Remote Teams5 things I am doing wrong

and maybe you should too.

Ted Tencza CTO finder.com.au

@darthted

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

Background

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

SYDNEY

Background

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

SYDNEY

WROCLAW

Background

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

SYDNEY

MILAN

WROCLAW

Background

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

SYDNEY

MANILA

MILAN

WROCLAW

Background

Leading distributed teams for close to 15 years.

finder.com.au has developers in:

SYDNEYADELAIDE

MANILA

MILAN

WROCLAW

Background

1. Remote teams are primarily a cost saving

1. Remote teams are primarily a cost saving

Slide 1 of the pitch deck from our partner

1. Remote teams are primarily a cost saving

Slide 1 of the pitch deck from our partner

1. Remote teams are primarily a cost saving

We do not use remote teams as a cost saving

We do not use remote teams as a cost saving

Our primary goal was finding talented developers

We do not use remote teams as a cost saving

Travel

Facilities, Hardware, Office Supplies, Furniture

Recruiting

Training (including language skills)

Communication Equipment

Incorporation Overhead

Talent

2. Have a different Management style across locations

ITALY

TURKEY

POLAND

SOUTH AFRICA

USA

PHILIPPINES

AUSTRALIA

INDIA

SINGAPORE

UK

2. Have a different Management style across locations

ITALY

TURKEY

POLAND

SOUTH AFRICA

USA

PHILIPPINES

AUSTRALIA

INDIA

SINGAPORE

UK

2. Have a different management style across locations

Difference in management style should be tailored to people, not locations

Clarity of instructions and requirements

We have the same management style across locations

Autonomy is vital for distributed teams and non-distributed too

Training and opportunities should be available

Ensure shared vision

Set clear expectations for everyone in organisation

We have the same management style across locations

Manifesto

How We Make Things• Heterogeneous over homogeneous • In-house over external • Outcome driven over date driven • Do it correctly over do it quickly • Autonomy over control • Finish one task completely over

multi-tasking

How We Function as a Team• Rapid releases over batching it up • It is not done until it is live in

production • Automated testing over manual

checking • Do not be afraid to experiment • Build tools to allow other teams to

experiment safely over saying no

How We Operate• As flat an organisation as possible,

but no flatter • Cross team/cross project cooperation

at all times • Grow team at sustainable rate • Retention and promotions over new

hires • Make time to learn and grow as

developers • Be active in the developer community

We have the same management style across locations

3. You can rely on free communication tools

3. You can rely on free communication tools

Communication is key

3. You can rely on free communication tools

Communication is key

3. You can rely on free communication tools

Communication is key

We don’t rely on free communication tools

Invest in high quality Video Conferencing tools

Document sharing, real time annotations, pair programming easier

Asynchronous communication patterns are preferable

4. Don’t use ‘hybrid’ teams

4. Don’t use ‘hybrid’ teams

Need to have all co-located or all remote

Need to have geographic centric teams

4. Don’t use ‘hybrid’ teams

Both co-location and remote:

Team members have different needs

Trains team to treat distributed employees like full members of the team

Retain talent

We use ‘hybrid’ teams

We use ‘hybrid’ teams

Non Geo-centric:

Location not a significant factor in team assignments

Prevents us vs. them

Encourages cross geo-communications

Allows flexibility

5. You can have lower standards for Offshore teams

When all else fails … lower your standards.

We have the same standards across all teams

Make no allowance for lowering the bar of technical competency

Do not create a second tier remote team for scrub work

Extra work

Resentment

Give distributed teams same access to training / career enrichment

Results

Results

Results

Not all sunshine and rainbows:

Results

Not all sunshine and rainbows:

Split geographic teams increases workload of team leads.

Results

Not all sunshine and rainbows:

Split geographic teams increases workload of team leads.

Spreading the pain means more people feel pain.

Results

Not all sunshine and rainbows:

Split geographic teams increases workload of team leads.

Spreading the pain means more people feel pain.

Communication is still more difficult

Results

Not all sunshine and rainbows:

Split geographic teams increases workload of team leads.

Spreading the pain means more people feel pain.

Communication is still more difficult

Time zones still exist

ResultsWent from 0 to 16 distributed employees in 18 months

Total employees from 7 to 34 in 2 years.

ResultsZero distributed team resignations in Manila over 12 months

Staff attrition rates are between 25% to 50% (depending on source) amongst skilled outsourced teams.

Zero distributed team resignations anywhere else in the world (except for Sydney) over past 2 years.

ResultsHigh levels of job satisfaction - Local and Distributed

Flexible work schedules

Attract Talent

Team given chance to self organise, overwhelmingly wanted cross-geo teams

Increased awareness of problems facing distributed teams

Conventional wisdom not all that wise

Thank you