Comments on: How to solve the two biggest problems with distributed teams. http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/ Time-saving reflections on lifehacking, social media, and technology. Mon, 30 Dec 2013 18:20:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Jared Goralnick http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-105012 Jared Goralnick Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:34:51 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-105012 Great to hear what's working for you, Matt! I'm fascinated by what one can just do with Skype these days! And glad to hear the spreadsheets's helping, too : ) Cheers! Great to hear what’s working for you, Matt! I’m fascinated by what one can just do with Skype these days! And glad to hear the spreadsheets’s helping, too : ) Cheers!

]]> By: Matt Campbell http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-104922 Matt Campbell Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:37:38 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-104922 I second Kira's vcon comments. I'm in NY and have worked with a design team in the UK for 5 years, we gradually added more vcon sessions and it greatly helped personalize the interaction. Equipment and bandwidth makes a huge difference, we started with grainy ISDN cameras we could barely see one another on, and now do 720p conferencing with Lifesize or Polycom cameras, it's a huge difference. Jared, on a side note thanks for the 4HWW spreadsheet, I'm working with it right now and it's very well done. I second Kira’s vcon comments. I’m in NY and have worked with a design team in the UK for 5 years, we gradually added more vcon sessions and it greatly helped personalize the interaction. Equipment and bandwidth makes a huge difference, we started with grainy ISDN cameras we could barely see one another on, and now do 720p conferencing with Lifesize or Polycom cameras, it’s a huge difference.

Jared, on a side note thanks for the 4HWW spreadsheet, I’m working with it right now and it’s very well done.

]]> By: Jared Goralnick http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-104662 Jared Goralnick Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:59:17 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-104662 Couldn't agree more, Chris. When I choose people for projects, beyond the skillset, the two most important things to me are timezone and culture. Staying organized and using thorough specifications are hugely helpful when there's not much overlap...but whenever possible, have lots of timezone overlap! Alas, maybe that's why we aren't in touch so much anymore... ;-/ Couldn’t agree more, Chris. When I choose people for projects, beyond the skillset, the two most important things to me are timezone and culture. Staying organized and using thorough specifications are hugely helpful when there’s not much overlap…but whenever possible, have lots of timezone overlap! Alas, maybe that’s why we aren’t in touch so much anymore… ;-/

]]> By: Chris kirkland http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-104658 Chris kirkland Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:38:08 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-104658 We see these challenges too and I think your suggestions are good. I'd add to the mix dealing with different timezones - we had a period working between California, Japan, Eastern Europe and the UK. In this kind of scenario you really want to keep the teams/people in the same area who are heavily dependant on each other, if this is not possible, you've got to be super organised with working times as the time frame each day for useful communication is really tight. We see these challenges too and I think your suggestions are good.

I’d add to the mix dealing with different timezones – we had a period working between California, Japan, Eastern Europe and the UK. In this kind of scenario you really want to keep the teams/people in the same area who are heavily dependant on each other, if this is not possible, you’ve got to be super organised with working times as the time frame each day for useful communication is really tight.

]]> By: Jared Goralnick http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-104538 Jared Goralnick Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:20:47 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-104538 Thanks, Kira, these are some great tips! Video conference is a huge help, as are proj mgt tools (I used Basecamp for year, too) as well as regular IM : ). We're in the same boat as you, so +1 here. Thanks, Kira, these are some great tips! Video conference is a huge help, as are proj mgt tools (I used Basecamp for year, too) as well as regular IM : ). We’re in the same boat as you, so +1 here.

]]> By: Kira http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/comment-page-1/#comment-104532 Kira Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:53:04 +0000 http://www.technotheory.com/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-two-biggest-problems-with-distributed-teams/#comment-104532 We have team members in DC, SF and NY, so the concerns you raise are ones we address every day. Here's what we're doing, and I'm curious to hear other suggestions, too: - The whole team meets once a week by vcon to talk over specific projects and to update others on what we're working on. The vcon feels much more chatty and open than a phone call. - We track a lot of our work through one big Basecamp project. The calendar and to-do list make more work visible in a shared space. (And people really do jump in on conversations that catch their eye.) - We're on IM with each other all the time. Some teams might find this distracting, but it also lowers the bar for those casual hallway-type questions. We have team members in DC, SF and NY, so the concerns you raise are ones we address every day. Here’s what we’re doing, and I’m curious to hear other suggestions, too:

- The whole team meets once a week by vcon to talk over specific projects and to update others on what we’re working on. The vcon feels much more chatty and open than a phone call.

- We track a lot of our work through one big Basecamp project. The calendar and to-do list make more work visible in a shared space. (And people really do jump in on conversations that catch their eye.)

- We’re on IM with each other all the time. Some teams might find this distracting, but it also lowers the bar for those casual hallway-type questions.

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