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Wide Teams episodes
- Episode #43: Greg Bell of Reverb Software
In this episode, Greg Bell, of Reverb Software, talks about mistakes he made during the early stages of managing a distributed team and what he’s done to combat those mistakes, and the ideal people that make up a widely distributed team.
Show Notes:Twitter: @gregbell
REVERB SoftwareGreg Bell Design + Developmentgithub/gregbellRuby Open Source Challenge00:44 – Greg Bell Introduction and Background[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Based in Vancouver, Canada
- Reverb has 6 staff members distributed around the world: France and Vancouver
- Shared office space that can be utilized
[/unordered_list]
02:05 – Type of software worked on[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Rails applications in medical and pharmaceutical enterprise spaces[/unordered_list]
03:00 – History with distributed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- First experiences werenâ€t so good
- Inherited distributed developers
[/unordered_list]
05:20 – What went wrong at first?[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Good technology wasnâ€t in place to allowl continuous communication
- No IRC or Hip Chat
- No daily standups
- Language barrier
- Time zone alignment
[/unordered_list]
08:30 – Plans to avoid future mistakes while managing a distributed team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Try to get people in the same room as much as possible
- Face time
- Keep the team connected
- Having the right people
[/unordered_list]
09:45 – Ideal people[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Enjoy writing down what they are doing
- Documenting thoughts
- Making it obvious what they are up to
- Detail tickets
[/unordered_list]
11:20 – A day in the life[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Daily standup over Google Hangouts
- Additional conversations between teams
- HipChat all day
[/unordered_list]
13:14 – HipChat[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Easy to use
- Integrated one-on-one video chat
- More private than Skype
[/unordered_list]
15:10 – Division of work between people in Vancouver and people in France[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Everyone works on projects together
- Meeting with clients is harder for those located in France
- Iteration planning
[/unordered_list]
18:42 – Being stalled during work due to others being unavailable[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Always have multiple independent tasks you could be working on
- Changing how you orient standups
[/unordered_list]
23:00 – Connecting with clients[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Tracking conversations
- Taking meeting notes
- Side conversations with clients can give a lot of context
[/unordered_list]
25:08 – Dealing with young members of teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Training/programs for young developers out of college
- Remote pair programming
[/unordered_list]
29:05 – Number one piece of advice for someone getting into distributed work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Show progress
[/unordered_list]
33 min - Episode #42: Chad Fowler of LivingSocial
Chad Fowler, of LivingSocial, talks about his background working in and managing widely distributed teams, why people should be allowed to work from home, and the best ways for people who want to work remotely to get into the business.
Show Notes:ChadFowler.com
Twitter: @chadfowlerLivingSocial.comLivingSocial.com/jobs01:18 – Chad Fowler Introduction & Background[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Author of the Passionate Programmer and Rails Recipes
- Organizer of RubyConf and RailsConf
- SVP of Technology at LivingSocial
[/unordered_list]
01:50 – Experience with remote work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Off-shore team setups
- Off-shore insourcing arrangement
- Consulting arrangements
- Widely distributed teams at LivingSocial
[/unordered_list]
03:55 – Off-shore experiences[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Extreme programming
- Turnover
- Confirming something is actually done & finished
[/unordered_list]
12:05 – Psychological aspect of being a developer[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Isolation from other developers
[/unordered_list]
13:20 – LivingSocial[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Wasnâ€t widely distributed before
- Goal: to create a culture open to distributed teams
[/unordered_list]
15:15 – Challenges in creating a distributed environment[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Large teams and large companies typically are not good to work for
- Overhead
- Multiple personalities
- Making a large team still feel like a small one
- Create a collection of small teams: “start-up within a start-upâ€
[/unordered_list]
18:44 – Every team operates differently[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Team gelling/team dynamics
- Bonding while collaborating
- Creating comradery
[/unordered_list]
22:10 – Team choices[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- No two people working on the same thing within one office
[/unordered_list]
26:00 – Forming a distributed team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Sharing information
- Technology is important
- If possible, donâ€t have a room with multiple people in it
- Mind timezones
- Work from home regularly; force people to not come into the office
[/unordered_list]
33:40 – Why let people work from home?[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- You donâ€t want to be limited to one area in terms of “types†of employees
- The lifestyle of those working from home is generally healthy
- Offices restrict you schedule-wise
- A happier, more productive “meâ€
[/unordered_list]
38:25 – Some people just canâ€t work from home[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Staying focused can be an issue
- Presence
- Staying passionate
[/unordered_list]
43:45 – How can somebody find remote work?[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Create a presence
- Become a part of the online/tech scene
- References
- Networking
- Writing books/blogs
- Speaking at conferences
- Organizing conferences
- Be an online extrovert
- Helping others
[/unordered_list]
49:20 – Remote pair programming[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Open-source code
- An avenue for becoming known
[/unordered_list]
58 min - Podcast #41: Jonathan Wallace of Highgroove Studios
Jonathan Wallace, of Highgroove Studios, talks about the team’s management philosophy, ROWE, and why it works, and how the concepts of overcommunication and summarization are extremely important practices when working within a distributed team.
