Podcast #41: Jonathan Wallace of Highgroove Studios

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Jonathan Wallace, of Highgroove Studios, talks about the team’s management philosophy, ROWE, and why it works, and how the concepts of overcommunication and summarization are extremely important practices when working within a distributed team.

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Show Notes:

Highgroove Studios
blog.jonathanrwallace.com
Twitter: @jonathanwallace
@highgroove

00:52 – Jonathan Wallace Introduction

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  • Developer and Technologist at Highgroove Studios
  • Independent IOS and Rails Consultant
  • Open-Source Developer
  • Runner of code retreats

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01:14 – Distributed Team

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  • Highgroove: 20 or so members
  • Management Philosophy: ROWE–Results Only Work Environment
  • Results are what matter no matter where you are

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01:58 – Becoming Distributed

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  • Consultant work out of coffee shops/home
  • Permalancers
  • Freedom/empowerment
  • Working vacations
  • Can work from office or home based on how they feel

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07:43 – Being “there” versus getting things done: Results Only (ROWE)

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  • Measuring results, not hours worked
  • Client happiness rules
  • Being proactive and responsible in managing expectations
  • Figure out what works for you

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11:50 – Work Flow while Working from Home

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  • Communicate via Campfire
  • Pivotal Tracker

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14:42 – Challenges of Remote Work

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  • Discipline of sitting down and getting work done
  • Getting away from the computer and work
  • Getting to know new employees

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18:00 – “Overcommunicating”

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  • Seeking advice from others
  • Sharing experience
  • Not making assumptions that everyone knows everything
  • Broadcasting thoughts

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20:30 – Summarizing

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  • Reducing the “bus” factor
  • Someone else can pick a project back up in someone else’s absence

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23:44 – Advice for Remote Teams

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  • Overcommunicate
  • Establish good social bonds

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