Software program growth groups have been on a journey over the past a number of years to enhance productiveness. Whether or not that’s by chopping down on the time spent coding by introducing AI-powered coding assistants or implementing collaboration instruments, it’s clear that groups are on a mission to be extra productive.
Nevertheless, that drive for productiveness may very well be making issues worse by introducing extra “grey work” into their processes. Maya Palfreyman, product advertising and marketing director at Quickbase, defines grey work as something that will get in the best way of your day-to-day job, like chasing down data or individuals.
“It’s all of the little stuff that you simply may assume takes 5 or 10 minutes right here and there, however you notice as you take a look at the day or the week that all of it provides up and also you’ve spent lots of time doing what you may think about not so significant to the influence you’re making an attempt to drive in your job,” she mentioned on a latest episode of the SD Occasions podcast.
Palfreyman leads the corporate’s analysis on grey work, and within the lately launched Quickbase Grey Work Index, it was found that 59% of the 2000+ respondents spend greater than 11 hours per week chasing down data from completely different instruments, a rise from 45% in 2024.
And it’s not simply time spent chasing down data in instruments that contributes to grey work; it’s additionally the time spent ready on data. “You’re sitting there wanting to maneuver on to the subsequent step, however it’s essential see the place the progress is, and also you’re ready on that particular person to reply,” she mentioned.
The impact on particular person builders
This wasted time doesn’t simply result in delays, it may additionally influence developer wellbeing as a result of it’s annoying understanding you’ve gotten work to do, however not truly with the ability to do this work since you’re ready on data.
In accordance with Palfreyman, it may result in not having fun with the work as a lot as you might need, probably resulting in burnout.
“And on the finish of the day, you’re simply not getting as a lot executed since you’re having to sort of undergo all these grey. Once I take into consideration grey work, that’s not what I’m measured on. I’m measured on the influence that I drive.”
Factoring grey work into planning
Whereas it could be nice to remove grey work solely, that’s not the world we dwell in as we speak. Subsequently, managers ought to actually be factoring this into their planning cycle and the way it impacts deadlines and budgets.
If staff are spending hours of their day on grey work quite than growth work, that’s going to result in delays.
“When you find yourself making commitments throughout planning, it is very important see, is there grey work that’s going to sluggish us down? Is there grey work that we will probably remove to assist meet our objectives in a greater means? I believe that it tends to catch lots of groups without warning.”
Key takeaways from the Grey Work Index
That is the third yr that Quickbase performed analysis on grey work, and searching on the tendencies year-over-year, staff are literally getting much less productive and gear funding is rising.
“That’s the greatest takeaway for me, as a result of one thing doesn’t add up,” mentioned Palfreyman. “The truth that these traces are transferring in several instructions is fairly attention-grabbing to me.”
The researchers additionally discovered that there’s been constant themes round information fragmentation and silos over time. Organizations are focused on eliminating these challenges, however are primarily simply doing so by shopping for extra instruments to attempt to clear up the issue.
“These are arduous conversations, and these are large tasks that have to be taken on when it comes to consolidating software program, serious about how issues join in the suitable means. However I’m hopeful. Every year I like doing this analysis to see what else we will be taught,” mentioned Palfreyman.