Show Notes:Highgroove Studios
blog.jonathanrwallace.comTwitter: @jonathanwallace@highgroove00:52 – Jonathan Wallace Introduction[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Developer and Technologist at Highgroove Studios
- Independent IOS and Rails Consultant
- Open-Source Developer
- Runner of code retreats
[/unordered_list]
01:14 – Distributed Team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Highgroove: 20 or so members
- Management Philosophy: ROWE–Results Only Work Environment
- Results are what matter no matter where you are
[/unordered_list]
01:58 – Becoming Distributed[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Consultant work out of coffee shops/home
- Permalancers
- Freedom/empowerment
- Working vacations
- Can work from office or home based on how they feel
[/unordered_list]
07:43 – Being “there†versus getting things done: Results Only (ROWE)[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Measuring results, not hours worked
- Client happiness rules
- Being proactive and responsible in managing expectations
- Figure out what works for you
[/unordered_list]
11:50 – Work Flow while Working from Home[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Communicate via CampfirePivotal Tracker[/unordered_list]
14:42 – Challenges of Remote Work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Discipline of sitting down and getting work done
- Getting away from the computer and work
- Getting to know new employees
[/unordered_list]
18:00 – “Overcommunicatingâ€[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Seeking advice from others
- Sharing experience
- Not making assumptions that everyone knows everything
- Broadcasting thoughts
[/unordered_list]
20:30 – Summarizing[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Reducing the “bus†factor
- Someone else can pick a project back up in someone elseâ€s absence
[/unordered_list]
23:44 – Advice for Remote Teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Overcommunicate
- Establish good social bonds
[/unordered_list]
28 min - Podcast #40: Mike Leone of Panoptic Development
In this episode, Mike Leone of Panoptic Development, talks about transitioning into remote work, working with people who are not local, and integrating someone new into a dispersed team.
Show Notes:Panoptic Development
Twitter: @panopticdev01:28 – Mikeâ€s background and history[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- One of the founders of Panoptic Development
- Does software engineering with open source development
- Mobile application development
- Systems integration work
- 4 full-time partners: 2 in Providence, RI, 2 in San Francisco and a network of 5 consultants throughout the country
[/unordered_list]
02:38 – How the company came to be[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- 3 partners worked at a startup in Providence and branched off
[/unordered_list]
03:59 – Changes made when going remote[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Get better at the things they were already doing
- Think about business development
- Tool selection
[/unordered_list]
05:14 – Working with people who were not local[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Networking
[/unordered_list]
05:56 – Integrating someone new into a distributed team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Transition from small tasks to larger ones
- People who express more interest in becoming more active within the company
[/unordered_list]
07:10 – A day in the life working together remotely[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- IRC meeting
- Client work/business development
[/unordered_list]
13:35 – Challenges of going remote[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Picking better projects to people to integrate them into working remotelyBeing consistent[/unordered_list]
14:57 – Physically getting together as a team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
At least once a year the partners get together[/unordered_list]
16:55 – Advice for remote workers[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Having good tools makes a differenceBe flexible in your process: everyone works differently[/unordered_list]
24 min - Podcast #39: Luke Stokes and Brett Florio of Foxycart
Luke Stokes and Brett Florio talk about what it’s like to be partners and co-founders of Foxycart, an eCommerce platform focusing on the cart and the checkout flow. They also talk about bringing team members onboard an already dispersed team, using different modes of communication, and overcoming hurdles in building a team that works.
Show Notes:Foxycart.com
Twitter:@lukestokes@brettflorio01:06 – Background and History[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Remote from the beginning
- Donâ€t know how else they would work
- 9 team members
- Like the flexibility of remote work
[/unordered_list]
04:43 – Finding team members[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- No need to stay local
- Django job board = more targeted than other job boards
- Networking within the community
- Local connections
[/unordered_list]
08:55 – Bringing team members onboard outside an office sit-down interview[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Emails
- Skype/video interview
- Campfire chat room = virtual office
- People hired have had a history where Luke and Brett seen what they have done and what know they are capable of doing
[/unordered_list]
14:30 – Business of Foxycart[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Foxycart is an eCommerce platform focusing on the cart and the checkout flow
- Built to integrate
- Flexible
[/unordered_list]
17:30 – Team Member Handbook[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- As the team grew, there were things that needed clarified
- Security
- Tool-training
- Expectations
[/unordered_list]
24:04 – Modes of communication[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Google+ Hangout
- HeyTell – push to talk
- iMessage
[/unordered_list]
28:00 – Culture[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Similarities in age, marital status, family, passions, etc.
