Five Things to Consider When Managing Distributed Agile Teams

By Arunima Shekar, Director Product Management at Material

Recent years have seen a total shift in the way people work, and the quintessential workplace concept has gone through a major transition. Co-located teams are no longer a given; instead, hybrid ways of working with distributed teams, sometimes located in different time zones, are commonplace.

As the workplace has evolved, Agile teams have evolved, too. Agile teams were traditionally built on a co-located model. However, by tailoring standard processes, employees can now work remotely without compromising productivity or well-being.

Let’s explore five key factors that are essential for managing distributed teams in Agile and enabling positive outcomes.

1. Communication

The most significant criterion in managing a distributed Agile team is communication — there must be constant engagement between team members. Tools like Slack, Google Hangouts and Zoom are perfect for keeping an open, interactive channel.

However, multiple factors shape communication, directly impacting how effectively team members interact.

• Synchronous vs. asynchronous — With synchronous communication, responses are expected to be near-real-time, and the communication tends to be more conversational. Zoom meetings, Skype calls and Microsoft Teams meetings are best suited for synchronous communication channels. Asynchronous communication, however, is not immediate and allows members to respond to messages during a designated communication times. Asynchronous communication channels like emails, Hangout messages and Slack work best for this. As a team lead or manager, you need to work out a balance between both forms of communication. When all team members are distributed, asynchronous communication tends to be a more appropriate choice, but ensure you designate time for the whole team to come together on a common call for open discussions.

• Agendas — Make sure meeting invites always have a detailed agenda, so everyone comes prepared, and no time is lost in explaining the purpose of the meeting. Share artifacts along with the invite — meeting decks for demos, product backlogs, links for planning and retrospective boards. Tools like Retrium, ScrumPoker Online and the Friday app help plan meetings in advance and manage information during iterations.

• Varied time zones — Distributed teams also mean different time zones. This not only means more asynchronous communication but also different communication paradigms. Using collaborative work processes and work tools that allow simultaneous interactions helps reduce chaos. Additionally, identify “interactivity time slots” that suit everyone. Tools like Spacetime sync easily with your Google and Outlook calendars, making scheduling meetings between time zones easier.

2. Psychological and Mental Health

Working from home can negatively impact an employee’s mental health, as juggling multiple tasks with limited interaction beyond family members can take its toll. Managers and organizations play a crucial role in supporting their employees’ well-being.

• Self-imposed “away times” — Setting calendar off-times and “away” periods lets team members take scheduled breaks while keeping others informed of their absence. Encourage your team to agree on “away times” and avoid scheduling discussions during these times.

• Focus times — Scheduling focus time for the team is equally important, as it allows everyone to work uninterrupted. It is best to avoid scheduling meetings during these time windows. Additionally, communication — both synchronous and asynchronous — should be kept to a minimum.

• Virtual coffee/lunchrooms — To keep your team engaged, schedule virtual coffee breaks and lunches so they don’t miss out on those informal conversations around the lunch table or coffee machine. One very effective practice some have adopted is a 15-minute guided meditation to start each day. It’s open to the whole organization and is followed by 10-15 minutes of open conversation. While meditation may not be everyone’s cup of tea, this session helps bring a lot of tranquility and allows everyone to get in the groove for the rest of the day.

3. Monitoring

While many employees who work entirely from home report feeling more productive, working away from a formal office can also present challenges that may hamper productivity if not managed properly. Consider two types of monitoring that can help maximize productivity, whether in-office or remote.

• Self-monitoring — Self-monitoring is critical for distributed teams, and having a tool like RescueTime installed on your system may help keep you on track. These tools allow you to set daily goals and track the time spent on various activities, including offline periods like lunch and in-between-work stretches.

• Peer-monitoring — Since it may not always be possible to hire only highly self-motivated people, peer monitoring in Agile for distributed teams can be an effective way to ensure participation, especially when noticing a lack of communication or no movement of tickets on your Scrum board. As a Scrum master or manager, schedule regular stand-up meetings and prioritize active engagement from the team.

4. Technology Enablers

Technology enablers are the backbone of any distributed team, not just an Agile team. In a fast-paced sprint model, the need to have these enablers and their backups in place becomes even more critical.

• Data and information protection — One essential aspect of distributed workplaces is the protection of data and information. This includes secure tools for file-sharing, password-sharing, code-sharing and data-sharing. Tools like LastPass for secure password sharing and SFTP servers for managed file transfers can be enabled at an organizational level.

• Collaborative development — Distributed development teams also mean multiple people working on a shared codebase at the same time, from different locations. Using version control tools like Subversion ensures there are no code conflicts. Multiple setups like using Github and Bitbucket help collaborative development, code reviews and technical reviews.

• Internet and power — Remote working also means ensuring an uninterrupted supply of power and the internet. Although not a direct technology enabler, organizations should ensure their employees have access to a seamless, high-speed internet connection.

5. Adaptive Processes

Clear internal processes are critical to the success and efficiency of any organization. In a distributed workplace model, it’s especially critical for teams and organizations to remain adaptable and align on the processes that work best for them.

• Meeting cadence — As a manager of an Agile team, finding the right balance between going by the rulebook and adapting to meet the needs of a distributed team can be a challenge. Changing meeting cadences to include twice-daily standups can be helpful, since these can serve as handover meetings for team members in different time zones. Additionally, splitting grooming and planning sessions can help team members maintain better focus. Keeping a daily log of moved tickets can also be effective.

• Development processes — Distributed development can lead to rework and loss of team capacity when not handled correctly. Key measures like having requirements documented, keeping CI/CD in place and testing automation can help to mitigate this risk. Use retrospectives to track the results of these process changes and make improvements.

Agile Expertise for Today’s Business Landscape

As organizations expand globally, distributed teams will continue to be pivotal to their success. With some adjustments, Agile methodologies can effectively function with distributed teams, potentially outperforming traditional software development strategies. These five key focus areas can help equip your distributed Agile teams to deliver positive outcomes.

In a dynamic business landscape, partnering with an experienced Agile expert can empower organizations and teams to reach their full potential.  At Material, we’ve worked with a wide range of clients across the industry landscape to help them reach Agile proficiency. Reach out to learn more about what we can do for your team.