Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Re-read Wk 1

I have read and quoted parts of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow over the last ten years. It has been on my list to read cover to cover for several years. My wife pointed out that my copy has yellowed, so it’s time to read now, better late than never :). My copy is the paperback version and is the 15th printing. It is 303 pages broken into ten chapters, a Preface, notes, references, and a postscript section. We begin the re-read today, May 18 and I plan to complete it on August 3 or 10th. 

The Preface lays out the Author’s intent to tackle the ideas in the book in an accessible and less academic fashion. Unlike books we have read recently, the author does not lay out specific techniques to achieve flow in the Preface. This section is less content than framing. The goal is to state intent and to acknowledge those who have provided support. 

In Flow, Csikszentmihalyi lays out his approach to total involvement. Following on the heels of our read of Deep Work, this re-read flows (pun intended). Use this week to read the acknowledgments in the Preface and Chapter 1. Next week we will dive into Chapter 1 which explores happiness.  

Buy a copy of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Amazon – https://amzn.to/4b5kPmb). 

 

SPaMCAST 739 – Empathy, Flow, Conversations, and Essays

Today we revisit the topic of empathy as we mark the last show in year 16. As coaches and leaders, we are taught that being empathetic is critical. However, the blanket statement that we need to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes is not all rainbows and kittens.

We will also have a visit from Jon M Quigley who brings his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column to the podcast. Jon and I continue our conversation on flow and its importance for teams and leaders.

 

SPaMCAST 709 – Basics, Flow Attributes, Agile Requirements, Essays and Conversations With Tony Timbol

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Definitions provide several benefits. The first is that once a definition for an object or concept is agreed upon, it is far easier to have a discussion without getting confused. A second and equally important benefit is that definitions provide a platform for establishing attributes that can be used to describe the object or idea. Attributes are critical because even with a definition we need to communicate and measure nuances. Just think if you only had one word to describe rain or hot; a lot would be lost. Today we identify four basic attributes of flow. 

We will also have a visit from Tony Timbol who brings his “To Tell A Story” column to the podcast. In this installment, Tony and I talk about agile requirements. They really exist…really!

 

Agile and Lean Basics: Four Common Attributes of Flow

Focus On Flow

Definitions provide several benefits. The first is that once a definition for an object or concept is agreed upon, it is far easier to have a discussion without getting confused. A second and equally important benefit is that definitions provide a platform for establishing attributes that can be used to describe the object or idea. For example, if we were describing a flow of water, we could use direction, speed, and volume to describe and measure the flow. If we use Daniel Vacanti’s definition of the flow of software development and maintenance, “the movement and delivery of customer value through a process,” we can identify a common set of attributes that can be used to describe flow. Attributes are critical because even with a definition we need to communicate and measure nuances. Just think if you only had one word to describe rain or hot;, a lot would be lost.

 

Agile and Lean Basics: Flow

Perpetuating the Metaphor

Flow is one of the most used words in agile and lean (and there are a lot of overused words in the field). Even though the word is used by nearly every practitioner multiple times a day there are very few solid definitions. Instead of definitions, most practitioners have a notional understanding of what the word means in software and software-related disciplines but often revert to metaphors when challenged. If I had a dollar for every reference to a river or traffic I would be able to outbid Elon Musk for Twitter. The term is used as a noun, verb, and adjective (I am sure someone has an example of flow used as an adverb but I have to hear it yet).

 

SPaMCAST 705 – Flow, Agile Basics, Scrum Master Not Your Admin, Essays and Conversation

In the SPaMCAST 705 we stay with the basics and define the term flow. I recently listened to a conversation where the term flow was used 30ish times in 30 minutes. Each use of the term meant something different. Today we draw a line in the sand to improve communication. 

We also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault from the QA Corner.  Jeremy and I discussed the mistaken belief that Scrum Master and Coach can be translated to administrative assistant. 

 

The Readers Have Spoken!

When I started writing this blog entry I tried to remember all of the books that we have re-read (or read for the first time) on a weekly basis.  I couldn’t remember.  When I look at the statistics for the Re-read Saturday entries they are almost always in the top ten, month after month so it doesn’t matter whether I remember each of the entries (I added a task to my backlog to find them all) because you find and read them.  Two weeks ago I went on holiday, backpacking on Isle Royale. It was a total unplug. During that time I ran a poll to select the next two books to re-read.  The answer is: 

 

Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability by Daniel S. Vacanti, Re-read Saturday Week 4: Introduction to Little’s Law

A New Copy!

Today we tackle Chapter 3 of  Daniel S. Vacanti’s Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability. Chapter 3 is titled Introduction to Little’s Law.  Little’s Law is incredibly clever and potentially life-changing if you are overly fixated on size.  Buy your copy today and read along!

We originally wrote about Little’s law in September 2014. Little’s Law brings WIP, Cycle time, and Throughput (metrics discussed in chapter 2) into a relationship that can help deliver information that can be used to answer the basic question of predictively. The basic configuration of Little’s law is stated as:

 

Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability by Daniel S. Vacanti, Re-read Saturday Week 2: Flow, Flow Metrics, and Predictability

A New Copy!

Today, Chapter 1 of  Daniel S. Vacanti’s Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability. Chapter 1 is titled Flow, Flow Metrics, and Predictability.  Vacanti jumps directly into the deep end by suggesting a way to answer the age-old question, ”when are you going to deliver?”  Buy your copy today and read along!

 

SPaMCAST 393 – Mix Tape 2010, Foy, Reinertsen, Jacobson

http://www.spamcast.net

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One last week in mixtape format! I am completing a trip that is a mixture of vacation and a board meeting but that does not mean you have to forego your weekly SPaMCAST.  In place of our normal format I am posting a mix tape of the answers to the “If you could change two things” question I have been asking interviewees for nearly ten years.  This week on SPaMCAST 393 we feature our top downloaded podcasts from the year 2010:

SPaMCAST 85 – Cory Foy on Agile Coaching

http://traffic.libsyn.com/spamcast/SPaMCAST_85_-_Cory_Foy_Agile_Coaching_Collaboration_Part_1.mp3

http://bit.ly/1Qmmx0g

Cory used his wishes to discuss the obsession with certification rather than performance and bring user into making critical business decisions so that usability is maximized.

SPaMCAST 92 – Don Reinertsen on Product Development Flow

http://bit.ly/1WERCDZ

Don used his wishes to ask that people understand the economics of product development and then to use that understanding to measure and reduce WIP queues.

SPaMCAST 94 – Ivar Jacobson on SEMAT

http://bit.ly/1SYSmhA

Ivar discussed the SEMAT core defining software engineering and how SPaMCAST listeners can support the development of SEMAT.

If these excerpts tickled your fancy listen to the whole interview by clicking on the links shown above.

Next week we will return to regular programming with a thought provoking interview.