| p>This is what the typical development | | | | with developers and testers. Rather, use modified |
| environment used to look like: you, the technical | | | | JAD sessions to present features and functions |
| writer/product manager/business analyst, sits in | | | | as they are being defined. This will allow for more |
| one space, just a few spaces away from a | | | | and better questions upfront that can be worked |
| tester, who sits just a few spaces away from a | | | | into the documentation, rather than spending a |
| developer. Possibly, an architect sits a couple | | | | ton of time creating a document or presentation |
| doors away, along with an administrative assistant | | | | that will be picked apart and in need of serious |
| and a project manager. | | | | revisions later. Your developer or tester may be |
| Not so these days. Today, the picture likely looks | | | | living and working in a time zone that is several |
| more like this: a couple of developers and testers | | | | hours ahead of or behind you. Instead of |
| share an office, and communicate daily via e-mail | | | | presenting a massive amount of documentation |
| and/or phone and/or Skype with you, the | | | | which will take weeks to sift through, discuss the |
| business analyst or product manager of sorts | | | | functionality in pieces, making it possible for your |
| who probably sits across the country from them, | | | | developer to begin developing and your tester to |
| or even further - across the world. Today, teams | | | | begin writing test cases at the same time that |
| are smaller - stripped down to bare essentials for | | | | you are finishing up another part of the |
| a number of reasons, but highest among them: | | | | documentation. |
| cost. Everyone is being asked to be more | | | | 4. Keep communication free flowing while still |
| efficient: to complete projects faster, with fewer | | | | holding formal conference calls. One of the most |
| people, for more money. This means that you, as | | | | effective ways to work remotely is to set up a |
| the chief person in charge of communicating | | | | formal conference call weekly, or even daily, |
| requirements, needs to find a better, faster, | | | | depending on what part of the development cycle |
| more effective means of documenting and | | | | you are in. In addition to this standing call, set up |
| expressing those requirements than ever before. | | | | instant messenger and develop a habit of staying |
| 5 Strategies for Effective Communication While | | | | by your phone and e-mail program so that |
| Working Remotely When communicating | | | | questions can be asked and answered on the fly. |
| requirements remotely, you will need to learn to | | | | While working remotely, you cannot afford to go |
| be as concise as humanly possible. Sure, you may | | | | into a hole or be AWOL. It needs to feel as |
| have figured out all of the ways to cut costs by | | | | though you are in the office while in fact, you are |
| using Skype or instant messenger, nixing paper | | | | nowhere near. |
| and submitting all documentation electronically, etc... | | | | 5. Ask for understanding. Don't assume people are |
| but the costs will all come back to you in | | | | following you. Once they hang up the phone, you |
| measures of time if you do not learn to say what | | | | don't know whether they are scratching their |
| you mean to say in as few words as possible. | | | | heads or getting straight to work, so, it's up to |
| Here are five ways you can achieve better | | | | you to ask the questions, "Do you understand |
| communication. | | | | what I am saying?" "Does this make sense?" "Are |
| | | | you able to follow these steps/this diagram, etc?" |
| 1. Demonstrate. If you have not already, learn to | | | | If you don't ask the questions, you are leaving a |
| use Visio or a similar program and make diagrams | | | | lot of room for misunderstanding - the kind that |
| the central parts of your documentation. | | | | can't be cleared by just getting up and walking |
| Diagramming is quite possibly the single most | | | | down the hallway. |
| effective way of expressing the what of a | | | | Ultimately, if you are an effective communicator, |
| system: the answer to the question, what does | | | | you should be able to communicate requirements |
| this thing do? | | | | well, whether or not you are physically situated in |
| 2. Chop up your documentation. Give to testers | | | | the same office as the rest of your team. It is |
| what testers need and give to developers what | | | | entirely possible to communicate requirements to |
| developers need. Do not waste time trying to | | | | a team even when each team member works |
| create the perfect single document to be used by | | | | from their home. The key is to adopt |
| roles of all kinds, because such a document does | | | | communication styles and strategies that make it |
| not exist. Instead, focus on meeting deadlines by | | | | possible to still get questions answered in a timely |
| providing what is necessary when it is due. If you | | | | fashion. Additionally, if your documentation is |
| so desire or if it is dictated by the processes | | | | skinny (i.e., stripped of the fat and presents only |
| adopted by your employer or client, you can put | | | | what is necessary), you will remove potential |
| all of the pieces together at the end in one big | | | | distraction and reduce the opportunity for |
| SRS. But for now, focus on what is necessary. | | | | misunderstanding and/or confusion that can be |
| 3. Show and tell. Do not wait until everything is | | | | more likely to occur in a virtual office setting. |
| completely ironed out before having discussions | | | | |