Interview
Jason Garber
What are some things you do to help yourself into the state of mind necessary for creative work?
The ol' iPod is a necessity. Music is what I usually use to drown out the background noise and let's me focus.
Do you follow a strict daily (or weekly, etc.) routine with regard to workflow, or is every day (or week) different?
My only real routine is the "get the laptop from 'off' to up and running as quickly as possible." After that, it's usually seeing what needs to be done, organizing things by priority and then knocking them out. Sometimes checking a few news sites or blogs can shake off the morning haze and get me in work mode.
Do you prefer to work in a closed, private environment free from other people and distractions, or in a more open, collaborative environment?
This one depends on the nature of the project. What I'm working on now at AOL is with a very small team of about 5 people. We've had very few meetings, mostly at the onset of the project to discuss direction, features, etc. etc. Since then, we've all collaborated via email/IM and have met only when necessary. So it's a mix of collaborative but with a lot of private time where we're all Getting Things Done (as they say).
So I suppose it depends on the project and where in the life cycle of the project you are. I enjoy working directly with people at certain points but every now and again it's great to have some quiet time to hammer out a ton of stuff.
What do you do to get your day(s) started in the right direction?
Get plenty of sleep. There's a noticeable difference in my ability to work when I haven't gotten enough sleep. Can't go without eating breakfast, either. So really, everything your momma taught you when you were a kid still applies.
What task management technique do you use?
None, really. I make a lot of lists, though, usually written down on good old fashioned paper.
What things tend to disrupt your workflow?
Email, meetings, office noise (conversations in other cubes, phones ringing elsewhere, folks using speakerphone for no real reason)
What previous experiences have influenced your workflow?
The transition from college to a company doing client work was pretty seemless, since in both cases you have to switch between tasks and juggle multiple projects/classes/whatever. So that was really helpful in that I could keep that skill sharp. AOL's a little different since I'm really only on one major project at a time, but within that, there are still the individual tasks that come up and need to be prioritized, juggled, etc.
What other disciplines influence the way you work?
Photography has really helped hone my attention to detail and precision. They're both visual media, so web development and photography share a lot of similar traits.
Is there anyone in particular you have learned from?
Too many to mention. The web community as a whole is incredibly open and friendly, everyone's on a more-or-less even playing field.
What things help keep you focused on the work at hand?
Listening to music, as mentioned above.