, one project, you're able to understand instead of having to reassess the whole project, you understand what to do next. And you can just keep that momentum going, which is extremely important in processes is to be able to keep that momentum and that energy going.

Keep people out of your DMs. This is one of the biggest time sinks that I have seen on teams. And it's an invisible one where you think, you know, what, what's going on? Why, why hasn't there been progress on this? Oh, well, so-and-so DM'd me. They wanted me to explain what this thing was and blah, blah, blah. One of the biggest things I like to do is, is, you know, redirect all those DMs straight to me. But in lieu of that, you know, having a roadmap timeline task list, that is basically saying. You're asking me what I'm working on now, it's listed there on the task list. You're asking me, you know, when will this be released? It's on the timeline. You're asking me for working on this certain feature, it's on the roadmap. All of these things, if anything, quick links in the DM, and then these people know, okay, I don't need to go straight into Illinois's DMs. I know that that information is here. Saving time and saving you the stress of leadership, DMing you.

Removing blockers ASAP. This one is huge. If you understand that you're going to do a GitHub action in two weeks that requires a token, you know that you can get a hold of it in the infrastructure team now. Give them that week or more to work on getting that token to you, and then when you're ready for that task you have the information. Now that blocker just doesn't exist. Saving time. Blockers is a huge thing. Another way to clear up your roadmap is to just say no. I'm just kidding, unless it's part of your process. So project templates and life cycles. This is basically having some kind of, you know, a notion doc that's a template. I know every time that I have to list the lead of the project, the timeline, the phases, who should be informed. Having that in a template is a great process. A life cycle, knowing that the process for say a feature is that we're going to have to go through testing, we're going to have to do UI, we're going to have to then take it to staging, and then it goes to prod. And then there's a release.

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