The Importance of Fun in the Workplace

An in-depth look at what makes software development a roller coaster where the highs of 0 compiler warnings are quickly cancelled out by the pain of long hours, bad requirements, endless configuration, clueless managers and a plethora of other issues which make death by a thousand cuts seem like a good idea…. They will answer questions such as: “Why is programming often called an art despite having its underpinnings in formal logic?” “How can I rediscover the delight I felt when I first started coding?” “What’s that rush I feel when my test passes? Am I addicted to TDD?” Combining Psychology, Philosophy and Computer Science, Dr Holly Cummins and Martijn Verburg will present a series of practical tips to help you rediscover the euphoria that you felt the very first time a metal box in front of you came to life and cried out “Hello World”.

Transcript

1. @BuildStep FeatureBuildItem feature() { return new FeatureBuildItem(FEATURE); } @Record(STATIC_INIT) @BuildStep public void helloBuildStep(HelloRecorder recorder) { recorder.sayHello("World"); } @Record(RUNTIME_INIT) @BuildStep LogHandlerBuildItem addLogHandler(final MinecraftLogHandlerMaker maker, BeanCon return new LogHandlerBuildItem(maker.create(beanContainer.getValue())); } /** * Makes the interceptor as a bean so we can access it. */ @BuildStep void beans(BuildProducer<AdditionalBeanBuildItem> producer) { producer.produce(AdditionalBeanBuildItem.unremovableOf(MinecraftLogIntercep producer.produce(AdditionalBeanBuildItem.unremovableOf(MinecraftService.cla } @BuildStep AnnotationsTransformerBuildItem transform() { return new AnnotationsTransformerBuildItem(new AnnotationsTransformer() { public boolean appliesTo(org.jboss.jandex.AnnotationTarget.Kind kind) { return kind == org.jboss.jandex.AnnotationTarget.Kind.METHOD; } public void transform(TransformationContext context) { if (context.getTarget().asMethod().hasAnnotation(JAX_RS_GET)) { context.transform().add(MinecraftLog.class).done(); } } }); Holly Cummins Red Hat @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io the importance of fun in the workplace
2. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat
3. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat first things first.
4. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat first things first. why is there a duck on the title slide?
5. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat first things first. why is there a duck on the title slide? answer: science.
6. @holly_cummins #RedHat
7. @holly_cummins #RedHat
8. @holly_cummins #RedHat
9. @holly_cummins #RedHat
10. @holly_cummins #RedHat
11. 350,000 participants ranked jokes (world’s largest scientific experiment)
12. controlled experiments show: ducks make jokes funnier
13. funniest joke in Belgium:
14. why do ducks have webbed feet? funniest joke in Belgium:
15. why do ducks have webbed feet? to stamp out fires. funniest joke in Belgium:
16. why do ducks have webbed feet? to stamp out fires. funniest joke in Belgium:
17. why do ducks have webbed feet? to stamp out fires. why do elephants have flat feet? funniest joke in Belgium:
18. why do ducks have webbed feet? to stamp out fires. why do elephants have flat feet? to stamp out burning ducks. funniest joke in Belgium:
21. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat ma’am, this is a wendy’s.
22. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat ma’am, this is a wendy’s. ma’am, this is a technology conference.
23. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat
24. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat second things second.
25. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat second things second. why am i qualified to talk about fun in the workplace?
26. @holly_cummins #RedHat 2016
27. @holly_cummins #RedHat 2022
28. @holly_cummins #RedHat
29. @holly_cummins #RedHat Let’s talk about your career.
30. @holly_cummins #RedHat “Hi boss! YOW London was great! 
 I learned so much that will help me be a better employee! I know you wanted to do a code review of my 10 most salient lines of code and then maybe fire me, but let me tell you about how ducks are the funnest animal instead!”
31. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Specialty: Having fun at work
32. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Are you brave enough? Specialty: Having fun at work
33. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Are you brave enough? I’m not :)
34. @holly_cummins #RedHat
35. @holly_cummins #RedHat Wait. Where’s “fun-loving”?
36. @holly_cummins #RedHat We keep fun a secret. Wait. Where’s “fun-loving”?
37. @holly_cummins #RedHat Puritan confronts ale drinkers Howard Pyle
38. @holly_cummins #RedHat what is fun?
39. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fungi.
40. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fungi. A Fun Guy.
41. @holly_cummins #RedHat
42. @holly_cummins #RedHat
43. @holly_cummins #RedHat "Fun is a point on the intersection of engagement levels and social interaction for a given activity.” Fun: An Exploration in its Relevance to Interaction Design - Elise Woolley, 2010
44. @holly_cummins #RedHat How do you measure fun? Excerpted from Elise M. Woolley, B.S., Fun: An Exploration in its Relevance to Interaction Design
45. @holly_cummins #RedHat That was called the Funtinuum.
