S2:E6 - Handling Unplanned Work and Interruptions in Engineering Teams: The Firefighter Role
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S2:E6 - Handling Unplanned Work and Interruptions in Engineering Teams: The Firefighter Role
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About this listen
In this episode, we explore a challenge that plagues every engineering team: the constant stream of interruptions that disrupt our workflows. Drawing from our combined experiences working with dozens of engineering teams, we introduce the concept of the “firefighter” role - a structured approach to managing unplanned work that’s transformed how teams handle interruptions.
We dive into the science behind context switching, examine why solutions often fail, and explore a practical framework that turns interruptions from productivity killers into opportunities for systematic improvement.
Key topics we cover:
- The true cost of context switching in engineering teams
- Why common interrupt-handling approaches break down
- How to implement and rotate the firefighter role
- Turning interruptions into systematic improvements
- Measuring success and avoiding common pitfalls
Show Notes:
How engineering teams handle unplanned work - this article captured my thoughts exactly and includes some really good visualisations of the different approaches.
The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress - UC Irvine study
And a FastCompany article about the study.
Share your thoughts about the episode (and the podcast) at feedback@the-retrospective.com!