Top 5 Distributed Team Management Challenges

In the software industry, managing high-performance teams that execute successful projects can be challenging. There are some necessary qualities for teams that work both remotely and in-person. Some of these requirements are:

• Identifying a common ground.
• Carrying out a plan.
• Employing revision, analysis and quality assurance mechanisms.
• Leveraging version control and auditing tools for code parts generated.

But when it comes to distributed teams, there is also a set of obstacles that need to be overcome to optimize investment and working hours. Let’s analyze some of the most common challenges and possible solutions.

1. Coordination dynamics

There are certain different characteristics between face-to-face interactions and remote interactions. When we interact in person we sit closer to one another, dialogues can flow more organically and without the need of video calls, deadlocks are overcome more easily, and communication is enhanced with body language. 

But a lot of this is lost during remote interactions and, thus, setting coordination dynamics becomes essential. We can consider them from three levels:

1. From a macro level of projects, to have a unified vision of objectives and purposes, which can include monthly, six-monthly, quarterly schemes, etc.
2. From an intermediate level, according to the time blocks of the methodology implemented. If working with Scrum, for example, they can be organized in weekly schemes.
3. From a micro level for daily management, in which the most operative aspects of management and the cooperation required are aligned. These meetings can be carried out on a daily basis or every other day, for instance.

Many teams struggle to find the perfect tool to organize their tasks and assignments, and whereas it can be useful for some aspects, it contributes only a small part to a good coordination. There are also other determining factors, such as the meeting dynamics or the project manager’s capacity to ensure the team focuses on the purpose of the project and the cooperation [1].

2. Clarity of assignment management

The greater the knowledge of all team members about each other’s tasks, the easier the coordination, the cooperation to work out difficulties and the prevention of risks.

This visibility can be achieved by means of tools and coordination meetings. However, it requires members to do some training to secure a clear activity breakdown. Understandable, atomic and attainable tasks with a clear completeness criterion must be defined.

3. Setting priorities

In software development projects, which involve complex products, setting priorities can many times be difficult and ambiguous.

One of our main management tools is problem shooting. But every team member takes micro decisions every day, which affect the building strategy. So, how can we align these micro decisions?

The key is in making sure the team understands the purpose and the objectives. If all members have a clear understanding of the path to follow, I guarantee you these micro decisions will be smarter and more assertive. 

4. Agile and direct communication channels

If any of the previous aspects were to go wrong, the only solution would be communication. In distributed teams, establishing communication channels plays a key role as it can bring about endless resources to facilitate the exchange. But, at the same time, if not done properly, it can disseminate the information, hinder the dynamics and shift the focus.

At KDSoft, we have experimented with and compared different platforms, such as Google Chat, Discord, Microsoft Teams and Slack. In the last period we have decided to continue communicating through Slack; however, the teams are free to use other tools when they consider it appropriate for the project [2].

5. Feedback and continuous improvement

Whereas this is common for both in-person and remote teams, it is especially important for distributed teams. Offering opportunities for analysis and retrospective is the corner stone of team structuring, as they allow us to discuss about our work, what’s functioning, and what are the risks and opportunities for improvement.

We could mention many other challenges in managing distributed teams, as well as other possible solutions. Even so, remembering the following idea can help us solve any of these challenges: the important thing is not the tool but the design of practices and the team’s commitment to maximize them.

What challenges do you face every day?

Thank you for reading!

Alexis.

#team #management #project #software #tools #communication

References:

1. At KDSoft we have been improving different adaptations to management frameworks based on scrum, kanban and best practices for PMI traditional project management. We have also implemented simple tools, such as Google spreadsheet, and other more complex options in the market, such as Atlassian Jira.
2. Another tool that we have recently used in one of our teams is https://www.gather.town/, in which we can create a virtual world of avatars and common spaces, such as meeting rooms, rest and recreation areas, etc.