Information Effort

Overview
The piece introduces the idea of "information effort" - the amount of mental energy required to process and act on information. It shows why excessive information can hinder fast, effective decisions and offers ways for technical leaders to streamline communication.

Key Takeaways

• High information effort slows decision-making and reduces team velocity.
• Prioritize signal over noise by focusing on actionable data.
• Use clear, concise updates and structured documentation to lower cognitive load.
• Empower teams to ask clarifying questions early to avoid rework.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers looking to improve meeting efficiency.
• Technical leads who need to balance detail with speed.
• Product owners managing cross-functional communication.
• Senior leaders aiming to reduce information overload.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Lean communication principles.
• Decision-making frameworks such as RAPID.
• Documentation best practices like "single source of truth".