The Off Topic forum usually answers every other question in the universe. So I thought I'd give this one a shot.

In my daily work (software QA these days), I am frequently required to prepare certain kinds of documentation, and contribute to project planning. Why do I hate it so much and procrastinate about it? Typing this post is one of the ways I'm procrastinating, in fact.

I don't hate documentation in general. I don't hate writing or typing. I don't hate word processors or spreadsheets in general. For instance, when I file a bug report, I love filling in all the fiddly details of the bug repro steps. And in general, the act of documenting an existing system is enjoyable, if tedious.

But when I'm asked to write a test plan, or to prepare a set of tasks for the next sprint, or do any estimating, I freeze up. I can actually do the work without much real trouble, and I do fine at it when I get motivated. But the problem is getting past that initial hurdle. Why? What is my psychological barrier here? Anyone? Theories?

Easy. Because it's very akin to busywork. Wasted time. it produces -=NOTHING=- and doesn't help toward the goal. Your brain knows it to be a fruitless task and is trying to wriggle out of having to do something so mundane.

At least, that's why I hate doing pre-planning work. I also really sucked at writing pseudo-code for the same reason.

Agreed. Anything that isn't part of the final product as received by a paying customer.. is overhead. I have a natural aversion to anything like that!

Cheers

Hence the Hijack documentation

Not all non-deliverables cause frustration. For instance, I enjoy writing unit tests because I see the great benefit they bring to the end product. Most up front documentation is useless, and the useful parts end up buried amidst the unnecessary bits.

The only documentation our QA create before testing are their test scripts, and since they see the benefits from these in the immediate future, they don't consider it painful (or if they do, I don't hear about it, and I'm pretty close with our QA). All project planning is done together- QA and devs identify tasks together at the beginning of each iteration,

The truth is, documentation usually serves as a false sense of security (someone can pick up where you left off), a contract to bind customers (I don't care if you don't like the way that button works- you signed this document saying it's what you wanted and clearly you have the ability to envision how a feature will work in your mind), or a metric for achieving marketable buzzwords/certifications (CMM). Creating documentation that is never read by anyone and never impacts anyone positively in their ability to help deliver a product is tiresome when your mind knows you can actually be doing something useful- or it is to me. Fortunately, I don't have to write much documentation on my current project (and when I do, it's generally useful so I enjoy it). What drives me nuts is the time our project managers requires from our TAs before each sprint to do design work. They never get to code because they are figuring out stuff they should be able to trust us peon developers to do. Once you've put together a database table create statement to illustrate the fields I'm going to need, just run the thing- don't send it to me in a document. If you can't trust your developers to do they everyday design work, get new developers.

For me, it's because no matter how much planning, consideration, time effort, I put into something like that, it can be trashed in an instant, or worse, accepted and find myself held accountable for overages due to changes in scope, outside of my control.

You guys are such enablers. Sigh.

To get over the initial "hump" with procrastination, there's one simple rule: JUST START.

Have you tried the Pomodoro technique? It's basically controlled time-boxing. I find that it helps me keep on track with whatever my current task is.

(Unless it's watching the progress bar for our automated system tests slowly creep across the screen, in which case I just go and check the empeg BBS).

Add Focus Booster. See how you get on.

Thanks for the links - now I'm working for myself, from home, I have found similar initial motivation issues. Once I have started I'm fine, but on documentation it is that initial kick start. Pomodoro looks like it may work for me.

Really? I never would have guessed...

tanstaafl.