Working for a Virtual Company

The challenges and how we at appendTo solves working remotely company wide.

Transcript

1. WORKING AT A VIRTUAL COMPANY Ralph Whitbeck BarCamp Rochester Spring 2012
2. WHAT IS A VIRTUAL COMPANY?
3. VIRTUAL COMPANY • 10/20 years ago working from home was called telecommuting.
4. VIRTUAL COMPANY • 10/20 years ago working from home was called telecommuting. • Now it’s called “Working Remotely”
5. VIRTUAL COMPANY • 10/20 years ago working from home was called telecommuting. • Now it’s called “Working Remotely” • A “Virtual team” is a team of remote workers
6. VIRTUAL COMPANY • 10/20 years ago working from home was called telecommuting. • Now it’s called “Working Remotely” • A “Virtual team” is a team of remote workers • A “Virtual Company” is a collection of “Virtual Teams”
8. • FOUNDED IN 2009 • Founded by jQuery Team Members • Front-end Development (HTML5, JavaScript, jQuery) • Onsite & Remote Training
9. • I was hired in October 2011 • I was employee #10
10. • Today we are growing ➡ 22 people!
12. • Our main office is in Evergreen, Co NO ONE W ORKS THERE!
13. CHALLENGES OF WORKING AT HOME
14. A REMOTE WORKER FEELS LEFT OUT • Scott Hanselman blogs about being disconnected all the time. • Scott works for Microsoft from his home in Portland, OR http://www.flickr.com/photos/webstock06/6773151728/
15. A REMOTE WORKER FEELS LEFT OUT • Persistent Video Portal Office mate • http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ VirtualCamaraderieAPersistentVideoPortalForTheRemote Worker.aspx
16. A REMOTE WORKER FEELS LEFT OUT • Embodied Social Proxy • http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ BuildingAnEmbodiedSocialProxyOrCrazyWebcamRemoteCa rtThing.aspx
17. IN A VIRTUAL COMPANY WE'RE ALL REMOTE SO NO ONE IS FEELING LEFT OUT.
18. COMMON PROBLEMS • Time management • IT Maintenance • Child care • Other Peoples Agenda • Time Zones • Distractions http://telecommutingjournal.com/7-common-work-at-home-challenges/347
19. SOLVES SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS
20. TIME MANAGEMENT • Responsibility for completion falls with Tech Leads • Tech Leads run their own team • Account Managers help Tech Leads focus on getting work done by dealing with client issues
21. CHILD CARE • Family First as a company policy • Kid friendly • Hearing kids on calls with each other is common and normal • Missing work to take care of children is encouraged as long as time is made up.
22. OTHER PEOPLES AGENDA • Flexible hours • Run errands • Help wife out • Pick up a friend in need
23. TIME ZONES • Work 9-5 in your time zone • We’re all in different time zones so no one feels out of place • Be mindful of all timezones when scheduling • Google Calendar does the heavy lifting for you.
24. SOLVE PROBLEMS ON YOUR OWN
25. SETUP A HOME OFFICE • Find an area that you can use exclusively for work • Separate your home life with work life • You want an area where you can shut the door
26. SETUP A HOME OFFICE • My office is in my bedroom • I use half of my room • All work on one side all play on the other • Can shut the door
27. ELIJAH MANOR’S CLOSET
28. ELIJAH MANOR’S CLOSET
29. ELIJAH MANOR’S CLOSET
30. ELIJAH MANOR’S CLOSET
31. CHALLENGES OF VIRTUAL TEAMS
32. CHALLENGES VIRTUAL TEAM • Advantages • Increased productivity • Extended Market Opportunity • Knowledge Transfer • Disadvantages • Communication deficiency • Poor leadership and Management • Incompetent Team Members
33. SOFTWARE
34. SOFTWARE
35. HARDWARE
36. HARDWARE • Virtual PBX from 2600Hz (VoIP) • Office phones with personal extensions that are connected to the internet and controlled remotely with a web interface.
37. HOW HAS WORKING VIRTUALLY AFFECTED ME?
38. THE GOOD PARTS • No commutes • Not spending money on eating out for lunch • Can be a part of my sons Rugby practices • Eating hot dinners • Work where ever Working Virtually The Good Parts
39. THE BAD • Winter Blues • I try to offset it with travel for work • jQuery UK (London) John Wards (pictured right, Conf Organizer) • Albuquerque, NM (Onsite training) • Hawaii (Vacation)
40. THANK YOU Questions?