Better Software - May 2008 - (Page 23)

Management Chronicles STORY LINES • When opening an offshore office, meeting with the team in person reduces ramp-up time and helps spread corporate values and processes. • Forcing corporate values on a secondary office may create resentment and set up a bad dynamic. • Rather than expecting a new office to work exactly the way the head office does, approach it from the angle of finding the best way to work together. • Instead of pushing training, let the offshore team learn from you by asking questions and getting to know your processes. “Sure do. I also wondered if there was anything you wanted to ask me.” He brightened. “You’ve been doing this for a long time and we want to take advantage of your expertise. You can help us avoid some mistakes.” “Sure, I’m happy to answer anything you want, but I’m not here to tell you guys how to work. Maybe we can work together to figure out the best way for us to work together.” I grinned. “Hey, is that a foosball table?” “We heard you had one in Ottawa,” John said. “You don’t have to do everything just like we do in Ottawa,” I told John. “But in this case, I think you made a smart decision. Are you up for a quick game?” {end} Want to receive complimentary copies of some of the latest books on softWare Development? Then you may be interested in the StickyMinds.com Book Review Program! If you’re an experienced software professional who likes to read and thrives on sharing opinions, join our unique book review program that caters exclusively to the software development community! Tell us about your background, experiences, and which topics you’d like to review. If accepted into the program, you will receive a book selected for you to review—up to four a year. And the best part of the program? You keep the book—No Charge! For an application or more information, contact Cheryl M. Burke, cburke@sqe.com. If you were asked to open an offshore branch, how would you identify challenges? How would you deal with the integration? Follow the link on the StickyMinds.com homepage to join the conversation. Without oversight, software projects can creep out of control and cause teams to freak. But with Software Planner, projects stay on course. Track project plans, requirements, test cases, and defects via the web. Share documents, hold discussions, and sync with MS Outlook®. Visit SoftwarePlanner.com for a 2-week trial. www.StickyMinds.com MAY 2008 BETTER SOFTWARE 23 http://www.StickyMinds.com http://www.StickyMinds.com http://SoftwarePlanner.com http://SoftwarePlanner.com http://www.StickyMinds.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Better Software - May 2008

Better Software - May 2008 Contents Mark Your Calendar Contributors eLightenment Technically Speaking Code Craft Test Connection Management Chronicles Cover Story: It's A Bug! The Chivalrous Team Member Let's Talk Agile Product Announcements 10 Things You Might Not Know About... The Last Word Ad Index

Better Software - May 2008

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