I'm trying to think back a few years but for anyone interested there are 2 automatic settings for the deice boots.
Each section of the boots inflates for 6 seconds and then the next inboard section inflates. Once the sequence gets to the inboard boot one side will inflate at the same time as the opposite side engine intake boot and then vice versa. On the SLOW setting there is then a pause and the whole process starts again 3 minutes after it first started. The sequence is the same for the FAST setting but the pause after the cycle is (I think) 24 seconds meaning the whole cycle lasts 1 minute before it starts again.
It is also possible to manually cycle the boots. This requires the non flying pilot to cycle through the process using a rotary selector, each boot should not be inflated for more than 6 seconds and drastically increases the work load.
fg32, there is obviously a force required on the control column during configuration changes but going from Flap 10 to Flap 15 I seem to remember it was minimal (there will obvioulsy be more current Q400 pilots out there to prove me wrong!). In fact you can take off with Flap 15 and clean up to Flap zero and still quite easily hold the out of trim forces. Haven't tried it in any kind of icing though. Any help?