- Personal relationships outside of just work
[/unordered_list]
31:33 – Overcoming hurdles in developing a dispersed team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Team members disappearingDeveloping a hiring processOrg chartsDistributing work to different members based on skills and what they want to do[/unordered_list]
37:35 – A day in the life with Foxycart[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Wake up, check email
- Read through Campfire logs
- Read through forum posts
- Read through support tickets
- Jump into your individual focus
- Work in blocks
[/unordered_list]
44:05 – Advice for dispersed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Value communication
- Founder/partner relationship building is critical
[/unordered_list]
51 min - Podcast #38: Vassilis Rizopoulos of Zühlke
Vassilis Rizopoulos, of Zühlke, talks about what it is like to handle equipment that can be remotely operated, working within a company’s IT limitations, and the importance of setting boundaries when working from home.
Show Notes:Twitter: @arcandros
Google+EuRuKoZühlke01:20 – Vassilis†history and background[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Working remotely for 8 years
- Works for Zühlke, an engineering company that provides services for clients that want to create projects
[/unordered_list]
05:30 – Embedded hardware development[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Works with equipment that can be remotely operated
[/unordered_list]
08:49 – Structure of Vasillis†remote teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Many branches located in many places
[/unordered_list]
11:17 – Iteration meetings[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Collaboration tools
[/unordered_list]
14:36 – Daily stand-ups15:24 – Interaction with co-workers[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- If something breaks or there is a problem
- If everything is ok, contact is minimal to once or twice a day
- Travels to other offices
[/unordered_list]
18:30 – Information radiators[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- A tool that brings information back to the developer as quickly as possible
- Needs updated regularly
- Needs to be visible to the team
[/unordered_list]
22:41 – Working with IT limitations26:00 – Advice for working remotely[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Get a room with a door
- Boundaries need to be clear to be productive
[/unordered_list]
27:00 – Positives and negatives of working remotely[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Working from home
[/unordered_list]
34 min - Podcast #37: Justin Searls of Test Double
In this episode, Justin Searls of Test Double, shares his experiences – both good and bad, in working with distributed teams, how to turn the tides when things are going noticably sour within a project, and the importance of forming habits that stick.
Show Notes:Test Double
Twitter: @searlsBeautiful Front End Code ConferenceÂ01:14 – Justinâ€s history and background with remote work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Consulting for 6 years
[/unordered_list]
01:53 – Bad experiences with distributed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Satellite offices trash talking each other
- Communication constraints
- Passive agressiveness
[/unordered_list]
05:30 – Turning the tide[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Get of the project
- Everyoneâ€s doing their best
[/unordered_list]
07:50 – Good experiences with distributed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- When coaching isnâ€t necessary
- Coming from a common foundation and similar levels of experience
[/unordered_list]
11:25 – Normalization[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Improving communication
- Team mindset
- Handshake Problem
- Every opinion matters
[/unordered_list]
13:33 – Communication cost is significantly higher within distributed teams16:06 – Warning signs that the cost of communication is becoming too expensive[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Remote people getting left out
- People get lost and become uncomfortable about where things in the project are
- Forming habits that stick
- Value asynchronous communication
[/unordered_list]
19:50 – Advice for dispersed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Recognize what kind of organization style you have
- Donâ€t prejudge
[/unordered_list]
24 min - Podcast #36: Ben Johnson of Merrill Corporation
In this episode, Ben Johnson of Merrill Corporation talks about evolving into remote work, why working in an office is bad for focus and productivity, and why putting your face out on the Internet is a good thing.
Show Notes:Twitter: @deafgreatdane
Merrill CorporationMerrill DataSitePragmatic Geek01:10 – Benâ€s introductory and background[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Software architect who leads teams in software development efforts in MinnesotaInternal style development[/unordered_list]
01:37 – Merrill Corporation[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Printing company that has evolved into a communications service company
- Focused on legal services and financial world (printing and distributing documents)
[/unordered_list]
02:20 – Evolving into remote work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Company wanted to have Ben work remotely rather than not at all
[/unordered_list]
03:12 – Tools[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Instant messaging
- Conference calling
- Wikis & Issue trackers
- Email
[/unordered_list]
05:19 – Day to day operation[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Formal SCRUM to 15-20 minute daily standups
- Reach out to others as needed
[/unordered_list]
07:11 – Advantages of working remotely[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Ability to focus
- A lot of other venues for knowledge sharing rather than interoffice face to face communication
- Introverts vs extroverts
[/unordered_list]
10:41 – Remaining in touch with your team[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
TrustFrequent check-insTeam leads[/unordered_list]
12:45 – Helpful management techniques[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Code reviewsXP techniquesContinual communication[/unordered_list]
13:53 – Standardized tools are important16:45 – Advice for others working remotely[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
More use of real faces on avatarsStarting off with face to face meetings is important[/unordered_list]
23 min - Podcast #35: Harvey Losin
Wide Teams field correspondent Keith Bennett interviews Harvey Losin, talking about outsourcing and the challenges that come with it; working with people in different time zones and cultures; and why knowing business is more valuable than any technical tool you can offer.
