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A comment on Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques. Parent comment

Re:Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques by bitwize on Sunday May 15, 2016 @07:24PM (#11703261)
It was at Microsoft that the change occurred: some management consultant at Microsoft issued the fatwa "beware the guy in a room". A person who isn't actively engaged with The Company at all times, who is off doing his own thing, is a huge productivity risk because he lengthens his manager's OODA loop.
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Re:Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques by imgabe on Sunday May 15, 2016 @08:17PM (#11703453)
If the OODA loop seriously got dragged into this nonsense, that is ridiculous. That would almost be the exact opposite of Boyd's strategy.
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Re:Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques by bitwize on Monday May 16, 2016 @01:50AM (#11704471)
It wasn't described in OODA loop terms but rather in terms of "going dark". You don't want to have a developer "go dark" for too long. Of course that means that what management wants is exactly the opposite, for the developer to be continuously accountable and hence, always available.

Jim McCarthy, the originator of the "guy in a room" quote, has indicated that it's not to be taken merely metaphorically, that offices encourage isolation and "going dark", and open plan is key to productivity, collaboration, and accountability.

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Re:Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques by parasubvert on Monday May 16, 2016 @01:44AM (#11704455)
Jim McCarthy made that observation while he was a manager at Microsoft (not a management consultant, though after he left MS he became one). He's absolutely right - dudes alone in a room all too often are doing the wrong thing very effectively.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1416996.Dynamics_of_Softw...

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Re:Updating classic workplace sabotage techniques by jon-wood on Monday May 16, 2016 @02:14AM (#11704551)
That feels pretty resolvable without forcing everyone to work in each other's lap wearing huge headphones.

In my experience daily standups are often enough to keep everyone on the same page and make sure no one is dashing off in the wrong direction.

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