46. @holly_cummins #RedHat That was called the Funtinuum. If you remember just one thing from this talk …
47. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy Exploration
48. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by William Warby Puzzle
49. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play
50. @holly_cummins #RedHat Game
51. @holly_cummins #RedHat Work
52. @holly_cummins #RedHat
53. @holly_cummins #RedHat Exploration focussed investigation
54. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation
55. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation Puzzle a goal and rules
56. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Exploration focussed investigation Games a winner and rules Puzzle a goal and rules
57. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Work a goal Exploration focussed investigation Games a winner and rules Puzzle a goal and rules
58. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Work a goal Exploration focussed investigation Games a winner and rules Puzzle a goal and rules jokes laughter
59. @holly_cummins #RedHat Positive affect
60. @holly_cummins #RedHat It feels good
61. @holly_cummins #RedHat fun happiness joy laughter delight silliness jokes
62. @holly_cummins #RedHat fun happiness joy laughter delight silliness jokes
63. @holly_cummins #RedHat Programming is fun.
64. @holly_cummins #RedHat We get to control stuff when we program.
65. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat
66. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat
67. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat
68. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun
69. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun making is fun
70. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun making is fun being useful is fun
71. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun making is fun puzzles are fun being useful is fun
72. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun making is fun puzzles are fun learning is fun being useful is fun
73. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat programming is fun making is fun puzzles are fun learning is fun code is squishy and awesome being useful is fun
74. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy Exploration
75. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by Linearahandmade@etsy Exploration > Hello, World
76. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by William Warby Puzzle
77. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by William Warby Puzzle Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException: WhyWhyWhyIsThisHappeningNullPointerException at StackTraceExample.method111(StackTraceExample.java:15) at StackTraceExample.method11(StackTraceExample.java:11) at StackTraceExample.method1(StackTraceExample.java:7) at StackTraceExample.main(StackTraceExample.java:3)
78. @holly_cummins #RedHat Game
79. @holly_cummins #RedHat Game
80. @holly_cummins #RedHat Katie Bouman, discovering that her algorithm for imaging black holes worked.
81. @holly_cummins #RedHat Katie Bouman, discovering that her algorithm for imaging black holes worked. It feels good
82. @holly_cummins #RedHat Why are most of our workplaces Not Fun?
83. @holly_cummins #RedHat The 1980/90's Management Model Very hierarchical Control favoured over autonomy Technology seen as a cost centre
84. @holly_cummins #RedHat http:/ /www.defenceimagery.mod.uk
85. @holly_cummins #RedHat processes control us Photo by Michal Matlon on Unsplash
86. @holly_cummins #RedHat processes control us Photo by Michal Matlon on Unsplash dumb
87. @holly_cummins #RedHat the value of fun in the workplace
88. @holly_cummins #RedHat Research shows: Fun is good for business.
89. @holly_cummins #RedHat Research shows: Fun is good for business.
90. job satisfaction is the no. 1 predictor of organizational performance
91. “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Aristotle
92. @holly_cummins #RedHat
93. @holly_cummins #RedHat “so, what was said on the conference call?”
94. @holly_cummins #RedHat “so, what was said on the conference call?”
95. @holly_cummins #RedHat “so, what was said on the conference call?” “I have no idea …
96. @holly_cummins #RedHat “so, what was said on the conference call?” “I have no idea … but they were laughing, so the project is OK. ”
97. @holly_cummins #RedHat “so, what was said on the conference call?” “I have no idea … but they were laughing, so the project is OK. ” a team that doesn’t laugh together doesn’t want to work together
98. @holly_cummins #RedHat
99. @holly_cummins #RedHat laughter:
100. @holly_cummins #RedHat laughter: defuses tense situations
101. @holly_cummins #RedHat laughter: defuses tense situations creates team cohesion
102. @holly_cummins #RedHat laughter: defuses tense situations creates team cohesion is a nice muscle workout
103. @holly_cummins #RedHat Studies have shown... Employee fun
104. @holly_cummins #RedHat Studies have shown... Employee fun
105. @holly_cummins #RedHat Studies have shown... Employee fun Less sick leave
106. @holly_cummins #RedHat Studies have shown... Employee fun Less sick leave Harder working
107. @holly_cummins #RedHat Studies have shown... Employee fun Less sick leave Harder working More productivity
108. @holly_cummins #RedHat https:/ /hbr.org/2012/01/positive-intelligence
109. @holly_cummins #RedHat “Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral or stressed. " https:/ /hbr.org/2012/01/positive-intelligence
110. @holly_cummins #RedHat
111. @holly_cummins #RedHat https:/ /www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/eproto/workingpapers/happinessproductivity.pdf
112. @holly_cummins #RedHat "Individuals [who just watched a comedy video] have approximately
113. @holly_cummins #RedHat play helps creativity we work in a creative industry
114. @holly_cummins #RedHat piglet litters grow faster if they play more https://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/8746156155
115. @holly_cummins #RedHat “my contractors are in their zone of competence.” fun: cause and correlation
116. @holly_cummins #RedHat How much fun can you expect to have? https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/paulesson/3065570366
117. @holly_cummins #RedHat How much fun can you expect to have? (Yes, this is a picture of lots of fungi. You’re welcome.) https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/paulesson/3065570366
118. @holly_cummins #RedHat
119. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun. What could possibly go wrong?
120. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun. What could possibly go wrong?
121. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy.
122. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy.
123. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun. What could possibly go wrong? 2008: A developer had a lot of fun with Groovy. 2009: The others who had to maintain the code had less fun.
124. @holly_cummins #RedHat Limits to Fun Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
125. @holly_cummins #RedHat Limits to Fun • Fun has business value. Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
126. @holly_cummins #RedHat Limits to Fun • Fun has business value. • Logical extension: only do activities if they’re fun and enjoyable! Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
127. @holly_cummins #RedHat Limits to Fun • Fun has business value. • Logical extension: only do activities if they’re fun and enjoyable! • Uh, no. Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
128. @holly_cummins #RedHat Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash
129. @holly_cummins #RedHat balance
130. @holly_cummins #RedHat Just because it's fun, doesn't mean it's good.
131. @holly_cummins #RedHat Just because it's fun, doesn't mean it's good.
132. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
133. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
134. @holly_cummins #RedHat `
135. thanks, Manu Corbet! 
 https:/ /twittoons.com/
136. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
137. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
138. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
139. @holly_cummins #RedHat https://twitterisgoinggreat.com/
140. @holly_cummins #RedHat psychological safety
141. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat “It was truly the most amazing, supportive, wonderful, empowering place I’ve ever worked” 
 – Andy Piper
142. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat “It was truly the most amazing, supportive, wonderful, empowering place I’ve ever worked” 
 – Gergely Orosz
143. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat #LoveWhereYouWorked
144. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat watch this space …
145. @holly_cummins #RedHat "I love the smell of napalm in the morning .... smells like victory.” Bill Kilgore, Apocalypse Now
146. @holly_cummins #RedHat "I love the smell of napalm in the morning .... smells like victory.” Bill Kilgore, Apocalypse Now Is everyone having fun?
147. @holly_cummins #RedHat who are we including in our laughter? who are we excluding? https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/davefayram/4266804988
148. @holly_cummins #RedHat Enjoy fun. Responsibly.
149. How to achieve fun
150. Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them.
152. Step 0. Stop prohibiting fun. Obviously.
153. @holly_cummins #RedHat “Please stop sending emails telling people you are sharing cake.”
154. @holly_cummins #RedHat
155. @holly_cummins #RedHat “If you’re in the office after 5:30, you need to be doing work.”
156. @holly_cummins #RedHat “Why are you smiling? Work isn’t a place to be happy!” - a prowling project manager
157. Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them.
158. @holly_cummins #RedHat 
 A process being unfun is a red flag that it’s not adding value.
159. Step 1. Find un-fun things. Get rid of them. ... because they're probably waste.
160. @holly_cummins #RedHat We all hate being told what to do. Usually, because we know it’s wrong. Let people make their own decisions.
161. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun Not-Fun Effective tools Bad tools Programming Meetings Puzzles Mysteries Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Prototyping Hardening Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog
162. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun Not-Fun Effective tools Bad tools Programming Meetings Puzzles Mysteries Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Prototyping Hardening Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog We can fix these.
163. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fun Not-Fun Effective tools Bad tools Programming Meetings Puzzles Mysteries Collaboration Criticism Just doing it Process/Ceremony Learning Repeating Designing Sizing Doing Status reporting Prototyping Hardening Interactions Interruptions Making a difference Being a cog Streamlined process Pair programming #noestimates Self-directed teams Automation We can fix these. Knowledge sharing Self-generating status MVP
164. @holly_cummins #RedHat Pair programming
165. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Status for all to see.
166. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Keep stories small, so status is self-reporting. Daily stand-up. Keep it short. Status for all to see.
167. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat #noestimates Estimates are rarely accurate. Why bother??
168. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Testing should not be something we do only at the end. TDD is fun.
169. TDD
170. TDD
171. @holly_cummins #RedHat Automation Computers don’t expect to have fun (yet). Let them do the tedious tasks. Bonus: Automating stuff is fun (yay!). With permission of Richard Greenhill and H
172. @holly_cummins #RedHat Toil https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/seat850/3341460975 SRE is a whole discipline dedicated to eliminating toil from ops because toil isn’t worth it.
173. @holly_cummins #RedHat “devops helps make our lives humane and win in the marketplace.” -Gene Kim
174. @holly_cummins #RedHat continuous delivery should feel easy and fun
175. @holly_cummins #RedHat continuous delivery should feel easy and fun if it doesn’t, maybe you’re doing it wrong?
176. @holly_cummins #RedHat Fast feedback matters.
177. Step 2: Add fun
178. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Your brain needs breaks.
179. @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io #RedHat Your brain needs breaks.
180. @holly_cummins #RedHat Can our job be fun?
181. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play a goal Exploration
182. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Work a goal Exploration focussed investigation Games a winner and rules Puzzle a goal and rules
183. @holly_cummins #RedHat gamification
184. @holly_cummins #RedHat gamification (management loves)
185. @holly_cummins #RedHat The Fun Theory “something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better”
186. @holly_cummins #RedHat
187. @holly_cummins #RedHat
188. TDD
189. @holly_cummins #RedHat
190. @holly_cummins #RedHat
191. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage
192. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added
193. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed
194. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved
195. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved
196. @holly_cummins #RedHat 7186 new lines of coverage 1000 new tests added 230 issues fixed 10 years of tech debt resolved
197. @holly_cummins #RedHat what dazzling reward achieved that?
198. @holly_cummins #RedHat what dazzling reward achieved that?
199. @holly_cummins #RedHat 1 free lunch ➡ 230 issues fixed what dazzling reward achieved that?
200. @holly_cummins #RedHat metrics matter
201. @holly_cummins #RedHat remember, you get what you measure
202. @holly_cummins #RedHat gamification is so motivating it will drive people do the wrong thing
203. @holly_cummins #RedHat employees are not stupid they may notice they’ve been gamed
204. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play flexible for its own sake Work a goal Exploration focussed investigation Games a winner and rules Puzzle a goal and rules jokes laughter
205. @holly_cummins #RedHat Easter Eggs https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/47142913712
206. @holly_cummins #RedHat
207. @holly_cummins #RedHat Play Children learn through play.
208. @holly_cummins #RedHat learn skill while “playing on the job” use skill later on for real work
209. Failing at 
 Fun
210. @holly_cummins #RedHat 31% of us dislike team-building activities. http:/ /www.successfulmeetings.com/Strategy/Meeting-Strategies/When-Teambuilding-Fails/
211. @holly_cummins #RedHat fun is not a formula
212. @holly_cummins #RedHat fun may wear out
213. @holly_cummins #RedHat some people like evening socialising, some people hate it
214. @holly_cummins #RedHat how do you know you’re having fun if you’re not measuring it?
215. @holly_cummins #RedHat How to ruin an office party? Take attendance.
216. @holly_cummins #RedHat Failing at Fun Forgetting to fix the other stuff.
217. @holly_cummins #RedHat
218. @holly_cummins #RedHat A layer of fun
219. @holly_cummins #RedHat A layer of fun … on top of a terrible workspace …
220. @holly_cummins #RedHat A layer of fun … on top of a terrible workspace … is still terrible.
221. @holly_cummins #RedHat photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
222. @holly_cummins #RedHat my least fun project: photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
223. @holly_cummins #RedHat my least fun project: agile coaches photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
224. @holly_cummins #RedHat my least fun project: agile coaches games photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
225. @holly_cummins #RedHat my least fun project: agile coaches games laminated architecture diagrams photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
226. @holly_cummins #RedHat my least fun project: agile coaches games laminated architecture diagrams 1000 row requirement spreadsheets photo by Marco Verch, https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/454818
228. Fun is important.
229. Fun is important. Recap on achieving fun:
230. Fun is important. Recap on achieving fun: 1. Get rid of un-fun things
231. Fun is important. Recap on achieving fun: 1. Get rid of un-fun things 2. Add fun things
232. Fun is important. Recap on achieving fun: 1. Get rid of un-fun things 2. Add fun things Doing 2. without 1. is going to fail.
233. thank you Holly Cummins Red Hat @holly_cummins@hachyderm.io slides