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.
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Show Notes:
Test Double
Twitter: @searls
Beautiful Front End Code ConferenceÂ
01:14 – Justin’s history and background with remote work
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- Consulting for 6 years
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01:53 – Bad experiences with distributed teams
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- Satellite offices trash talking each other
- Communication constraints
- Passive agressiveness
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05:30 – Turning the tide
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- Get of the project
- Everyone’s doing their best
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07:50 – Good experiences with distributed teams
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- When coaching isn’t necessary
- Coming from a common foundation and similar levels of experience
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11:25 – Normalization
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- Improving communication
- Team mindset
- Handshake Problem
- Every opinion matters
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13:33 – Communication cost is significantly higher within distributed teams
16:06 – Warning signs that the cost of communication is becoming too expensive
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- 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
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19:50 – Advice for dispersed teams
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- Recognize what kind of organization style you have
- Don’t prejudge
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