remote agile software teams: worth the risk?

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Remote Agile Software TeamsWorth the Risk?

Webinar

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Who are we? Why are we here?

Craig Knighton, VP Strategic Consulting

● 30 years of product development engineering, test and management experience● Early adopter of Agile● Advocate for test automation and role of Software Test teams in Agile methodology

Jamie Bolseth, President

● 20 years of software development, product strategy and management experience● Agile enthusiast● Operational experience leading and growing software teams in 6 different countries

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Shared experiences

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Agenda

01: Then: The Good Ol’ Days

02: Change Happens

03: Today

04: Is It Worth The Risk?

05: Challenge: Communication

06: Challenge: Sustainability

07: Challenge: Loss of Control

08: Conclusion:

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Co-located Teams:● Same company● Same office space

Then: The Good Ol’ Days

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Then: The Good Ol’ Days

Waterfall Process● Command and control● Ad-Hoc, heroics

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Change Happens.

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Why?

Shortage of Tech TalentNegative unemployment and expanding need across industries

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Why?

EconomicsShortages drive labor cost inflation

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Why?

Scalability

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Instincts Were Wrong

Co-located Teams Waterfall Process

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Today

Distributed Teams Agile Process

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Today: Distributed, Agile, Self-Organized, Sustainable

Talent:Geographically

distributed

Process:Agile & iterative

Teams:Self-organized

Economics:Optimized

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Is It Worth The Risk?

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Challenge: Communication.

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Challenge: Communication.

Language barriers Lack of face-to-face communication

Misunderstandings Overlap in work schedules

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Solution: Distributed Lifestyle

Individuals and companies need to embrace

Escalation of communication tools

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Tools:

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Challenge: Sustainability.

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It’s fun at the start. Blame game Feels less productive at first

Lack of commitment

Challenge: Sustainability.

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Choose your locationand time zone

carefully.

Friendships need to form.

Relocation:Just ask -

sometimes people surprise you.

Continuous improvement - retrospectives

Solution: Embrace Agile, Self Organizing Teams

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Challenge: Loss of Control.

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Everyone’s job just changed -

Who’s got what?

Subject matter expertise

Acquired teams with different tools

and processes

Dependencies across geographies

Challenge: Loss of Control

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Continuous integration

(Check-in/build/deploy/test)

Divide by role rather than by product.

Self-sufficient feature teams

Solution: Integrated Teams

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Org. Chart Sample

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Conclusion: Relationships Matter.

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Align everyone to the mission of the team.

Relationships Matter

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Be overly inclusive.


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Humanize your team with video.

Everyone has a name. Everyone develops.


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Build strong relationships encouraging periodic travel in both directions.


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Have fun. A sense of humor matters.


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More Resources

Want even more?

Download our companion eBook.

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Questions??

Thinking big, designing smart and developing fast

for all-sized screens, projects and teams.

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Thank you.

Jamie BolsethPresidentMentorMate

Craig KnightonVP Strategic ConsultingMentorMate