RailsConf 2017: A clear-eyed look at distributed teams

Distributed teams can have big benefits for both employers and employees. But there are many challenges. Being successful requires changes to work practices, communication, and style — and not just from the remote people. Everyone will experience changes. It helps to be prepared … and most of what we see being written and discussed is focused on remote workers, not the organization that supports them.

In this talk, we will look at the challenges and rewards of working in a distributed team setting based on several years of experience growing large distributed engineering teams.

Transcript

1. A Clear-Eyed Look
 at Distributed Teams Maria Gutierrez VP Engineering, FreeAgent Glenn Vanderburg VP Engineering, First.io
8. @mariagut
9. @mariagut
10. @mariagut
11. @mariagut
12. We’ll hire some senior engineers and we’ll figure it out. Distributed teams are just as good as colocated teams in exactly the same ways! It’ll be easy!
13. It’s hard to live and breathe something if you aren’t actually breathing the same air. There is something about a team being more powerful, more impactful, more creative, and frankly hopefully having more fun, when they are shoulder to shoulder. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home Shane Mac, Zaarly Michelle Peluso, CMO IBM Jackie Reses, Head of HR Yahoo
15. Make a Commitment 1
16. But how do you build company culture when you are not working “shoulder to shoulder”? 1Make a Commitment
17. 1Make a Commitment
18. “Organizational culture represents the collective values, beliefs and principles of organizational members” David Needle
19. 1Make a Commitment
20. product manager DC/Seattle project manager DC engineer Seattle engineering manager Edinburgh
21. Use proper tools 1Make a Commitment
23. Critical mass 1Make a Commitment
24. 1Make a Commitment
25. Remote leadership 1Make a Commitment
26. 1Make a Commitment
27. 1Make a Commitment
30. Everyone partly remote 1Make a Commitment
32. Treat on-site and remote employees fairly 1Make a Commitment
33. Communicate Intentionally 2
34. Intentional vs accidental and implicit communication 2Communicate Intentionally
35. Intentional vs accidental and implicit communication 2Communicate Intentionally
36. Build Trust 2Communicate Intentionally
37. 2Communicate Intentionally
38. You and your team You and the company leadership Your team and other teams that interact or depend on yours 2Communicate Intentionally
39. Be religious about 1:1s 2Communicate Intentionally
40. 2Communicate Intentionally
41. Out of sight should never be out of mind 2Communicate Intentionally
42. Learn to be good at internet video/audio 2Communicate Intentionally
43. 2Communicate Intentionally
44. 2Communicate Intentionally low bandwidth asynchronous ephemeral persistent synchronous high bandwidth
45. Choose the right channel for each situation 2Communicate Intentionally
46. Choose the right channel for each situation 2Communicate Intentionally
47. 2Communicate Intentionally
48. Fewer meetings, more shared documents 2Communicate Intentionally
49. Show your work 2Communicate Intentionally
51. 2Communicate Intentionally
52. Be Clear 3
53. Watch the work product, not the worker 3Be clear
54. Which jobs are closed
 to remote workers? 3Be clear
55. Know the law 3Be clear
56. 1203.47 ON CE % 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 0 . = 1203.47 ON CE % 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 0 . = 1203.47 ON CE % 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 0 . = Understand and control your budget 3Be clear
57. Start with the recruiting process 3Be clear
58. Make a Commitment 1 Communicate Intentionally 2 Be Clear 3
61. Makes change easier
62. Organizations which design systems ... are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations. — Mel Conway
63. Strengthens your company communication strategies
64. Aids diversity
65. Aids diversity
66. Aids diversity
70. Be intentional
71. Brainstormed, designed and rehearsed in Dallas and Edinburgh Remotely!
72. Brainstormed, designed and rehearsed in Dallas and Edinburgh Remotely!
73. Thanks! @mariagutierrez @glv