Managing Remote Teams – Misunderstandings, Meanderings, and Melodramatics

David Nixon – Executive Producer – I-Play (publishing division of Oberon Media)

David's initial example was a game of “telephone” with the take-away being that messages are lost or confused while they pass from person to person. Keep your messages short and manageable and difficult to misinterpret.

• State things simply, avoid idiom and slang

• Up-to-date, centralized written documentation

• Dedicated time for frequent discussions, try to use real-time discussion when possible

• Whenever possible, involve the appropriate “doers” (the people who actually are doing the work). Avoid intermediaries when possible.

The next example was of Piecemeal Communication (aka “Mad Libs”). This can happen because of a language barrier or the telephone effect. If your communication isn't working properly.

• Have an experienced producer on both ends involved in all communications.

• Never underestimate the power of a picture or sketch, even a crude one, to convey a point or need clearly. If you're a rotten artist, look for existing pictures that communicate your point.

• Ask your partners to confirm their understanding before moving forward.

• Again, have a dedicated time allotted for frequent communication.

Managing time-travel (i.e. teams in different parts of the world). This can work to your advantage, as you'll often find benchmarks met as you wake up in the morning, but you must know how to best manage this.

• Know your time-zones and try to quickly translate times in your head

• Get up early and/or stay up late.

• Leave notes for the “next shift”. Tell them things that you learned in “your day” that might affect “their day”.

• Again again, dedicate time for frequent communications.

I-Play uses Excel to manage schedules, SharePoint for document sharing, JIRA for bug-tracking, and lots and lots of email.

He finished with a language and Culture Quiz. . .

• French employees have five weeks of paid vacation guaranteed by law and may not legally work more than 35 hours a week (although this is likely to change soon), so it's important to know when your French employees are going on vacation.

• “up” has 90+ definitions in Websters.

• Korea has one of the most advanced telecommunication networks in the world.

• Credit cards are not commonly used everywhere.

• Eastern European employees commonly have access to a company car (I.e. a relationship with the taxi company)

• In Spain, it is common to close down for three hours in the afternoon.

The take-away message was to understand your local culture and customs for your fellow developers.

• Understand the culture gap.

• Mentally recognize that daily life might be different in other places, and set about exploring those differences.

• Learn to recognize and minimize slang and idiom in your own communication.

• Visit your business partners' locations and spend some time there.

• Dedicate time for frequent communications

As a “closing tip”, consistency matters – invest in your partners for the long-term and you'll find the dedication pays off in better and better results with each project.