en-us http://bob.mcwhirter.org/ Comments from bob.mcwhirter.org: Remote Worker, Distributed Team http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment1017842675I'd like to say time zone also matters. If all others are at around GMT-5 and I am at GMT+9, all important decisions are made while I sleep and there's nobody who can answer my question quickly enough. Tue, 29 Mar 2016 13:27:53 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment1017842675 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment738182397Awesome, and so forward-thinking. Agree whole-heartedly. This is the smartest take on "flexibility" that is out there. Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:57:45 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment738182397 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment734771074Seriously great post here! I really appreciate the insight to separate remote workers from distributed teams and think it's definitely necessary to create this distinction. I'm curious if IRC is fulfilling your needs as part of a distributed team. There is the workplace chatter and watercooler discussions that I firmly believe is a big part of building culture and organization and IRC is difficult for this. Mon, 14 Oct 2013 19:59:54 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment734771074 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment722491615Great post! Succinct. I understand the difference between the two approaches now. Thu, 19 Sep 2013 18:25:05 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment722491615 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment511979011Very nice, I think the Venn diagram says it all, in particular the "Yay!" Seriously, interesting perspective on remote vs. distributed. Thu, 6 Dec 2012 14:27:34 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment511979011 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment471035625Spot on with the breakdown. The only thing I would add that I find often plays into both experiences, though less so with a "distributed worker," is the adage : "out of sight, out of mind." Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:12:03 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment471035625 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment468993935Eloquent and informative. NIcely written, relevant content. It definitely has opened my eyes to what happens to me. I am a remote worker wit exactly those problems... Sun, 21 Oct 2012 07:41:19 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment468993935 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment106380181This is a really nice piece and pins down why the team I'm on now (really very distributed) works much better than those before with just a couple remote team members. Wish I'd thought of it myself, great piece of insight. Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:42:45 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment106380181 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment106376468Fantastic post, loved it. This is an observation I've heard before from people I've interviewed for the Wide Teams podcast, but you really nailed it. In many ways it's easier to be fully dispersed than partially. The teams I know of that are partially distributed but succeed anyway go to great lengths to make sure everyone is on equal footing. Would you be interested in sharing your experiences with other dispersed teams via an interview on the Wide Teams podcast? Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:16:06 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment106376468 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment99382980Great post! I work in a start up and each one of us are distributed across globe in different timezones. For most part its just awesome! IRCs, skypes, IMs all added together works just fantastic. Yep, distributeness works very well:) Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:41:05 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment99382980 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98774377Nice post! I love IRC too, what I miss in IRC channel is an easy way to log conversation, except leave IRC open all night long, but it's not exactly environmental fair ;) Do you use a bot to get log? Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:57:27 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98774377 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98631743I'd like to say time zone also matters. If all others are at around GMT-5 and I am at GMT+9, all important decisions are made while I sleep and there's nobody who can answer my question quickly enough. TZ diff needs to be less than 9 hours in my opinion unless the people are evenly scattered around the globe. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:59:20 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98631743 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98603842Great post. I've been in that "remote worker" position, but I've used what I've learned to help my current team's "remote worker". We have one team member who moved back to India, the rest of us are in Denver. He joins us every day for a standup using our telepresence device - he can see and hear us, we can see and hear him, he's virtually with us on a laptop with a webcam he can control, a good mic that picks up even casual conversations in the team room, and the laptop is on wheels so we can move him where he needs to be. We have to be disciplined to remember to keep him up to date, post high-rez photos of the task board and whiteboards at least daily on our wiki, schedule meetings when he can attend (he does most of the sacrificing - working late at night to overlap with our morning). It takes work, but even a team with a remote worker can be a successful distributed team. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:47:07 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98603842 http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98582890nice read! Already read the first part and I found a lot of insights I was not aware of so far. I experienced both situations for different employers. There were setups where I felt like I was the 5th wheel of the chariot whereas there were experiences where I felt the distance (meeting situation) but most co-workers in the office did the best to get me involved and work was a pleasure. I now understand (great insights, thanks!) why it's has been such a pleasure and great collaboration @Red Hat so far :) Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:19:02 +0000http://bob.mcwhirter.org/#IDComment98582890