Simple Hot Desk

122 Stories To Learn About Teamwork

What can we do to save money and help the environment at the same time? Becoming a paperless office is one of the options. On the eve of World Paper Free Day (November 6), I’d like to tell you about some simple steps you can take to reduce paper. My recommendations will be especially useful for those who are only looking at making their office more eco-friendly, however, I might give some less obvious tips to those who already uphold environmental principles as well. You can easily calculate how much money you can save by eliminating paper. Simply add the amount of money you spend every month on paper, cartridges, stationery, and filing cabinets. Don’t forget to add the cost of the employee time needed to locate a paper document among countless folders. The benefits of going paperless are quite significant for the environment too. It takes approximately 24 trees to produce a tonne of paper. Estimate how many reams of printer paper your office uses every year, and you can easily calculate how many trees can be saved if your office becomes eco-friendly. On average, 4 billion trees are cut down annually for paper production. That’s roughly one percent of the Amazon Rainforest. Here are my recommendations as to how you can reduce paper at the office or even stop using it altogether. Replace Paper Planners and Calendars With Online Services A lot of people use paper organizers, calendars, and sticky notes to plan their day. But today, dozens of services and applications will help you plan your day and not forget a single thing. What’s more, if you use apps like or , you can share information with colleagues, attach links or documents, and set reminders for tasks. The important thing is that you will be above the limitations of a piece of paper which you could easily forget at home or in a cafe during lunch. Your notes will be synced on all your devices, so you can easily check your work schedule from home on your phone or tablet. Google Calendar Trello Scan Documents and Save Them to Cloud Storage If you’re planning to use a document more than once, it makes sense to save it to cloud storage. In this case, you’ll be able to find it at the click of a button. You won’t have to search dozens of folders and files if it’s been saved to a cloud. Plus, digital documents are resilient to coffee and ink stains. If a colleague asks for a copy of a document, you can just send them a link. It will take far less time than going to the copier, printing a copy, and looking for a colleague to hand it over. Nowadays, you don’t even need a scanner machine in your office to be able to scan. Mobile apps like allow you to make high-quality scans with your mobile device. On top of that, with the iScanner app, you can remove creases and distortions, edit the document, and sign it. You can email the document to colleagues or share it to your or right in the app which allows you to access it from any device. iScanner Google Drive iCloud Revise the List of Documents You Usually Print Each time you send a document to print, think about whether you need a hard copy. We print many documents, such as agendas or presentations, simply out of habit. Emailing them to the participants or attaching them to a Google Calendar event can work just as well. If you find it more convenient to review certain documents as hard copies, keep in mind that you can print them on the other side of the used documents. Use Mind-Mapping Tools for Brainstorming If you work in a distributed team, you’re probably accustomed to using or rather than flipcharts or whiteboards. Apart from saving paper, this approach saves time because you don’t have to digitize the notes afterward. XMind MindMeister Get Rid of Old Papers and Recycle Them Paper Free Day is a great occasion to sort out the paper clutter on your desk and bookshelves and to recycle some old documents that are no longer relevant. First, you could get rid of old sales catalogs, user manuals, flyers, and notepads. Each tonne of recycled paper saves 380 gallons of oil, 7,000 gallons of water, and around 3 cubic meters of landfill space. Some offices have adopted a hot-desking system where employees don’t have assigned desks. This encourages people to be careful with how much they print because they have to take all their documents with them each time they move. You might consider this arrangement for your own office too. Tell Colleagues About the World Paper Free Day and Find Like-Minded People Becoming a paperless office is no simple project. Also, it’s not a project you can manage on your own. But if your colleagues understand the importance of this step for your business and the environment, together you can overcome all the challenges. Share ideas and tips as to how you can cut down on paper at the office, research new ways of going paperless, and eventually you will see how small steps can help you achieve great results.

Paperless Office: What Steps You Can Take Today?