Show Notes:02:30 – Harveyâ€s background and information[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Harvey Losin managing partner of Ideowave Technology Corporation in Cebu, Philippines
- Company is set up on a partnership
- Freelance Web Developer
[/unordered_list]
04:40 – Working with time zones[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- People from different time zones have different tasks to do
[/unordered_list]
05:22 – Communication issues[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Accents
[/unordered_list]
07:00 – Assignments[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Graphic design
- Logo
- Layout changes
- Web development support
- Coding
- Graphic conversion
- Technical support
[/unordered_list]
09:35 – Working with time zones[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Emergency meetings
- Provide two points of contact
[/unordered_list]
11:00 – Tools[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- GoToMeeting.com
- TeamViewer.com
[/unordered_list]
12:30 – Providers should adjust to their clients13:15 – Outsourcing challenges[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Insufficient/incomplete instructions
- Filling in gaps
[/unordered_list]
15:41 – How Harvey got his start[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Never stop learning
[/unordered_list]
19:35 – Keep a balance of local and overseas clients20:43 – Never be complacent with technology25:40 – Studying business[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Reaching your clients better
- Understanding issues and problems and how you can solve them
[/unordered_list]
27:25 – Dealing with clients from a different culture[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Budget/Haggling
- Western clients are more objective and know what they want
- Know psychology of all types of culture
- Good to know how to allocate resources
[/unordered_list]
35:00 – Advice[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Donâ€t make technical things your primary tool
- Communicate and be able to talk business
[/unordered_list]
38 min - Podcast #34: Ron Evans of The Hybrid Group
In this episode, Ron Evans of The Hybrid Group talks about being a part of a consultancy and the importance of reputation, balancing family and distributed work, and a wonderful project aimed at our youth to introduce them to coding at a young age and keep the Ruby community alive and thriving!
Show Notes:Twitter: @deadprogram
The Hybrid GroupKanban PadÂThe Kids Ruby ProjectClutch00:51 – Introduction[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Ron Evans of the Hybrid Group a software consultancy with a dispersed team
[/unordered_list]
01:50 – Interview begins02:05 – Ronâ€s background[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Ring leader of The Hybrid Group: a development company based in L.A.
- Has developers in 5 countries, 4 different time zones, speaking in 4 different languages
[/unordered_list]
04:05 – Sustainable development[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Works on client programs already in progressTakes over an existing code base[/unordered_list]
04:38 – Communication practices[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Uses real-time communicationHas Skype chat room for each client and encourages client participationTransparency is essential[/unordered_list]
06:00 – Being extreme[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Times when distractions need to be eliminated
- Times when you need to be collaborative
[/unordered_list]
06:40 – Tools[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Skype
- Email
- Ticketmaster
- Clutch: universal feed that allows you to track projects
- Kanban
- Kanban Pad
[/unordered_list]
11:45 – Consultancies[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Reputation is key
- Caring gives you a competitive edge
- Treat client how you wish to be treated
- How can we make things better and improve as a provider of service
[/unordered_list]
14:10 – Building a remote culture[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Geographic centers where you can cowork
- Silly customs can help build the culture of a dispersed team
- PBEOD: Production by end of day
- Deploy Master: rotating person in charge each day
[/unordered_list]
23:40 – History of The Hybrid Group[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Meet tons of like-minded people, especially at conferencesEvolution of Ronâ€s previous consultancy[/unordered_list]
29:35 – Pair programming and when to do it[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Pairing is done to solve a problem and to have people looking at code collaborativly
- Screen-share-style pairing
- Pairing with a client
- Solving a particularly difficult problem
- Do anything all the time is not a good approach to solving problems
[/unordered_list]
36:48 – Does agile development work?38:30 – Family and distributed work[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Avoid commute times
- Choose your own environment for productivity
- Having control over your own destiny
- Investing in people rather than infrastructure
[/unordered_list]
41:50 – The Kids Ruby Project[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
- Fantastic developers started programming very young
- Computer education in schools is decreasing for programming type jobs
[/unordered_list]
50:55 – Advice for future dispersed teams[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Cultivate an attitude of transparencyShare informationTruth will set you freeBe ethical[/unordered_list]
54 min
About Wide Teams
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The blog for geographically dispersed organizations