Making Work Visible: Exposing Time Theft to Optimize Work & flow

By: Dominica Degrandis

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

If someone stole your wallet, you'd notice it. So why don't people notice when they are robbed of something much more valuable than their wallet - time?

Today's workers are drowning: nonstop requests for time, days filled to the brim with meetings, and endless nights spent heroically fixing the latest problems. This churn and burn is creating a workforce constantly on the edge of burnout. 

In this timely book, IT time management expert Dominica DeGrandis reveals the real crime of the century - time theft, one of the most costly factors impacting enterprises in their day-to-day operations.

Through simple solutions that make work visible, DeGrandis helps people round up the five thieves of time and take back their lives with time-saving solutions. Chock-full of exercises, takeaways, real-world examples, and an easy-going writing style, readers will quickly learn effective practices to create high-performing workflows within an organization.

The technology world - and indeed the whole business world - is moving at a pace faster than ever before, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Instead of consigning ourselves to the pressure cooker of the modern world, it's time to elevate how we work. It's time to level up our game. It's time to make work visible.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Dominica DeGrandis (P)2017 Dominica DeGrandis

Buy the ebook instead

There are some 60 visual references that can't be seen in an audio book. Get the ebook instead.

It Found My Issue

I was so overworked, just bouncing from task to task, never enjoying anything at work, wondering why my stress level was through the roof. Manager above me of course using the old "you need to delegate more". I sort of believed it, but the tactics in this book showed me the true problem. The problem of dependencies and unplanned work are revealed with her tactics. Using her methods of making my own work visible, I can address the real problem, which was never not delegating enough. Really a work changer for me. I have listened to it several times and use her methods to make my work visible, unfortunately I am just a staff worker and can't help the company with making all work visible. Pity.

Straight forward treatise on dealing with IT work

Easy to listen to, makes total sense and something I can use at work today. it definitely spoke to me.

It should be noted that anyone listening to this should download the PDF and follow along with the diagrams. Sooner things were harder to visualize in my head without it.

Fantastic read!! This book is really eye opening!

I've already started implementing these practices with great success! Despite some belly-aching, my team is reaping the benefits. Wonderful read!!

Bringing the benefits of Agile to Operations

I'm a strong believer of the Agile method in software development. But when faced with managing a devops operational group I noticed the struggle of forcing agile into the operational model of continuous small changes to the system and operations. This book helped me transform the agile Sprint methodology into a high-performing Kanban team. It has already helped a lot, and I plan to really listen to it again to incrementally improve what I've already started.Oone of the most useful books I've listened to this year.

Six Stars

Loved this book, my only criticism is I wish it didn’t have as much of a tech or development focus, since I’m in a Different industry. But overall superb.

Excellent, best audiobook on lean/kanban/workflow!

Best audiobook on workflow, lean, kanban (and board design) , queuing theory, etc. Robertsens books are great when it comes to paperback, but if you are looking for an audiobook on these topics, this is your gem. Well done, boiled down and consise, right on point. And narrated well too. also, this book has personality. Dominica is funny and uses excellent real world examples. Some books on project management can be kind of robotic sounding. not this one. I'm on my third listen it's a type of book you could read over and over again.

Great book - read it!

It's a great book, and I found reading it much more rewarding than listening. Narration wasn't great (to my taste), and the book is highly structured and has great illustrations by Dominica. You will just get much more from reading it.

Super Impressed

This book gave me the clarity I needed to embark on a Kannan journey with my team. In short period of time, I'm a Software Delivery expert operate at the company level. That's the power of this book.

good reader. ok book

it felt like it was missing something. worth the buy all things considered. the narrator was easy to understand and pleasant to listen to.

Not valuable to an experienced agile practitioner

This is the first book I’ve ever “read” on Audible that I’m giving up on partway through. The advice and guides in here are extremely basic. “Unplanned work is bad”, “hidden dependencies cause delays”. It’s very rudimentary and if you’ve ever worked using agile and /or Kansan in any meaningful way then there won’t be much for you in here. If you’ve never worked with Kanban then this could be useful.

Doesn't work as an audiobook

Didn't finish. Doesn't really work as an audiobook as it feels like an endless description of project management processes which isn't very engaging to listen to but may be OK as a refermence book.

One for your bookshelf if you're keen on lean

Good coverage of key techniques and some excellent tips from the trenches. There are too few resources around which help you build and evolve your own Kanban board. This is one of the better ones