How to Build Effective Cooperation in a Remote Development Team

Transfer Knowledge to Your Remote Team

If the knowledge of the team is not equal, it can have a negative impact on your profits. Of course, you can get most of the information about a project from the documentation, but the most important thing – the experience – is in people's heads. It's very important to get that experience right so that your employees can benefit from your knowledge. Here's how you can do it:

• Hold online Q&A conferences.
• Record training videos on a specific topic.
• Hold one-on-one meetings with employees to answer their questions.

Build Transparency that Nurtures Trust

Trust and transparency are very important things when working remotely. You could even say that these are the key factors that influence your employees' willingness to work with you. If you work with people, you have to trust them, and they have to trust you. The incorporation of regular meetings, a core element of the Scrum framework, can effectively address and resolve communication challenges that may arise.

Balancing Freedom and Responsibility

Take a look at successful companies. There is definitely a culture of freedom and responsibility, which are essential elements of remote work. Promoting trust and fostering an environment of openness can be achieved by empowering team members with autonomy in their work, while simultaneously holding them accountable for their commitments. This approach not only cultivates innovation but also motivates individuals to fully dedicate themselves to the project's success.

Documenting Project Requirements

Not all employees like documentation. Writing and studying it can be a grueling task, but you can't do without it. Nurture a collaborative atmosphere by engaging the team in the development of a comprehensive inventory of both functional and non-functional specifications, accompanied by well-defined standards and expectations. This inclusive approach instills a sense of ownership and fosters alignment with the project's objectives, as the team actively participates in the requirement creation process.

Set Ground Rules

You may be surprised, but something as simple as common ground can make all the difference in your favor. The first thing to do is to determine the channels of communication that are convenient for all employees, as well as the time zone in which they live. We'll talk more about that later, but it's worth saying a few more words about the rules. Decide on channels of communication, create the right access and documentation for training new employees, and hold town hall meetings to communicate these rules to all members of your team.

Use Time Difference to Your Advantage

The time difference can be a huge problem, but you can always turn it to your advantage and gain an advantage. Imagine that your project is under control 24/7. Isn't that cool? You can't get that result if the whole team works in the same time zone, but it's quite feasible if someone is in Australia and someone is in Romania, for example. Proper organization in this case is the key to success, which means you can perform tasks almost continuously.

Retain Top Talent

You cannot build a successful business without a good team. The members of such a team need to be valued and made to want to continue to work with you. The better the mood of people, the more satisfaction they feel. In this case, they will perform their duties well and you will not have any problems.

Meet Your Remote Developers in Person

Even though technology has rushed forward, it still can't replace face-to-face communication. Be sure to get to know each of your employees and listen to their ideas.

Use Right Tools

Using the right tools plays a huge role in building a remote team. Here are a few tools you'll definitely need:

• Trello. With this tool, you can manage projects, see every stage, correct errors, and communicate with your team by setting tasks and monitoring their implementation.
• Asana. If you want to manage projects effectively, Asana is great for you. This tool is often used by business managers to show employees what to do at each stage of a project.
• GitHub. It has emerged as a leading platform for developers seeking to source code, enabling them to establish connections with fellow developers across the globe. What sets GitHub apart is its seamless integration with a range of third-party applications such as Slack, Trello, and Travis CI, further enhancing collaboration and streamlining development workflows.
• Google Meet. A reliable tool for efficient scheduling and seamless communication during remote software development is essential. It emerges as an ideal solution for such requirements, particularly for teams utilizing Gmail accounts. With its convenient features, Google Meet offers a user-friendly platform for quick meetings, enabling remote teams to connect effortlessly and effectively collaborate on their projects.
• Slack. Remote development teams widely use this platform for communication.

To Sum Up

Your success directly depends on how responsibly you approach building your remote team. Make a plan in advance, take into account all the important problems, and follow it. Then you are sure to achieve excellent results!