Team Work: Eliminate Multitasking And Increase Productivity With Scrum

Multitasking can decrease productivity by up to 40%, which is especially detrimental when it comes to agile software development. Learn how to decrease context switching in software engineering, and decrease productivity losses by using the Scrum methodology.

Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in 2014. It’s been so popular that we updated it in 2020.

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In March 2011, Psychology Today published an article titled “Technology: Myth of Multitasking.” The author of the article, Jim Taylor, claimed “there is no such thing as multitasking,” and “when you shift focus from one task to another, that transition is neither fast nor smooth… though it feels instantaneous, [it] takes time. In fact, up to 40 percent more time than single tasking — especially for complex tasks.”

Did you get that? Multitasking can take up to 40% more time than single tasking.

As much as we pretend to get more done while simultaneously washing dishes, listening to a podcast, and making plans with friends, Taylor’s arguments and the research behind it are convincing. If he’s right, trying to do all of these things at once will take almost half as much time as doing them one after the other. That’s huge!

Multitasking and Productivity

Historically, multitasking has been cited as a way to increase productivity and efficiency both in our personal and professional lives. Often, those who can multitask are celebrated for their ability to “do it all.” However, the evidence increasingly shows that the costs of multitasking are far greater than the benefits. The Psychology Today article referenced above is just one part of a larger conversation that’s been happening across fields, including psychology, entrepreneurship, higher education, parenting, and, of course, technology. Despite differences in these industries, the consensus is the same: multitasking and productivity don’t mesh.

The Cost Of Multitasking

Context Switching and Productivity

Multitasking inherently requires “context switching,” or the changing of gears from one task to another. Context switching can be thought of as “dropping what you’re doing” and starting a new, disparate task right away. Unless your previous activity was completed, you will of course have to switch back again later to finish it. The cost of context switching will vary depending on the tasks you are switching to and from and the tools, mindpower, and time needed to complete them, but it will always result in lost time.

Software Engineering and Context Switching

In software development, the productivity loss from context switching can be particularly damaging. Development requires intense focus, and switching development-related tasks often requires more steps and time than say, switching from writing a press release to writing a blog post. One industry thought leader defines software development context switching as follows:

“In computing, a context switch is the process of storing and restoring the state of a process or thread so that execution can be resumed from the same point at a later time. This enables multiple processes to share a single CPU and is an essential feature of a multitasking operating system.”

Reduce Context Switching With Agile Development

At Praxent we are strong proponents of agile software development, often referred to as Scrum. Scrum provides myriad workflow benefits and keeps teams honest and accountable, and it also helps unwind the need for context switching. Decreasing context switching ultimately helps agile product owners get more for their investment when building digital products.

One of the reasons Scrum works so well is because when you’re following Scrum, you don’t multitask. Within any given sprint a Development Team is focused on only a handful of User Stories, which allows them to complete each with dedicated, focused attention. The structure of the Sprint also protects Dev Teams from the distractions of constantly changing demands or requests. With Scrum, we create a work environment that values honesty over blind optimism. This allows developers to remain focused on what they agreed to do, rather than feel pressure to jump between tasks or add new items to their plate.

Daily standup provides an “early and often” opportunity for developers to voice speed bumps and roadblocks, and one of the most effective ways that Scrum promotes honesty is with Story Points. When the time comes to estimate the work for User Stories in the Product Backlog, developers have the sole power and responsibility to assign Story Points. If a developer’s first estimate is incorrect it’s up to her to amend it, and it’s in her best interest to make the correction as soon as possible. All these steps reinforce focusing on the task at hand, and upon completing that task to the best of the developer’s ability. In this way, scrum reduces context switching to prevent productivity loss across the entire team. Developers stay focused on their assigned work, and are able to be more productive as a result. Individual productivity in turn boosts team productivity, with a ripple effect throughout the organization.

Reduce Context Switching Costs to Succeed With Scrum

The Scrum workflow allows developers to stay narrowly focused on the previously-determined tasks. It places the emphasis on accurate predictions rather than overly ambitious ones, and thus empowers development teams to tell the whole truth and stay productive throughout the process. Since implementing the Scrum workflow at Praxent, we have seen increases in productivity and in the quality of the work produced and delivered to our clients.

Have you seen similar successes from acknowledging the cost of multitasking? Share your stories below!