B737-700
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 393; Flight Crew Type 4200
Workload; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
After 3;000 feet on the departure; we started accelerating and cleaning up the aircraft. Between flaps 5 and 1; ATC cleared us to climb to 14;000 feet on the HHERO 3 departure. After cleanup we received a traffic call out for traffic at 9 o'clock and 9;000 feet. I started searching outside for the traffic and never did see the traffic. When I looked back in we were climbing through 9;500 feet and saw the DOLLF below 8;000 feet restriction. The Captain (Pilot Flying) noticed VNAV (Vertical Navigation) was not selected and selected VNAV; but at that point we were climbing through 9;500 feet. We had a conversation about whether we were cleared to climb via or unrestricted to 14;000 feet. Due to the issued climb instruction during aircraft cleanup; I couldn't recall if it was via or unrestricted. Asking for confirmation at that point would have been useless. That's when we realized we may have deviated from our climb instructions. ATC never attempted to issue a correction and we were handed off to LA Center who notified us of a possible deviation.Prioritize searching for the traffic with backing up Pilot Flying and ensuring VNAV was selected. Not making contact with ATC until aircraft was cleaned up. ATC realizing flight crew workload on that departure and giving clearances at a later time.
B737 First Officer reported confusion about clearance to either climb via or climb unrestricted resulted in a clearance deviation.