As well as handling contractors, project managers often now face having to deal with development teams in different locations and, increasingly, different countries. -It's always easier if a programmer is physically located in a central location where the full range of test facilities and latest code is available, but this isn't always practical and can always be worked around," says System Solutions' Asciak.
Major problems can occur in such a scenario. -Whenever a team is split across geographic locations we seem to find an 'us and them' mentality forming. In other organisations that I've worked in I've seen it many times and it is difficult to stop an element of this creeping in," says Silver.
Careful planning becomes even more important with offshore staff. If a project is assigned to a remote office, it should be self contained and well defined," says Altiris' Masters. -If it isn't, the benefits of outsourcing or offshoring are offset by additional management and integration costs."
Setting up initial personal contact can be valuable. -A good approach is to try and get the entire project team together at the outset for at least one face-to-face kick-off meeting," says Baty.
Even after all those steps, daily challenges remain. -In some ways, you almost have to develop a different set of senses to deal with those members that are not based in the same location as you as the bulk of communication takes place via the telephone or email, rather than being able to drop by someone's desk or office," says Avaya's Goldfinch.
Skills and tools
One common cause of conflict within teams is battles between certified (but often inexperienced) staff and veteran workers whose lack of formal qualifications is offset by their years of experience. Some development houses definitely favour the latter. -Certification is relevant to technical support staff who need to integrate systems with known characteristics where documentation and training is available," says Asciak. -But our developers are usually working with new vendor software, sometimes beta versions and often poorly documented, and they are aiming at a moving target. They need to be adaptable, show initiative, and understand the big picture. In our view, a degree in computer science or engineering, the right attitude, and appropriate experience are far more useful than certification."
Certification does have its benefits. -We value a person's actual experience and capabilities over their qualifications, but someone that has gone to the trouble of gaining a qualification often also has superior skills and experience and a high degree of motivation," says Silver.
However, the lack of flexibility in many certifications can be a challenge in the development environment. -Certification, if taken too far, can breed a kind of mono-culture," says Goldfinch. There are numerous software tools available to assist in the task of integrating teams on a day-to-day basis. Computer Associates uses a portal to track major tasks. Silver advocates the use of instant messaging to build team spirit.
However, most agree that processes and a clear plan are more important than technology. -Don't focus as much on the software or specific tool, but on what is suitable for your environment, team size and where you are in the growth cycle," says Masters. -For some teams having a project planning and tracking tool may be perfect. But for a small team in a casual environment, the project management tools are expensive to implement and use."
