Working Efficiently With A Remote Development Team In 2022
Turning dreams or ideas into reality has never been more possible than now in a rapidly evolving, tech-driven world. Businesses old and new are on a mission to develop personalized, streamlined systems, ensuring customer satisfaction as well as revenue growth. With evolving technology, the demand for better flexibility and time-efficient work solutions has garnered popularity, powered by AI-based communication tools, a superfast internet service, automated communication (via email or messaging, for instance), and social media. The concept of remote working and hiring had already been doing the rounds, with the 2020 pandemic putting all its offerings to the test, with highly favorable, trustworthy results.
While developing an app or a core tech product for your business, the first and most essential step is to hire a team of seasoned developers. Remote hiring has been aiding businesses in exploring the global talent pool in a cost-effective manner, saving time and avoiding mistakes. While remote hiring has its own set of undeniable advantages, there are certain factors related to gaps in communication, cultural mismatches, planning, time-zone differences, as well as following proper legal regulations that need to be taken into consideration for a smooth and successful experience.
At GeekyAnts app design & development company, we have devised our own efficient system which has enabled us to work around concerns like these to accomplish our objectives. Here, we discuss some tips and tricks related to selecting a great development team and getting the best out of them:
Tips and tricks for selecting and collaborating with a remote development team:
1. Aligning the team with the clients’ vision and mission:
Clients have a crucial role to play here, making the team aware of their purpose and mission, and aligning the team with the idea and goals of the product. The team as a whole should be made part of the intent of the company. For the teams, it is essential to work together as a group, rather than individually contributing to different aspects of the project.
2. Legals:
The proper laws and regulations relating to software and app development services, developing a product, and outsourcing must be verified before commencing work. Documents such as NDAs, service contract, termination rules, and related agreements should be in place to ensure a frictionless experience in the long run. Generally, the legals that the development team follows pertain to the clients’ jurisdictional requirements.
3. Evaluating the development company:
For the client, this can be achieved through team evaluation, analyzing the portfolio of the companies’ previous work, and resource augmentation models to make sure that the developers are properly evaluated for the project. Asking for client references from companies based in the same country also provides an element of assurance. In case of industry-specific products, for instance fintech or M-commerce, you may analyze previous work pertaining to that industry.
4. Business team:
The development team should not be the only point of contact for the client. The client should be able to communicate any issues faced with a separate team, equipped to handle escalations and feedback. In other words, ensuring the presence of a structured Account Management Team and a Business Analysis Team to handle any escalation from the client side is imperative
5. Solving the time-zone issue:
Different companies have teams working according to different time-zones, specific to the location of the client. In case of unavailability of such an option, make sure to have a common working window of 2-3 hours between your company and the developers’ in case of major time-zone differences. To keep communication between client and teams transparent and to remain updated on blockers and issues, clients should make daily stand-ups a part of the development process.
6. Utilizing effective planning tools:
In case you follow an agile model for resource augmentation and projects in which sprints are planned, make sure to plan the sprints and communicate the deliverables to the team well ahead of time to prevent issues such as confusion, escalations, and delay. Before assigning work, ensure that the team is aware of the estimates and the workload.
7. Leave planning:
While leave policies vary depending on the company, having a proper leave policy is essential for a successful project. Clients should choose a company that plans leaves in an efficient manner and communicates about leaves well ahead of deadlines or sprint plannings, ensuring efficiency.
8. Retrospect meetings with the team:
As an involved client, taking updates and receiving deliveries is not enough. Retrospective meetings with the team to discuss business aspects such as improving the quality of the code, for instance, or elevating the product as a whole are indisputably necessary. An example could be townhall meetings to acknowledge the progress made and communicate feedback if necessary.
9. Proper project management tools:
Using tools such as Jira or Airtable helps to track the progress made in a project and to have updated communications ready.
10. Make the remote team a part of your own team:
Consider the remote team as part of your own team rather than a team that works for you. Communicate directly and transparently about changes in the idea or process that you want to implement. Communication is key when it comes to motivating the team and making them share your vision.
Final Thoughts
Working with the correct remote software and app development company offers a range of advantages, and yet the process of selecting and hiring a remote team to work on your software idea without proper planning may seem like a daunting and time-consuming task. While there are important factors to consider for both the client and the company before entering into a contract, a successful project depends upon transparency, communication and cooperation between both parties.
At GeekyAnts- Design and development company, we offer an extremely passionate and dedicated team of developers, while ensuring a frictionless, uncomplicated and flexible collaborative experience for the client. With over 17+ years worth of experience, we have collaborated with clients worldwide to execute a range of successful projects, finding our own way of working around roadblocks, and ensuring impeccable client reviews.
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