[bsmithers]

I think it's on you - as the receiver of a message - to appropriately deal with your messaging app of choice such that it doesn't interupt your flow. Otherwise, you are placing an impossible burden on the sender of the message to some how telepathically know if it's a good time. IMHO, your preferred workflow makes it seem that your time is more valuable than the other person's as you're now asking them to hang around waiting until they can actually ask their question.

The asynchronous nature of messaging is important to preserve.

[ColinWright]

That's why I say "It Depends". If I'm working I've already set my system to say (a) I'm working, and (b) only receive from colleagues. Then they can choose to wait (because I'm working), ping me (because they will need a response when I get a break), or ask now (because they need the answer now).

If their judgement turns out not to match my expectation then we can talk later about priorities, and each adjust to the other, thus improving the working relationship.

> IMHO, your preferred workflow makes it seem that your time is more valuable than the other person's as you're now asking them to hang around waiting until they can actually ask their question.

Not at all, there is a balance. Sometimes what I'm doing really is more important than answering their question, sometimes it isn't. If what I'm doing is more important, then simply blurting the question into my message stream, as suggested by the article, is a "Bad Thing(tm)".

That's why I say ... "It Depends". I believe it depends on the question you want to ask, and the current working context.