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  • $20

Metawork -vs- Yak Shaving

  • Course
  • 14 Lessons

When is it appropriate to devote time and energy to building tooling, automation and other forms of metawork? Software engineers love automating things, but a lot of metawork is just a form of procrastination. Learn how to make sure you're always devoting your time and effort to the most important work.
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Contents

Metawork as a Strategy

Types of metawork and why it matters
  • 3 mins
  • 351 MB
It is a rare problem?
  • 2 mins
  • 231 MB
Are there multiple legitimate solutions?
  • 3 mins
  • 294 MB
What do people learn by doing it?
  • 1 min
  • 90.2 MB
Closer look: The trouble with abstractions and expertise
  • 4 mins
  • 519 MB
Weighing the value of metawork
  • 2 mins
  • 227 MB
Bonus: xkcd's "Is It Worth the Time?"
    Bonus: The Ironies of Automation
    • 615 KB

    Avoiding Dysfunctional Metawork

    Metawork as procrastination
    • 2 mins
    • 281 MB
    Intro to fear ladders
    • 3 mins
    • 334 MB
    Building a fear ladder
    • 2 mins
    • 285 MB
    Closer look: Who is allowed to ask for help?
    • 3 mins
    • 423 MB
    Extra: Bike shedding!
    • 3 mins
    • 304 MB
    Fear Ladder.pdf
    • 124 KB