Since the economic crisis, the dynamics of office-based environments have changed dramatically. Flexible and coworking office spaces are becoming increasingly popular. They are the current trend and have been able to profit from the post-financial-crisis boom. Although the coronavirus epidemic was temporarily halted, it is often regarded as a pause in the industry's expansion. Many workers would have asked, " " a decade ago, but the market has exploded in popularity in recent years. What is coworking space? Benefits of a Coworking Space ** ** Because of the benefits to professionals and freelancers, this business has had a huge impact. The following are some of the most important coworking space advantages. Increasing Productivity If a freelancer does not choose a specialized coworking space, he or she will likely not have access to a facility that allows them to focus entirely on their work. This will be achievable, though, if a dedicated desk is purchased. Networking Alternatives This is by far the most important benefit for anyone renting office space, even if it is a low-cost coworking space. The presence of other people who are active in makes it simple to go forward with new ideas and opportunities. different businesses Adaptability Unlike hiring a traditional office space, these solutions allow you a great deal of flexibility. Depending on the situation, it can be made into a short-term or long-term arrangement. This company model will continue to be popular in the future, but the key question is whether it will be profitable. Can flexible office spaces, which account for only 2% of total office space in the globe, become lucrative in the future? How Do Coworking Spaces Remain Profitable? Coworking is a relatively new business model that has had a lot of problems recently. Nonetheless, it is striving. Individual tenants and large corporations continue to return to the concept of shared workplaces. Some people choose to rent a hot desk in a coworking space, but it's the same thing**.** People prefer not to commute far from home for work, thus more organizations are opting to rent a coworking space in the suburbs for their employees. This concept is known as the "15 Minute City." When everything you require for daily living is within 15 minutes of your home. Employees can continue to work remotely even if they are not working from home in this fashion. Such a hybrid method of working provides for better concentration than working at home with all of its distractions. People are still not required to travel far. Future Possibilities The coronavirus and the shutdown have caused a significant upheaval in the coworking space market. Early indications and data suggest to an increase in demand as more businesses move to smaller private offices. According to a widely circulated report, the number of seats generated by each request has increased by 26%. The percentage of people who sign longer contracts has risen to 96 percent. How to Boost Your Revenue as a Coworking Operator Businesses that offer flexible workplaces typically turn a profit after two years. As a result, entrepreneurs that are just starting out should be patient. Furthermore, just half of coworking businesses are profitable. As a result, you should think about investing in additional ways to boost their payoff. In this industry, there are various ways to increase your earnings: Invite businesses - as previously said, freelancers aren't the only ones who use coworking spaces. Big businesses are also interested in investing and renting office space in this industry. As a result, focus your advertising campaigns on larger audiences. Offer additional services - in addition to office space, you might rent out equipment and other essentials. Conference rooms that feature a lot of built-in equipment that your clients might use during their meetings perform particularly well. Private offices are also in high demand these days. Find the best location - coworking in big cities is more competitive. But keep in mind that many individuals and businesses are looking to rent flexible workspace in the city's suburbs. Invest in coworking software - information desks with managers who must be paid are inefficient. If you invest in for your company, you can boost your pure coworking payoff significantly. Payment cards and applications that allow renters to reserve rooms without going via an intermediary are extremely handy for both parties booking software Conclusion ** **Coworking is a rapidly expanding sector. And, despite the pandemic, the problem is just going to get worse. This provides individuals who are currently in company and those who are just getting started with a bright future and a good chance of success. ** ** : Author’s Bio is an SEO specialist at , specializing in link building and studying germanic languages translation, interested in __ __and its impact on user experience in the flexible workspace. Andrew Horbachov andcards coworking software

How Profitable can Coworking be in 2022?

