Agile communication with near-shore

Guilherme Mottagmotta@thoughtworks.com

Guilherme Motta

ThoughtWorker, 5+ years working with TI

BSc degree on Information Systems from PUCRS

On going MBA degree from FGV (Fundacao Getulio Vargas)

Generalist!

@gfcmotta

Motivation to this talk

Worked for the past 18 months on a near-shore consultancy engagement.

Some previous experiences with off-shore delivery teams that would commit 24/7 (more then 3 sites working 8 hours each).

Near-shore?! Off-shore?!

Buzzwords to define different locations on distributed projects.

Off-shore: another country with different timezone (or mostly different).

Near-shore: more accessible, more hours of overlapping.

NO! There are no resources on off-shore/near-shore locations.

What is communication?

The word comes from the latin:communis - shared, commoninformatio - make other(s) aware about something

Communication is a process of building something to be shared.

This process looks something like:1. Connect/Relate information2. Information3. Action (main goal of communication)

What is communication?

 / SPEAK  \|                 | \ LISTEN /

Communication happens over conversation and we are constantly having them:Interviews; Documents; Stories (placeholders for conversations!); Charts; Meetings/Conferences; 

Importance of knowing

Without listening there is no communication.

What your company wants from you?

How is that communicated?

Are we playing the game considering the goals & strategies of our companies?

Importance of knowing

RASA framework:

Receive

Appreciate

Summarize

Ask 

What helps (+):

Proper equipment (good webcams, microphones, extra monitor, TV/projector..)Facilities & Infrastructure (good networking, meeting rooms..)Speak slowlySpeak loudlySpeak into the microphoneUse visual things to communicateHave a stick buddyBackup your communication lines

What causes noise (-):

Side conversationMoving the microphone around

Sometimes helps, sometimes cause noise:Have a token on each sideMute the microphone on the side that is not speakingOpen space

Building relationship with near-shore folksCommon interests    Soccer    UFC    South America    Beer    IT    ...

Relationship & understanding

Perception of who is listening affects the understanding of the message.

In order for A to influence/communicate with B, A needs to understand B.

Tools (soft skill tools)

Empathy

Active Listening

Feedback

Tools (software products/services tools)Conferencing solutionsTeam viewerSkypeVidyoWebbexMicrosoft CommunicatorGtalk/Google+ (hangout)

Examples of less effective messagesMultiple questions on the same email.

Perception or wrong assumptions (based on Mental Models or not..)

Labeling ideas as irrelevant or not useful too fast

How they could be better?

 

Forms of communication

Verbal (oral & written): conversations, phone calls, meetings, emails, letters, notes, magazines, books, videos, etc..

Forms of communication

Non-Verbal: facial expressions, clothes, voice tone, body movements/gestures, etc..

Pushed vs Pulled information

                                                                     PUSH

                                                                     PULL                                                                                                                                                    

Pushed information

 

Pulled information

Relationship, Consulting, Persuasion (pulled the other person)

Pulled information

Teamwork, Collaboration, Collective Ownership, Continuous Deployment/Delivery/Integration..

"Build monitor/watcher"

Challenges of distributed projects

LanguageCultureTimezoneValuesBeliefsAttitudesExpectationsIntentionsVices

Feedback

"Sandwich model"

1st - Introduction (Good things, doing well)

2nd - Middle (Not so well, what can improve..)

3rd - End (More good things, keep doing..)

Feedback

Informative moments:"I understood that ...""So you are trying to say that ..."

Reflection moments:"That means ...""Are you saying that ...""How do you feel about ...""I believe that would make you sad ..."

Feedback

Improves Listening and Conflict Management. 

Helps the development of a team and individuals.

Should never be about the person but on your perception and/or your feelings about one specific episode that happened.

References

Comunicação Interpessoal - Prof. Alexandre Oliveira - Fundação Getúlio Vargas

Julian Treasure - TED Talk about listening

Pull vs Push - images: http://www.gembapantarei.com/2007/09/push_pull_paper_clips_problem_solving.html

Emotional Inteligence - http://www.talentsmart.com/learn/

Mental Models - http://www.tcd.ie/Psychology/other/Ruth_Byrne/mental_models/

Guilherme Motta

gfcmotta@gmail.com

@gfcmotta 

#agiles2011