The Effective Remote Developer

How you can take responsibility for your remote situation and make the most of it. Presented at QCon NYC, 2017

Transcript

1. The Effective Remote
   Developer
   David Copeland
   Director of Engineering, Stitch Fix
   @davetron5000
   

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2. 4+ Years Remote
   •3rd Developer at Stitch Fix
   •Work daily with developers, users, business
   people, vendors
   •80+ developers: most work remotely
   

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3. What do we mean
   “remote”?
   

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4. “You Do Not Often Interact
   Face-To-Face With The
   People You Work With”
   

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8. What is “Effective”?
   

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9. What is “Effective”?
   Producing Value
   

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10. What is “Effective”?
    Producing Value
    Agency
    

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11. What is “Effective”?
    Producing Value
    Agency
    Inclusion
    

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12. What is “Effective”?
    Producing Value
    Agency
    Inclusion
    Rewarding
    

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13. You don’t get thESE for
    FREE being co-located
    but they are harder to achieve when REMOTE.
    

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14. It’s not easy—it
    takes constant upkeep.
    

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15. But, it’s worth it.
    

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16. Freedom & Flexibility
    

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17. Company has access to
    a wider pool of
    talent
    

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18. Build & Maintain
    Trust
    

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19. “The half-life of trust is six weeks”
    (it must be constantLY replenished)
    http://www.construx.com/10x_Software_Development/
    Travel_Restrictions_and_Offshore_Development/
    

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20. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    

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21. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    Communicate frequently & clearly
    

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22. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    Communicate frequently & clearly
    Be responsive, but set boundaries
    

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23. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    Communicate frequently & clearly
    Be responsive, but set boundaries
    Assume good intentions
    

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24. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    Communicate frequently & clearly
    Be responsive, but set boundaries
    Assume good intentions
    Help others help you
    

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25. Base level of
    technology
    

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26. Chat system that’s
    easy to use
    (so…not irc)
    

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27. Video conference that
    supports multiple people
    (webex meets this standard :)
    

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28. Non-shitty microphone
    (your laptop’s mic is shitty)
    

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29. OK, back to trust
    

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30. Coding
    Asynchronous
    synchronous
    Socializing
    

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31. Coding
    

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32. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    

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33. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Turn big projects into smaller ones
    

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34. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Turn big projects into smaller ones
    •Smallest viable change
    

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35. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Turn big projects into smaller ones
    •Smallest viable change
    •Write great change requests
    

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36. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Turn big projects into smaller ones
    •Smallest viable change
    •Write great change requests
    •Learn to screencast, learn to diagram
    

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37. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    

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38. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Publicize your working hours
    

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39. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Publicize your working hours
    •Watch for feedback…and respond!
    

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40. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Publicize your working hours
    •Watch for feedback…and respond!
    •Avoid spending hours heads-down—develop SLAs for
    all forms of communication and responsiveness
    

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41. Assume Good Intentions
    •Code review comments are cold & harsh
    •The reviewer is just trying to help
    

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42. Help Others Help You
    

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43. Help Others Help You
    •Go to chat or video
    

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44. Help Others Help You
    •Go to chat or video
    •Communicate how they communicate best
    

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45. Help Others Help You
    •Go to chat or video
    •Communicate how they communicate best
    •Be specific in what feedback you want
    

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46. Asynchronous
    Communication
    

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47. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    

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48. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Provide more context
    

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49. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Provide more context
    •Read what you write, learn to revise (at least once!)
    

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50. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Provide more context
    •Read what you write, learn to revise (at least once!)
    •Typography Matters
    

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51. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Provide more context
    •Read what you write, learn to revise (at least once!)
    •Typography Matters
    •Learn (again) how to diagram
    

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52. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    

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53. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Engage and give feedback
    

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54. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Engage and give feedback
    •Feedback leads to agency and cultivates
    leadership
    

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55. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Engage and give feedback
    •Feedback leads to agency and cultivates
    leadership
    •Don’t forget affirming feedback!
    

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56. Assume Good Intentions
    •Assume everyone is good at their job
    

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57. Help Others Help You
    •Be specific in what feedback you want
    

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58. synchronous
    Communication
    

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59. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    

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60. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Be prepared
    

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61. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Be prepared
    •Use nouns instead of pronouns
    

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62. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Be prepared
    •Use nouns instead of pronouns
    •Pause and ask for feedback
    

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63. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    

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64. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Pay attention—don’t multitask
    

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65. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Pay attention—don’t multitask
    •Jump in when you have something to say—don’t be afraid to
    backtrack
    

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66. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Pay attention—don’t multitask
    •Jump in when you have something to say—don’t be afraid to
    backtrack
    •Yield the floor to others explicitly
    

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67. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Pay attention—don’t multitask
    •Jump in when you have something to say—don’t be afraid to
    backtrack
    •Yield the floor to others explicitly
    •Don’t be a jerk. Be self-aware and get feedback offline
    

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68. Assume Good Intentions
    

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69. Assume Good Intentions
    •Non-remotes aren’t accustomed to this
    

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70. Assume Good Intentions
    •Non-remotes aren’t accustomed to this
    •Don’t forget: computers are terrible and
    nothing works
    

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71. Help Others Help You
    

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72. Help Others Help You
    •Point out A/V problems, and be directive
    with solutions
    

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73. Help Others Help You
    •Point out A/V problems, and be directive
    with solutions
    •Establish an ally or regular backchannel
    

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74. Socializing
    

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75. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    

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76. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Make smalltalk
    

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77. Communicate Frequently & Clearly
    •Make smalltalk
    •Have 1-1’s with no agenda
    

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78. Be Responsive, but Set Boundaries
    •Establish clear travel expectations
    •Push yourself to travel to meet others in
    person
    

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79. Assume Good Intentions
    

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80. Assume Good Intentions
    •Ignorance isn’t a lack of consideration
    

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81. Assume Good Intentions
    •Ignorance isn’t a lack of consideration
    •Learn to be OK missing happy hours
    

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82. Help Others Help You
    •Suggest ways for remotes to socialize
    •Arrange face time or meet ups—bring your
    boss a plan they just have to say “yes”
    to.
    

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83. Trust
    

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84. Four Mindsets to Build & Maintain Trust
    Communicate frequently & clearly
    Be responsive, but set boundaries
    Assume good intentions
    Help others help you
    

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85. Thanks!
    •Work This way: http://multithreaded.stitchfix.com/careers
    •Contact Me: @davetron5000

    http://www.naildrivin5.com
    •Learn More non-Coding Developer Life Skills: http://sweng.me
    

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