Dah-dum dah-dum is the iconic sound associated with the movie “Jaws”. Those primal notes inspired by composer Stravinsky “ ” create a feeling of anxiety that so many of us are experiencing right now as the time draws closer to return to the office. The latest date by most of the Big Tech companies has shifted to next Spring, till after the northern hemisphere winter season finishes. Rite of Spring For years, remote work has always been a part of employees work practice. Recent events have accelerated the virtual work trend that has been growing steadily for decades. A seismic shift has occurred, abruptly bringing the majority of office based businesses into the modern era. More than a year of remote working has shown that for many people. Now, even if there was not safety issues around being in the office, people are demanding more flexibility. ? being in the office is optional Are office workers finally empowered enough to end the daily commute Two separate issues are being conflated during conversations. and . Smart companies see that they are separate issues. In reaction to these demands, companies are exploring new flexible options of fully remote, hybrid and full return. Health safety (Mental & Physical) around the return to the office flexibility around when and where employees work Working from home isn’t the same for everyone Getting up later, having quality time with family and zero commute have been a silver lining for this forced Covid situation. Just as there is many benefits, there are drawbacks to being at home. Cramped working conditions, blurred boundaries between work and family time. Virtual meetings are widely reported as a cause of fatigue. Do you remember those colleagues you used to meet up with regularly, but didn’t directly work with, nor do I. . Informal networks have disappeared without the supporting office constructs People may not have the skill level to work in an independent manner, nor the right conditions for focused work. Solitude doesn’t suit everyone (being alone in an apartment). Certain people work better in a group setting, enjoying banter with colleagues and taking part in work clubs and charity activities. Work was a natural extension to their school and college lifestyles. is a forceful message that is popular but not universal. Fully remote is suitable for many people in their current position and moment in life. Yet, each one of us is not an island onto ourselves. We are part of a team and a company, and that requires flexibility to support others. This support inevitably comes back around, so we all eventually benefit.  Life changes will occur as your career advances. One such example is taking on different challenges over time will put you back in the low skill category. Being open minded and flexible about work locations over the course of time can work for both the employer and employee. It’s not a one solution for everyone situation. Remotely working may suit some people, but others will want time in the office. This will result in many teams working in a hybrid manner. Working in an office is unnecessary and counter-productive . Flexible work has been a demand for decades. People want to manage their own work location Recommendations on how to return to the office Team Being in the office is no longer primarily about having a quiet space to work. The focus has shifted to be about face to face interactions and collaborations. Being fully remote allows for the focus and quiet time but misses interacting with people at the water cooler. Old office behaviour patterns may need to change. Start to have conversations with your team as a group to identify that make up the essence of your team culture and are just better and simpler when people are together in a room. Talk through how your current interactions will work when some people are remote, while others are in the office. It’s helpful to get your team to talk through their assumptions and expectations of other team member’s behaviour. This serves to align everyone within the same team on acceptable interactions when working in a hybrid manner. Moments that Matter Individuals Feelings of anxiety may arise for people who are going to return to the office after a long time being fully remote. . It’s natural to feel nervous, it’s very like starting at a new job. New patterns need to be learned and the change impacts your daily routine. Take the return slow, think about how to make it a positive experience. . Consciously manage any anxiety being felt before, during and after you return to the office Make sure you follow local government regulations and your workplace guidance on a safe return Learn how to safely navigate your new environment filled with hand sanitisers and wipes. You may not be at your old desk, prepare to be in a hot-desk situation. Colleagues may not be present and those that are might may be wearing masks. Even using lifts may feel strange and unsafe. On that first day: Clear your calendar to create space for yourself to immerse back into the office environment. Allow time to visit the surrounding restaurants, shops and coffee houses. Don’t go in by yourself, talk with your colleagues and arrange to meet them on that first day, to reconnect in person. How the first day back happened for me! Let me share my return to the office experience. I decided to return to know what it was like and I was curious to know what happened to my personal desk items I left behind so long ago! The week before my first day, I informed my workplace and took all the recommended online safety practice training courses. In my situation, each day you want to attend the office, you must self-certify you are in good health using the company covid app. This enables your access badge for entry. I chose a day with few meetings. I decided to drive in, partly to avoid public transport and also because I wanted to bring back home those long forgotten personal desk items. That day I left home after the normal rush hour,  I hit traffic near the office and was stuck in a jam for twenty minutes. A couple of my team members had agreed to meet up with me in the office. One of them, I had never met in person before. The whole team had agreed to have a virtual lunch over video. It was good to meet in person with a team member I have been remotely working with for nearly a year. It brings more solidity to the connection. It was a great start. At reception, I got a goody bag of wipes, masks and a strange plastic device to press the lift button with ( I ignored it and used the corner of my work badge). I couldn’t find the assigned desk to start off with and wandered around the floor until I plucked up the courage to ask someone. I had forgotten that the desk numbers are on a label near the back of the table top. There probably was less than ten people present in total, I felt safe. I settled in at my hot-desk pretty easily, the location felt expansive compared to my bedroom based workstation. I had a window with a view. There was a lack of cables for the desk monitors, but I just got on with it for the day. I took a tour of the office with one of my colleagues and the familiarity of the place began to settle back on me. A simple IT request saw the return my desk items and missing monitor cables. It was a strange feeling to be be given all my items in a cardboard box. It reminded me of the famous news clip during the Lehman brother layoffs. The one where a worker is leaving with just a cardboard box. This was probably among the most difficult mental adjustments I encountered that day. I’m not sure why that particular interaction made such an impression upon me. It was refreshing to be working from a different location than my bedroom. Meeting colleagues face to face and getting coffee was a real highlight of the day. The virtual lunch went as well as it usually does, most people food arriving at different times or not at all 😦. I’m looking forward to spending more ad-hoc days in the office. I hope to reacquaint with more colleagues from across the company. It was surprising how quickly the cloak of familiarity returned. The rest of the time was a standard working day. I left a bit early too, an empty office can be a bit lonely as evening arrives. Conclusion Businesses go through cycles and face different challenges along the way, that us employees are not exposed to. Changing the culture to be more flexible, but still manage the ever changing challenges is going to take years to flush through the engrained processes and practices. Fortunately, two years into the change process have already passed. . I’m confident it is going to end better than it began, catapulting us forward in a short timeframe. . We are in an intense period of change around flexible work practices The final result will achieve a new balance between employees happiness and business outcomes Keep asking your company for flexible work that will allow you to lead a better lifestyle. Keep in mind the business needs to be successful too. Manage your anxiety, by returning to the office if you have not done so already, it will help dispel anxiety. break the ice Two Clear you calendar and arrange to meet colleagues on the first day. key take-aways actions: If you liked the content, please add a reaction to this article!

