As a fully-distributed organization since 2016, DockYard’s experienced team of product strategists has learned a lot about how to seamlessly collaborate across disciplines and time zones. From Project Management to Design, User Experience Development (UXD), Engineering, and Quality Assurance (QA), we’ve tried and tested an array of tools, platforms, and approaches to make the product development process a teamsport — even when one of us is sitting in the California sun, while another teammate braces for a Nor’easter.
We realize many companies are working from home for the first time right now, including organizations that rely on cross-disciplinary teams to be successful. We’ve gained an array of insights over the years as a fully-remote company, and wanted to share some of the most effective practices we’ve tried that may help professionals and teams adjusting to a distributed model.
That’s why we’re introducing a multi-part “Remote Product Development” blog series with representation from our collaborative, cross-disciplinary digital product development teams. We also have a bonus blog from our resident IT and Data Security Manager — afterall, a remote team is most successful when supported by a strong IT foundation.
The series offers tips for effective remote product development from a variety of perspectives, including:
- Remote Project Management: 5 Project Manager-y Tips to Transition to Remote Work by Rebecca Snyder, Project Manager
- Remote Design: How Designers Can Foster Creativity at Home by Jacquelyn Yakira Halpern, Product Designer
- Remote UXD: Why Teams Should Design and Code Together, Anywhere by David Luhr, UX Development Manager
- Remote Engineering: When Programming Remotely, Don’t Go It Alone by Christian Trosclair, Senior Software Engineer and How to Review Code Remotely by Pat Collins, Senior Software Engineer
- Remote QA: Effective Testing and SQA from Afar by LaToya Brown, SQA Engineer & Marisa Campbell, SQA Engineer
- Remote IT: Managing an All-Remote IT Operation by Patrick Wykoff, IT and Data Security Manager
While remote work does require some adjustments, it is possible to be just as effective as working in an office together — some might argue more so with 85% of businesses surveyed by IWG reporting greater flexibility has led to increased productivity. With the right mix of tools, processes, and appetite for collaboration, teams can unite to function as a synchronized unit regardless of disciplines or distance.
DockYard is a digital product agency offering custom software, mobile, and web application development consulting. We provide exceptional professional services in strategy, user experience, design, and full stack engineering using Ember.js, React.js, Ruby, and Elixir. With a nationwide staff, we’ve got consultants in key markets across the United States, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Austin, New York, and Boston.
