effective distance collaboration hint: it’s more complicated than vendors admit speakers lisa...
TRANSCRIPT
Effective Distance Collaboration
Hint: It’s more complicated than vendors admit
SpeakersLisa Jervis, Information Ecology
Alice Aguilar, Progressive Technology ProjectDutch (Lindsy) Embree, Free Press
Jeanine Shimatsu, Forward Together
March 4, 2015#15NTC
#15NTCdistance
Effective distance collaboration
Collaborative session notes: http://po.st/WuvAkZ
Hashtags:● #15NTC● #15NTCdistance
Agenda● Introductions● Context
o Remote work myths vs. realityo Collaboration profiles
● Topicso Tools and policieso Meeting practiceso File sharingo Chat and calendars
● Questions and discussion
Remote work myths
● Offices no longer matter!● Just get [insert product/service name
here] and nothing else will change!
Remote work reality
● There is extra work involved ● You will have to change your practices● The best tools and practices for your
org depend on many factors
Remote work: a holistic view
● Changes everyone’s work, even those on-site
● People + hardware + software + bandwidth + communication practices
Know your collaboration profile
● Organization size and scale● Work styles and organizational culture● Kinds of information being
stored/exchanged● Standard needs vs specialized needs● Budget
Progressive Technology Project● 8 staff● Main office and 4 remote staff● Long history of remote workers● Technology org = high tech skills in-house● Chat as water-cooler, focus on culture and buy-in● Major tools: Skype chat, administer VOIP &
softphone, Freeconference.com, ReadyTalk, EtherPad, PowerBase/CiviCRM, shared file server, Trac for project management of support issues
● 2x annual in-person full staff meetings
Free Press
● 22 staff● 2 offices, 2 remote staff, 5 who come to office but
work from home several times a week● Moved to remote structure over last 5 years● Tightly coupled work = lots of meetings and lots
of updates
Forward Together
● 22 staff● Main office, satellite office, 4 remote staff● Doubled in size and added satellite office over
last 3 years● Finding scalable systems and practices● Actively changing culture
PTP’s ops team—choosing tools and setting policies
● Hold monthly meetings to discuss PTP infrastructure needs and requests
● Set best practices & protocols for security, sharing data, working remotely
PTP’s ops team—choosing tools and setting policies #2
● Assess tools needed, with an open-source focus
● Set annual infrastructure budget
● Rotate tasks for training new staff on tech
Free Press’s meeting practices● More meetings or less meetings?● Less is more was not working—switched back
to more meetings● More meetings but shorter meetings
cross-team meetings nearly every day updates that reinforce collaboration
● Video meetings when possible more accountability more engagement
Free Press’s meeting practices #2
● When does less is more work? Tools● Keep it simple.
Choose one tool and go with that
● Tools we use: GoToMeeting, Google hangout (fall back)
● Culture of evaluation From best practices to tools
● if it’s not working, we evaluate and adjust
Forward Together’s file sharing● Internally managed file server → Box
● Google Docs + Box: what’s advertised vs. how it actually works
● The migration is complete, but the work isn’t over
● Keys: o Leadership buy-ino Training and support
● Highlighted the importance of policy
● Overall: Better access for all staff
Forward Together’s file sharing #2
Glue: chat, calendars, plain ol’ phone
● Chats—like water-cooler hangout, and team discussions
● Shared calendars ease the coordination burden when you can’t just pop over to someone’s desk
● Chat status = easy visibility of who’s “in”● Pick up the phone when a conversation
isn’t working over email or chat
Always remember
● Remote work has overhead—time and $
● Change management is key● Align your tools to your organization’s
collaboration profile● Think holistically: people + tools +
practices
Questions/comments?
Thanks for coming!
Session evaluation:http://po.st/OEplNc
Contact us:● [email protected]● [email protected]● [email protected]● [email protected]
Collaborative notes:http://po.st/WuvAkZ