Is It Safe To Go Back Into The Office?

Social Engineering uses influence and persuasion in order to deceive, convince or manipulate. As a result, the social engineer is able to take advantage of people to obtain information with or without the use of technology. The following is an example of a previous job I performed for a client. It demonstrates what seemed like insignificant information can build trust with people and compromise a company. This has been provided as further reading for an interview I did on penetration testing and social engineering for PC Extreme magazine. Social Engineering Tools To explain how I might go about using a combination of social engineering and technology I need to first explain the tools that I may use. We have many tools that we have developed for the purpose of penetration testing. In this Social Engineering example, I will be using a package or executable wrapper, a rootkit, and The RAT (Remote Access Tool). In simple terms, the wrapper can create executable programs that appear to do one thing but, in fact, perform other tasks as well. Our wrapper also encrypts and compresses the contents to help deflect virus detections and computer forensics. The RAT is a remote access tool that, when run on a machine, searches for connections out of the network to the Internet, utilising proxies and other devices if required. The RAT uses outbound connections from the target machine to receive its commands to completely bypass any security from a firewall or NAT. The communication traffic is also sent as legal HTTP/HTTPS traffic so even if the target’s proxy or firewall has application-level filtering, the control commands will appear as normal HTTP traffic because, in fact, they are. This means that we can communicate with targets deep inside the company’s networks and defeat firewalls/proxies/DMZ, etc. The RootKit is a program that hides the hacker’s actions from the operating system and anybody examining the machine. Our rootkit hides Processes, Handles, Modules, Files and Folders, Registry Keys and Values, Services, TCP/UDP Sockets, and Systray Icons. What this means is the task manager, netstat, regedit, file explorer, etc. will not be able to see anything that has been placed on a machine by the hacker that has been rootkitted. The hacker’s actions and programs will be completely invisible. There are some less sophisticated versions of these types of tools available on the Internet but there are two good reasons why a professional hacker won’t use them. One is they don’t provide the required functionality, and the other reason is that many virus checkers will pick up their signatures and stop them. This is the difference between the script kiddie and the professional hacker. Social Engineering call #1 Call to main switchboard of the organisation from my mobile phone. : Hi, I’m having a problem with my desk phone. Can you put me through to someone who may be able to sort this out for me? Nathan : Connecting you. Reception : Hi. Phone Services : Hi, I’m having a problem with my desk phone. Sorry, I’m new here. Is there any way I can find out who is calling me when they call my desk phone? Is there a caller ID? Nathan : Not really, because we use hot desks here. Because people usually use their mobile phones, the caller ID isn’t often related to a name. Is this a problem for you? Phone Services : No, it’s fine now. I understand. Thanks. Bye. Nathan I now know that the company uses hot desks and that phone caller ID is not always expected. Therefore, it is not an issue if I call from outside the company. If it was expected, then I could work around it anyway. Social Engineering call #2 Call to main switchboard of organisation. : Hi, could you put me through to building security? Nathan : OK. Reception : Hello, how can I help you? Building Security : Hi, I don’t know if you will be interested but I found an access card outside the building which I think someone must have dropped. Nathan : Just return it to us. We are in building 3. Building Security : OK, no problem. May I ask who I’m speaking to? Nathan : My name’s Eric Wood. If I’m not here, give it to Neil. Building Security : OK, that’s great. I will do. Are you the head of building security? Nathan : It’s actually called Facilities Security and the head is Peter Reed. Building Security : OK, thanks a lot. Bye. Nathan This told me the name of a number of people in security, the correct name of the department, the head of security, and that they are the ones who deal with physical access cards. Social Engineering call #3 Call to main switchboard of organisation. : Hi, I’m calling from Agency Group and I wonder if you could help me. I had a meeting about a month ago with some of your HR people but unfortunately, my computer crashed and I have totally lost their names. Nathan : Sure, no problem. Let me look up that department. Have you any idea at all of their names? Reception : I know that one of them was the head of HR. There was a number of people in the meeting though. Nathan : …….OK, here we are. Head of HR is Mary Killmister. 