Productivity With Multiple Monitors

“Two better than one”.

“Once you try it, you never go back”.

Productivity can be achieved in multiple ways. One way is to provide developers with multiple monitors to minimize context switching and allow more real estate for concurrent usage. NEC Productivity Study lists a few factors users like about dual monitors:

  • Faster
  • More effective
  • Easier to use
  • More viewable space

Out company provides employees with laptops and an additional screen by default. So theoretically you end up with two monitors. The problem, is that laptop monitor is 15” and it’s resolution does not match (usually) larger monitors with higher resolution. Today, thanks to Victor, I have installed eVGA’s UV+ to enable 3rd monitor. Now I can really work. Each monitor has it’s dedication:

  1. Laptop – web for searches / build server status
  2. Monitor (middle) – project in Visual Studio I am currently on
  3. Monitor (left) – command prompt for local builds and/or tool(s) I need for work

This arrangement is a perfect win for myself. Considering that a human Field of View is no more than 140 degrees, 3 monitors are still in that range.

Now getting to the bottom of the business – cost. Managers are always worried about not wasting resources. In this case the investment is so minimal to get a serious ROI. A 17”-19” wide screen monitors are dirt cheap these days, below $200 mark. What’s that with in comparison to a developer that has less chances of making a mistake just because of a task (windows) switching.

Either way, I am definitely not going back. Build server will have to forgive me for taking the monitor away ;)

3.monitors

Update

It is possible to control position popups, dialog boxes, and other dynamic windows with various free applications. One application like that, TaskSwitchXP, can force task switch dialog window to be always showed on the active screen. There are no limits, the question is how limited your imagination ;)

image

3 Comments

  • Hehe nice, similar to what I have except I actually do have 3 seperate computers, and use Sygergia to work with all 3 with a single kb/mouse and 3 screens. Lovely.

  • What? Only three? You are not thinking vertical enough yet.

    Have you solved that problem with dialog boxes, etc. opening in the main screen even though the app is open in a secondary? Only thing about multiple monitors that drives me nuts.

  • @Doug,
    While working on excel/word, one monitor is enough. But when doing code, two-three is what is required.Only three since that's optimal for the productivity. More than that is not a good idea (human eyes limitation).
    As per dialog boxes and other things -- you can use Free utilities that either lock apps to certain screens, or just to the active one. I will show how I do that with Task Switching (update the current post).

Comments have been disabled for this content.