Austin The Importance of Fun in the Workplace Copenhagen Dubai London Madrid Melbourne Munich New York Nice Holly Cummins IBM Cloud Garage @holly_cummins Raleigh San Francisco São Paulo Singapore Tokyo
A presentation at CIO Watercooler in June 2019 in London, UK by Holly Cummins
Austin The Importance of Fun in the Workplace Copenhagen Dubai London Madrid Melbourne Munich New York Nice Holly Cummins IBM Cloud Garage @holly_cummins Raleigh San Francisco São Paulo Singapore Tokyo
I’m from the IBM Cloud Garage.
Is this a fun talk?
Is this a fun talk? No. It’s a talk about fun. That’s different. Obviously.
10 step plan to achieve FUN. 1. Quantify and Qualify your FUN metrics 2. Create a Chief FUN Officer (CFO) role 3. Gamify your daily tasks to make them more FUN 4. Enthusiastically high five everyone each morning for FUN 5. Install a FUN ball pit 6. Inject a FUN word of the day into conversations 7. Wear FUN clothing, something with flair 8. Create FUN certificates with gold star systems - relive the fun of kindergarten! 9. Nominate FUN assessors for each team 10.Laugh Out Loud (LOL) once a day in the office, others will enjoy your FUN @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
10 step plan to achieve FUN. 1. Quantify and Qualify your FUN metrics 2. Create a Chief FUN Officer (CFO) role who thinks this is a good idea? 3. Gamify your daily tasks to make them more FUN 4. Enthusiastically high five everyone each morning for FUN 5. Install a FUN ball pit 6. Inject a FUN word of the day into conversations 7. Wear FUN clothing, something with flair 8. Create FUN certificates with gold star systems - relive the fun of kindergarten! 9. Nominate FUN assessors for each team 10.Laugh Out Loud (LOL) once a day in the office, others will enjoy your FUN @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
Are you brave enough? , Having fun at work @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
Are you brave enough? I’m not :) @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
Wait. Where’s “fun-loving”?
Wait. Where’s “fun-loving”? We keep fun a secret.
What is Fun?
“Fun is a point on the intersection of engagement levels and social interaction for a given activity.” Fun: An Exploration in its Relevance to Interaction Design - Elise Woolley, 2010
Exploration Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy
Puzzle Photo by William Warby
Play
Game
Work?
Exploration focussed investigation
Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation
Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation Puzzle a goal and rules
Games a winner and rules Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation Puzzle a goal and rules
Games a winner and rules Work a goal Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation Puzzle a goal and rules
Positive affect
It feels good
Computers are fun.
Exploration Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy
Hello, World Exploration Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy
Puzzle Photo by William Warby
Exception in thread “main” java.lang.NullPointerException: WhyWhyWhyIsThisHappeningNullPointerException at StackTraceExample.method111(StackTraceExample.java:15) at StackTraceExample.method11(StackTraceExample.java:11) at StackTraceExample.method1(StackTraceExample.java:7) at StackTraceExample.main(StackTraceExample.java:3) Puzzle Photo by William Warby
Game
Game
It feels good
Why are most of our workplaces Not Fun?
The 1980/90’s Management Model Very hierarchical Control favoured over autonomy Technology seen as a cost centre
http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk
the value of fun in the workplace
IBM Watson IoT Centre, Munich @holly_cummins
IBM IoT Lab, Munich
“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” — Aristotle @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
Research shows: Fun is good for business.
Research shows: Fun is good for business.
Studies have shown… Employee fun
Studies have shown… Employee fun
Studies have shown… Less sick leave Employee fun
Studies have shown… Less sick leave Employee fun Harder working
Studies have shown… Less sick leave Employee fun Harder working More productivity
piglet litters grow faster if they play more
https://hbr.org/2012/01/positive-intelligence
“Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral or stressed. ” https://hbr.org/2012/01/positive-intelligence
https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/eproto/workingpapers/happinessproductivity.pdf
“Individuals [who just watched a comedy video] have approximately 12% greater productivity.” https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/eproto/workingpapers/happinessproductivity.pdf
How much fun can you expect to have? https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulesson/3065570366
How much fun can you expect to have? (Yes, this is a picture of lots of fungi. You’re welcome.) https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulesson/3065570366
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning …. smells like victory.” Bill Kilgore, Apocalypse Now
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning …. smells like victory.” Bill Kilgore, Apocalypse Now Is everyone having fun?
Fun. What could possibly go wrong?
Fun. What could possibly go wrong?
Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy.
Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy.
Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy. 2009: The others who had to maintain the code had less fun.
Enjoy fun. Responsibly.
_ How to achieve fun Warning: This is our context and our experience of Fun. Your workplace culture may be different.
Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them.
Step 0. Stop prohibiting fun. Obviously.
“Please stop sending emails telling people you are sharing cake.”
“If you’re in the office after 5:30, you need to be doing work.”
“Why are you smiling? Work isn’t a place to be happy!” - a prowling project manager
Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them.
A process being unfun is a red flag that it’s not adding value.
Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them. … because they’re probably waste.
Get rid of the stuff that stops us doing what we enjoy.
@holly_cummins Fun Not-Fun Programming Meetings Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog #IBMCloudGarage
@holly_cummins Fun Not-Fun Programming Meetings Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog #IBMCloudGarage
We can fix these. @holly_cummins Fun Not-Fun Programming Meetings Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog #IBMCloudGarage
We can fix these. Findable documentation Streamlined process Self-generating status MVP Fun Not-Fun Programming Meetings Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Interactions Interruptions Making a difference @holly_cummins Being a cog Pair programming #noestimates Automation Self-directed teams #IBMCloudGarage
We all hate being told what to do. Usually, because we know it’s wrong. Let people make their own decisions.
Step 2: Add fun
Your brain needs breaks. Breaks with exercise are even better @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
Your brain needs breaks. Breaks with exercise are even better @holly_cummins http://ibm.biz/bluemixgaragelondon @karianna
Can our job be fun? @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
Games a winner and rules Work a goal Play flexible for its own sake Puzzle a goal and rules Exploration focussed investigation @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
Games a winner and rules Work a goal Play flexible for its own sake Puzzle a goal and rules Exploration focussed investigation @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
gamification @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
(management loves) gamification @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
what can be gamified? @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
TDD
Build gamification
Build gamification (Strictly speaking, productization of build gamification)
@holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
@holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
what dazzling reward achieved that? @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
what dazzling reward achieved that? @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
what dazzling reward achieved that? 1 free lunch ➡ 230 issues fixed @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
metrics matter @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
remember, you get what you measure @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
gamification is so motivating it will drive people do the wrong thing @holly_cummins #IBMCloudGarage
Play
Children learn through play. Adults do too.
Quirkiness
Quirkiness How do a production-train slack-integration nicely:
Feedback matters.
_ Failing at Fun
31% of us dislike teambuilding activities. http://www.successfulmeetings.com/Strategy/Meeting-Strategies/When-Teambuilding-Fails/
How to ruin an office party? Take attendance.
Failing at Fun Forgetting to fix the other stuff.
A layer of fun
A layer of fun … on top of a terrible workspace …
A layer of fun … on top of a terrible workspace … is still terrible.
_
_ Fun is important. Recap on achieving fun: 1. Get rid of un-fun things 2. Add fun things Doing 2. without 1. is going to fail.
Austin Copenhagen Dubai London Madrid Questions? Melbourne Munich New York Holly Cummins IBM Cloud Garage @holly_cummins Nice Raleigh San Francisco São Paulo Singapore Tokyo Toronto
