Telecommuting

[ian docherty]

On 9 December 2011 17:30, Leo Lapworth <leo at cuckoo.org> wrote:
> For a long while I thought telecommuting would be how I ended up
> working eventually.
>
> An interesting thing for me (as a Technical manager and developer) is
> that over time I've come to think that this would only really work if
> the whole team/company was distributed.
>
> It's the passing comments and discussions (we go for a walk twice a
> day around the business park lake), the seeing something on someones
> screen, or being able to get a quick bit of feedback when you see
> someone getting up to make a cup of tea (not to mention being able to
> ask for a cup of tea as they do so) that make working with a group of
> people onsite so valuable to me.
>
> If you don't have everyone remote then these comments happen... at the
> physical water cooler, if everyone is remote then you can create your
> virtual water cooler (IRC or what ever).
>
Interestingly the converse of this can be useful too.
Developers can be annoyed when interrupted when they are 'in the zone'.
For this reason several of us have instigated the policy that if you
want to ask a question of another developer, even the one sitting next
to you, you do so initially through an IRC request.
The small 'ping' of an IRC is less disruptive than a tap on the
shoulder and you can complete your current work before giving it, and
your co-developer, your full attention.


>
> I think it really does depend on the type of business and projects,
> and probably the types of people working on the project.
>
> Just my 2 cents :)
>
> Leo



-- 
Regards
Ian