Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Pomodoro Technique
Improve quality of individual and team work
Matteo Vaccari Federico Gobbo
m.vaccari@sourcesense.com; federico.gobbo@uninsubria.it
Sourcesense, Milano; Università dell'Insubria, Varese
(cc) Some rights reserved.
XP Day Mechelen, 15 November 2007
1/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Classic Pomodoro...
What is a Pomodoro?
2/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
...is a kitchen timer...
What is a Pomodoro?
3/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
...of whatever shape!
What is a Pomodoro?
4/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Pomodoro Technique Goals & Features
Why?
5/39

Francesco Cirillo  inventor of the Technique

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Pomodoro paper
Why?
Find it at
http://www.tecnicadelpomodoro.it/
7/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
What kind of work?
Why?
professional
children homework
cleaning house
...
any work
8/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Pomodoro is the unit of work
How Pomodori Work
Pomodoro = 25 minutes + 5 minutes break
...or any reasonable convention you prefer (teams decide)
10/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Zero Pomodoro Rule
The Pomodoro Technique Rules
If the Pomodoro is interrupted...
...that Pomodoro counts for nothing.
11/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Half pomodori?
The Pomodoro Technique Rules
12/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
NEVER: The Pomodoro is the Atomic unit of work!
The Pomodoro Technique Rules
The Fundamental Rule: A Pomodoro Is Indivisible.
13/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
After 25 minutes, you stop
The Pomodoro Technique Rules
Scene 1: just for a few more minutes
14/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
After 4 Pomodori...
Getting into the break
...take a longer break (never more than 1 pomodoro long)
The 4 Pomodori Rule:
thank yourself after 4 following successful Pomodori.
15/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
How to handle interruptions?
Getting into the break
Scene 2: inform, negotiate, call back
16/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Thank myself?
During the break
Yes!
Relax. You have worked well!
Suggestions:
stand up, rest and take a deep breath
have a little walk
have a coee or a tea
17/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
What if the boss resents frequent pauses?!?
During the break
Scene 3: breath exercises without standing up
18/39

The Four Stages of the Technique

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Individual planning
How to estimate eectively?
20/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Estimating cards in pomodori
How to estimate eectively?
21/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Estimating cards in pomodori
How to estimate eectively?
22/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Very big tasks?
How to estimate eectively?
More Than Five pomodori?
Split it up!
(as you are used with User Stories)
23/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Very small tasks?
How to estimate eectively?
What if
it Lasts Less Than One Pomodoro?
Add It Up!
(it's easy!)
24/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
The Last Pomodoro is for Recording your day
Recording
Don't forget to do it,
whatever method you choose!
25/39

Solo Recording: Federico's method

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Recording with paper
Pomodoro Recording for the team
(Sinapsi Srl)
http://wiki.sinapsi.com/
27/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Recording with a wiki
Pomodoro Recording for the team
(Databtech)
by Alessandro Mercanti
28/39

Recording with a custom app (Sourcesense)

EasyTracking II (www.myagileprojects.com)
by Francesco Cirillo

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Ideal Engineering Days != Calendar Days
Team work
Why?
Gosh! In a full day I can only do 3 pomodori
Argh! today I spent
3 pomodori in a meeting
2 pomodori in presales
1 pomodori on support
Only 2 pomodori on my project!!

31/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
One timer per pair
Team work
Avoid the one timer to rule them all style
32/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Dealing with multiple customers simultaneously
Team work
Customer A is very important: 50% eort
Customer B is important: 30% eort
Customer C is less important: 20% eort
This week we have 150 pomodori
Customer A will get 75 pomodori
Customer B will get 45
Customer C will get 25
by Gabriele Lana
33/39

Our Mantra

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Synopsis of Pomodoro Rules
Get aware of your Free Time
35/39

Pros and Cons of software Pomodori

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Beyond Pomodori
Get aware of your Free Time
Free Time is Free Time,
i.e. free from time boxing
37/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
Thank you. Any questions?
Get aware of your Free Time
Download these slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/goberiko/xpday2007
(cc) Matteo Vaccari & Federico Gobbo 2007. Published in Italy.
Attribution  Non commercial  Share alike 2.5
38/39

Focus on work The Art of Having a Break The four stages Team work Free Time
In fact, we have questions
Get aware of your Free Time
How could we improve this presentation?
What was good?
What was bad?
Could we make it more interactive?
And please don't forget to tell us your experience with the
Pomodoro:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/pomodoro/
39/39