0207 Reception xxxxxxx : Yes, that rings a bell. Who are the other names in HR? Nathan : In HR, Jane Ross, Emma Jones…… Reception : Yes, definitely Jane and Emma. Could I have their numbers, please? Nathan : Sure. Jane Ross is and Emma Jones is . Would you like me to put you through to any of them? Reception xxxxxxx xxxxxx : Yes. Could you put me through to Emma, please? Nathan I now know the names of the three people in HR, including the head. Social Engineering call #4 : Hello, Emma here. HR : Hi, Emma. This is Eric from Facilities Security in building 3. I wonder if you can help me. We have had a problem here with the access card database computer. It crashed last night and some of the data for the new starters got lost. Do you know who would be able to tell who the new starters were over the last 2 weeks as their access cards will have stopped working? We need to contact them and let them know ASAP. Nathan : I can help you with this. I’ll look up the names and email them to you if that’s OK? For the last 2 weeks did you say? Emma : For the last 2 weeks, yes. That’s great, thanks but would it be possible to fax it as we share one computer for email and that was affected by the computer crash, too. Nathan : Yes, OK. What is your fax number? Oh, and what’s your name again? Emma : Mark it for the attention of Eric. I’ll have to find out the fax number for you and call you back. Nathan : OK. Emma : Do you know how long it will take to find out the information? Nathan : It shouldn’t take me more than 30 minutes. Emma : Will you be able to start working on in straight away as it’s quite urgent. Nathan : I have a few things to do this morning but I should have the names this afternoon. Emma : That’s great, Emma. Thanks. When you’re done, would you be able to call me straight away so I can start reactivating their cards? Nathan : Yes, sure. What is your number? Emma : I’ll give you my mobile number that way you’re guaranteed to get me. . Nathan 07970xxxxxx : OK, sure. I’ll call you when I have the list. Emma : Excellent, thanks. Really appreciate this. Nathan Social Engineering call #5 IT Support Call to main switch board of organisation. : Could you put me through to IT Support? Nathan : Connecting you… (Long wait in queue.) Reception : Hello, can I have your LS number or your case reference? IT support : I’ve just got a quick question. Is that OK? Nathan : What is it? IT support : A guy from Reuters is trying to send me a presentation and is asking me what the maximum size is for attachments. Nathan : It’s 5MB, sir. IT support : That’s great, thanks. Oh, one more thing. He said it’s an .exe file and sometimes, those get blocked or something. Nathan : He won’t be able to send an executable file as the virus scanners will stop it. Why does it need to be an exe file? IT Support : I don’t know. How can he send it to me then? Could he zip it or something? Nathan : Zip files are allowed, sir. IT Support : OK. Oh, one more thing. I can’t seem to see my Norton Anti-virus icon in my system tray. The last place I worked, there was a little icon. Nathan : We run McAfee here. It’s just a different icon — the blue one. IT Support : That explains it then. Thanks, bye. Nathan I now know that to send an executable via email, it will have to be zipped first and less than 5 MB. I also know that they are using McAfee anti-virus. Social Engineering call (6) A few hours later, call from Emma in Human Resources. : Hi, is this Eric? Emma : Yes, hi. Nathan : I have the new starters list for you. Do you want me to fax it? Emma : Yes, please. That would be great. How many is there? Nathan : About 10 people. Emma : I’m not sure the fax is working properly here. Could you possibly read them out to me? I think it will be quicker. Nathan : OK. Do you have a pen? Emma Nathan: Yes, go ahead. : Sarah Jones, Sales. My Manager is Roger Weaks, ……….. Emma : OK, thanks. You have been a real help. Bye Nathan I now have a list of the new