Effective project management in a remote setting presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to monitoring and guiding team members who are not physically present as they would be in a conventional office environment.
This is a familiar scenario in the field of software development. Our focus will be on identifying and implementing practical strategies for managing remote teams efficiently, addressing the specific needs and dynamics of distributed work environments.
Inherent to successful remote project management is the establishment of an effective online environment, which encourages solid communication and systematic task tracking.
Communication Tools: Deploy a well-structured communication system like Slack or Microsoft Teams. These platforms are more advanced than informal chat systems — Skype or Telegram — because they allow you to structure chats across different channels and groups. They also offer the opportunity to jump on quick calls for deeper discussions, enhancing your team's remote communication efficiency.
Ticketing System: Establish a clear ticketing or tasking system using tools like Jira. Communicating tasks through chat messages tends to create confusion and diminishes priority tracking. A dedicated tracking system enhances workflow, facilitating the clear tracking of progress and prioritization.
Clarity in Communication: It's crucial to be concise and clear when creating tasks within your ticketing system. Your tickets shouldn't be short and vague but instead have vivid descriptions, acceptance criteria, goals, and quick wireframes where necessary to illustrate points better. Likewise, take the time to write full, clear sentences in instant messages to avoid misunderstanding— every extra second spent in clear communication saves you an abundance of rework time later.
Choosing a suitable methodology can offer a significant boon to remote project management. Two popular choices to consider are Kanban and Scrum.
Kanban is an exceptional choice for reactive teams handling quick changes, support services, or minor tweaks. Its simplicity stems from lesser dependency on planning, focusing more on advancing one task at a time.
Scrum is well-suited for long-term projects with clear milestones and goals. The system centers on a few key aspects - daily updates, weekly or fortnightly reviews, and retrospectives and planning. The hallmark of Scrum is the sprint, in which a set of tasks are executed over a given period of time, always yielding a deliverable feature ready for deployment and use.
Daily updates, also known as stand-ups, are paramount. They can be done over a call, or even text-based if coordinating across various time zones. These updates allow each member to articulate their daily goals and discuss potential blockers that may impede their work.
For some teams, live calls work better. For some teams, that are more distruted, offline updates are the only way to go.
Don't forget - it's also extremely important to invest enough time to properly specify the tasks. Every tiny task doesn't need elaborate explanation, but every bigger task definely needs at least general description and acceptance criteria.
It's often important to set clear rules when working on tasks. Things like:
This might sound trivial to some, but it will definitely help more junior developers.
Check daily updates for any problems. Ensure there are no blockers.
Look out for any tasks that seem to be stuck. Immature teams (newly formed or junior teams) tend to be bad at communicating blockers or sometimes get stuck when encounter uncertain situations - this is a good opportunity to proactively jump in and help.
If you are delegating more tactical execution to the team lead, ensure that the team lead is looking out for the same.
In essence, to foster efficient remote project management:
Invest time in choosing the right tools.
Emphasize clear communication, both in task descriptions and instant messages.
Choose a suitable methodology between Kanban and Scrum.
Ensure regular daily updates to establish team synchrony and tackle obstacles.
Conduct regular planning and review sessions to assess and strategize the team's work.
The strategies we've discussed here will go a long way in helping remote development teams to stay on course and attain their project goals. Applying them and continuously improving should make remote project management a far less daunting task. What unique practices work best for your remote team? We'd love to hear from you.