The secret to remote software team productivity is communication. Whether it’s a video conference call or a chat app that organizes communications by topics, channels, projects and more, letting your remote tech employees keep their energy up requires communication tools that support them.
ActivTrack is one such tool. It has a high rating on Capterra and is easy to use.
Project Management
Project management is a broad discipline, touching every corner of the organization. For remote teams, maintaining the same level of transparency can be challenging without a clear system for tracking projects and providing feedback.
To avoid a gap in communication between team members and the rest of the company, remote product managers must encourage direct communication between employees. Luckily, there are a few ways to do so.
One way to foster communication is to use file-sharing software like DropBox. This allows remote and in-house employees to access and edit files from any device. It’s also a great tool for organizing files into folders and tags so they are easy to find in the future.
What is xsignal and Another popular tool is Valispace, which is designed to manage project progress and schedules. It offers Gantt charts, Kanban boards, time & cost tracking as well as custom reports and analytics. It is compatible with a variety of project management methodologies including Agile, Lean, and Scrum.
Time Tracking
Time tracking is a powerful tool that can boost productivity, improve work-life balance and contribute to a healthy remote company culture. It can also be used to ensure accurate billing and project management.
The right time tracking software eliminates disruptive check-ins by giving leadership and employees a way to show progress without interrupting each other’s workflow. This promotes transparency for everyone involved, helping teams to make better decisions and stay on track.
Depending on the solution you choose, features such as screenshot modes, activity levels, app/URL usage and more can provide further context to each time entry. This helps managers have more productive conversations with team members, and gives them data to back up their concerns when it comes to overwork. It’s also useful for having tough discussions with clients when their expectations are unrealistic. With objective data to back you up, your higher-ups are more likely to listen.
Communication
Rather than relying on multiple tools for communication, try to centralize your team’s internal conversations. For example, storing conversations in folders on your project management tool or in Slack allows your team to focus on work instead of searching for what they need in different channels.
Keep remote employees informed by communicating clearly on project-related topics. Use a comprehensive task management system to let your team know what they need to do, who’s responsible, and when the work is due.
Encourage your remote teams to prioritize video calls in their daily workflows. This can help compensate for the water-cooler effect and allow remote workers to feel more connected with their colleagues. Each call should start with an earnest, genuine “How are you?” to connect with your remote team members and humanize their work experience. This also provides a chance to collect feedback and address any concerns or roadblocks your team is experiencing.
Collaboration
Managing remote teams for PCB design requires the right set of collaboration tools. Skype and Slack are popular communication platforms, but they lack holistic design collaboration and management functions.
Teamwork apps such as Asana offer an integrated approach to project management and collaboration. It facilitates project tracking via a to-do list or Kanban board, team communication through chat, and file sharing across devices. It also has features for structuring communication through channels, a team calendar, and email integration.
Other collaboration tools for remote teams include GitHub and TalentLMS. The former is a widely used platform for software development and code collaboration, while the latter simplifies knowledge management during onboarding and ongoing training. Performance reviews can be conducted through Engagely, which gives managers a comprehensive outlook on their remote tech employees. It also enables giving hefty feedback based on four categories: unsatisfactory, needs improvement, meets expectations, and exceeds expectations.