starters over the last 2 weeks. I also have the departments they belong to and their manager’s name. New starters are many times more susceptible to social engineering than long-term employees. Social Engineering call (7) Call to main switchboard of the organisation. : Hi, I’m trying to email Sarah Jones but am not sure what the format of your email addresses are? Do you know? Nathan : Yes, it would be sarah.jones@targetcompany.com. Reception : Thanks. Nathan Social Engineering email #1 Minutes later, a spoofed email is sent. : itsecurity@targetcompany.com from : sarah.jones@targetcompany.com to : IT Security subject Sarah, As a new starter to the company, you will need to be made aware of the company’s IT Security policies and procedures and specifically, the employees “Acceptable Use Policy”. The purpose of this policy is to outline the acceptable use of computer equipment at target company. These rules are in place to protect the employee and target company. Inappropriate use exposes risks including virus attacks, compromise of network systems and services, and legal issues. This policy applies to employees, contractors, consultants, temporaries, and other workers at target company, including all personnel affiliated with third parties. This policy applies to all equipment that is owned or leased by target company. Someone will contact you shortly to discuss this with you. Regards, IT Security Social Engineering call #8 A couple of hours later, call to the main switchboard of the organisation. : Hi, could you put me through to Sarah Jones, please? Nathan : Connecting you. Reception : Hello, Sales. How can I help you? Sarah : Hi Sarah. I’m calling from IT Security to brief you on IT security best practices. You should have gotten an email about it. Nathan : Yes, I got an email about it today. Sarah : OK, excellent. It’s just standard procedure for all new starters and only takes about 5 minutes. How are you finding things here? Is Everybody being helpful? Nathan : Yes, thanks. It’s been great. It’s a bit daunting starting somewhere new, though. Sarah : Yes and it’s always difficult to remember everyone’s name. Has Roger introduced you around? (…… various small talk to build rapport interspersed with more trust-building.) Nathan : …Emma Jones is very nice in HR if you need any help with that side of things. Nathan : Yes, Emma did my HR interview for the job. Sarah : Well, I better run through the security presentation with you. Do you have your email open? I’ll send you the security presentation now and I can talk you through it. Nathan : OK, I see the email. Sarah : OK, just double click on the “Security Presentation.zip” attachment. Nathan : It has come up with WinZip. Sarah : Just click extract and double-click on “Security Presentation” Nathan : OK. ….. Sarah The executable that she ran is, in fact, a cleverly packaged series of scripts and tools created by our wrapper program including within it the RAT, a rootkit, keyloggers, and anything else I may want to add. When she clicks on the file, the presentation immediately starts. This is just a series of PowerPoint slides telling her not to run executables that she is sent, etc. and other good security practices 😉 The presentation is branded with all the company logos that were conveniently copied from their public web server, just to add a little more trust. A few seconds later as she is being taken through the presentation, scripts within the package start to try to disable McAfee and any other PC security that may be found that may help protect the user. Then, the rootkit installs itself hiding all future actions from the operating system or anybody conducting a forensic investigation. Next, the RAT is hidden and installed. The RAT is made to start every time the machine reboots and these actions are all rootkitted and hidden. The RAT then looks up any proxy settings and other useful information and tries to make its way out of the network and onto the Internet, ready to get its commands from its master. Obviously, all processes and TCP connections are hidden, and even running things like netstat and task manager will not reveal them. The RAT connects to the master. I now own the PC and it’s time to start looking around and really start hacking! Job done. If you want to learn more about social engineering and hacking skills I recommend checking out my baby The StationX Cyber Security School . This article was originally published . here ( : ) Disclaimer The author is the Founder and CEO at StationX

