COVID-19 made it imperative to manage a nearshore development team efficiently. It is the responsibility of technology managers to keep their remote employees engaged and inspired. The lack of an in-house software development team necessitates a proactive approach.
A nearshore staff augmentation company's remote developers reside in the same time zone as you. Compared with outsourcing developers on the other side of the world, their proximity remains a critical advantage. Managing a remote software engineering team is difficult in that offshore scenario.
Nearshore development teams still pose a challenge to modern IT managers. These tips will help you manage remote developers more efficiently.
1. Schedule Video Calls
Video conferencing remains essential to managing offshore development teams. Iterative software development methodologies, like Agile or Kanban, require daily team meetings. Nearshoring has the advantage of having your entire project team in the same time zone. It isn't easy to schedule meetings with a team across the globe.
Each developer should also have one-on-one meetings weekly, along with team meetings. Getting a true sense of employee morale helps managers. Additionally, it allows your staff to discuss any personal issues they may have.
Video conferences provide a more meaningful connection than text messaging or phone calls. Ensure your team has high-quality video conferencing technology. The entire team will feel more connected if you don't overlook this area
2. Outline the project's goals clearly
Advertisment
Every member of the team must understand their role in software development. You can make this easier by defining the project's goals, timeline, and deliverables. This deliverable needs to be completed before any code is written.
Project managers or ScrumMasters take the lead at this point. Communicate clearly and define the responsibilities and duties of each team member. As a result, this approach helps build interaction between nearshore software development companies and their clients. The project runs more smoothly when everyone is on the same page. It doesn't matter where one team is located.
3. Communicate throughout the project
Communication on a project typically flows through the project manager. Additionally, they must ensure developers communicate with each other, managers, and stakeholders. Nearshore development projects require managers with great people skills.
Video conferencing is only one form of communication needed on a nearshore project. Text messaging can be used to foster team interaction using Slack. Communication and collaboration must be easy via text, phone, or ad-hoc video conference.
Building and QA processes can also be automated using intelligent chatbots. Software development projects are kept informed in real-time about technical details. Imagine working with an offshore team when an offshore developer breaks the build! Any issues are discovered and fixed quickly since Nearshore developers reside in your time zone.
4. Information Updates for Projects
Throughout the project, your project manager remains a vital communication channel. In addition to project updates, they keep business stakeholders informed.
Moreover, they share projects with these stakeholders, ensuring developers don't work alone. News portals remain a great reason to use collaboration tools like Slack. It ensures real-time communication of status updates. New updates and bug fixes are reported to stakeholders and your QA team. In the end, your nearshore development team builds trust with your company.
5. Avoid Micromanagement
Regular communication with your nearshore development team is essential for a successful project outcome. Your remote employees still need autonomy to be productive. The project stays on track with an effective project team and open communication channels.