Face To Face Regularly

One of the DistributedTeamPatterns.

It's frequently useful to have selected team members (not just managers) fly to each other's site to meet FaceToFaceRegularly. This has the following advantages:

• Team members can get to know their colleauges better; rather than just being a voice on the phone or a face on the videoconference. Neither can replace true FaceTime.

• Team members can learn about the environmental and work conditions at the other site. Many "satellite" offices aren't as well equipped as the main office.

If you practice this pattern, a few recommendations.

• Travel should be bi-directional; not just the satellite offices visiting the home office (if such an arrangement exists).

• Visiting workers should be provided with (workplace) accomodations similar to what other workers (of equal rank or station) at that site enjoy. If the locals get a cubicle with their own phone line and desk, so should the visitors. If, OTOH, all developers work at a common bench loaded with computers, so should the visitors.

• Respect the wishes of employees who prefer not to travel, especially to foreign countries. Some folks are better dealing with CultureShock than others.