How Social Engineering is Used to Bypass Your Security...with Ease

The Liquid Platform: a world leading digital asset exchange built to provide liquidity to…

There are seven things that slow your software team down. Learning to conquer each of them is the key delivering faster. The seven wastes come from the principle of of , an idea with its origins in Japanese industry at the beginning of the 20th century. That may seem a long way from the software industry of today, but the lessons are just as applicable to modern . By eliminating the seven wastes from your process, you’ll soon find your delivery times improve. Lean Manufacturing software development Let’s look at each of them. Transport This is the movement of materials from one location to another. It’s not hard to see how this slows manufacturing — a factory split across two sites will obviously be difficult to run — but in software transport is generally harder to see. Think in terms of . If your developers must pass work onto a test team (or individual), and it then moves to another person’s responsibility for acceptance or sign-off, and then again for release, you have transport waste. waste hand-overs between teams Reducing transport waste can be as simple as pairing testers with developers, but building a continuous integration (CI) system, or continuous delivery (CD) pipeline are also great solutions. Inventory ­­This is undelivered stuff cluttering up the production line. Features that are started and then left behind by higher priority work are considered inventory, as are features that might be technically complete but which haven’t yet made it to customers. Carrying all this stuff along with you takes up brain space, confuses the picture and slows the team down. This can be an especially big problem if your means you’re carrying lots of un-merged branches along with you. branching strategy The simplest way to reduce inventory is to just agree not to start things until you’ve finished other things. Each feature should enjoy a smooth progression from conception to delivery, and not stall during the process. Visualising your work on a is a great way to see where you’re carrying inventory and help to reduce it. Kanban board Motion Motion is the movement of people around the work at hand. This might be as simple as having to travel to another floor to find a meeting room, or search for a space in a hot-desking environment. It could also be more abstract — the delay caused by having to switch tasks too often, or deal with constant interruptions from other people and problems. Motion is often caused by carrying too much inventory, so many of the steps above can help to reduce it. So can thinking about the physical environment, and agreeing fixed meetings rather than ad-hoc interruptions. Waiting ­­Very simply, waiting is hanging around for delays. Waiting for an answer to a product question, waiting for an external system to be ready, or for another team to complete their work will all slow the process down. You can reduce waiting by being careful not to start a feature until it’s well understood, and by ensuring any external teams or individuals have some slack in their schedules so they’re free when they’re needed. Over Processing In manufacturing this broadly refers to working too hard — building to unnecessarily fine tolerances or polishing things that will be hidden in the final piece. In software, this speaks to the principle (“You ain’t gonna need it”). This refers to things like coding for imaginary levels of scale, building in useless caching or agonising over architecture for a simple product. A team mentality that favours frequent releases is your best weapon against such gold-plating, but be care must be taken to balance urgency of delivery with doing a job that’s . YAGNI good enough Overproduction Put simply, this is building useless features. A figure often bandied around is that some 64% of built software features are rarely or never used. This comes from a limited study done in 2002, so the actual figure industry-wide probably varies. However, the absurdity of building things no-one will use is not hard to grasp. Careful product ownership and good user feedback can help combat this. Defects There’s an old story about a company that builds petrol lawnmowers. If the mower doesn’t start first time once it leaves the production line they simply throw it away for scrap. Spending time on fixing the defects doesn’t make economic sense for them. Software is perhaps less cut-and-dried than that, but bug-chasing during development can certainly be a time sink. Automated tests are a good fix for this, but a good product owner can also reduce defects by making sure the requirements are understood first time. The seven wastes will all manifest themselves differently in different teams, and the way you reduce each of them will be very specific to your situation. Keeping them in mind, however, is a really useful tool in your quest for faster delivery.

SIMPLE HOT DESK

simplehotdesk.com

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Since n.d.

COMPANY RANKING

SIMPLE HOT DESK

EVERGREEN INDEX #9412

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SIMPLE HOT DESK

simplehotdesk.com

-- employees

Since n.d.

COMPANY RANKING

SIMPLE HOT DESK

EVERGREEN INDEX #9412

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STORIES ABOUT SIMPLE HOT DESK

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