In this talk I will be outlining the biggest challenges that I've experienced on distributed projects. I will be setting context of what is communication and why it is so important to be aware of what it is. Factors that improve and decrease communication level and quality. How do people who never met before are able to build a professional relationship. Why relationship can affect on understanding. Pros & cons of tools that I've used to increase communication. Examples of poorly communicated messages and how they could have been more effective. Communicating by pushing information and by pulling information. Different types and formats used for communication. Communicating feedback effectively.

1. Agile communication with
near-shore
Guilherme Motta
gmotta@thoughtworks.com

2. 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

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. What is communication?
The word comes from the latin:
communis - shared, common
informatio - make other(s) aware about something
Communication is a process of building something to be
shared.
This process looks something like:
1. Connect/Relate information
2. Information
3. Action (main goal of communication)

6. What is communication?
/ SPEAK
| |
LISTEN /
Communication happens over conversation and we are
constantly having them:
Interviews; Documents; Stories (placeholders for
conversations!); Charts; Meetings/Conferences;

7. 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?

8. Importance of knowing
RASA framework:
Receive
Appreciate
Summarize
Ask

9. What helps (+):
Proper equipment (good webcams, microphones, extra
monitor, TV/projector..)
Facilities & Infrastructure (good networking, meeting rooms..)
Speak slowly
Speak loudly
Speak into the microphone
Use visual things to communicate
Have a stick buddy
Backup your communication lines

10. What causes noise (-):
Side conversation
Moving the microphone around

11. Sometimes helps, sometimes cause
noise:
Have a token on each side
Mute the microphone on the side that is not speaking
Open space

12. Building relationship with near-shore
folks
Common interests
Soccer
UFC
South America
Beer
IT
...

13. 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.

14. Tools (soft skill tools)
Empathy
Active Listening
Feedback

15. Tools (software products/services
tools)
Conferencing solutions
Team viewer
Skype
Vidyo
Webbex
Microsoft Communicator
Gtalk/Google+ (hangout)

16. Examples of less effective messages
Multiple questions on the same email.
Perception or wrong assumptions (based on Mental Models or
not..)
Labeling ideas as irrelevant or not useful too fast

17. How they could be better?

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

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

20. Pushed vs Pulled information
PUSH
PULL

21. Pushed information

22. Pulled information
Relationship, Consulting, Persuasion (pulled the other person)

23. Pulled information
Teamwork, Collaboration, Collective Ownership, Continuous
Deployment/Delivery/Integration..
"Build monitor/watcher"

24. Challenges of distributed projects
Language
Culture
Timezone
Values
Beliefs
Attitudes
Expectations
Intentions
Vices

25. Feedback
"Sandwich model"
1st - Introduction (Good things,
doing well)
2nd - Middle (Not so well, what
can improve..)
3rd - End (More good things,
keep doing..)

26. 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 ..."

27. 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.

28. 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_pa
per_clips_problem_solving.html
Emotional Inteligence - http://www.talentsmart.com/learn/
Mental Models -
http://www.tcd.ie/Psychology/other/Ruth_Byrne/mental_model
s/

29. Guilherme Motta
gfcmotta@gmail.com
@gfcmotta
#agiles2011