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If you know precisely what to do, then remote work is ok. However, once you need to communicate with people and problem solve with them, all forms of digital co

If you know precisely what to do, then remote work is ok. However, once you need to communicate with people and problem solve with them, all forms of digital communication are inferior to face-to-face.

pdimitar 8y ago
Only voice works just fine and has worked for me for 8 years now.
- malcolmgreaves 8y ago
  I suspect that (1) you don't have strong relationships with the people that you've only communicated with via voice, (2) if you do, then it took a very long (multi-year) time to create that trust: significantly longer than through face-to-face communication, (3) you do not do a active, engaging brainstorming and problem solving sessions (e.g. whiteboarding) with your colleagues that you communicate with voice only.
  - pdimitar 8y ago
    I see some sort of assumption in your comment that I should be bonding with people I work with -- and by "bonding" I mean stepping outside the of work relationships. I don't aim for that. If it happens naturally, I welcome it. But I don't actively pursue it. But your assumptions are mostly false: I've actively brainstormed and planned with people in voice-only sessions -- and they rarely exceeded 25-30 minutes. And that went on and on for the 1-year contract, every week or two, and only once did we have trouble getting a message across. Building trust can take anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks if you are a down-to-earth productive programmer -- which I am. Not sure where your multi-year idea of building trust comes from? I am not attacking you. But I can't stand behind this very widely believed legend that face-to-face trumps everything. That's provably false in literally half my work relationships during my 17-year-long career. When people have common vision and are working honestly for the interests of their employer -- and are professionals -- things go pretty smoothly and the machine gets oiled fast.

pdimitar 8y ago

Only voice works just fine and has worked for me for 8 years now.

malcolmgreaves 8y ago
I suspect that (1) you don't have strong relationships with the people that you've only communicated with via voice, (2) if you do, then it took a very long (multi-year) time to create that trust: significantly longer than through face-to-face communication, (3) you do not do a active, engaging brainstorming and problem solving sessions (e.g. whiteboarding) with your colleagues that you communicate with voice only.
- pdimitar 8y ago
  I see some sort of assumption in your comment that I should be bonding with people I work with -- and by "bonding" I mean stepping outside the of work relationships. I don't aim for that. If it happens naturally, I welcome it. But I don't actively pursue it. But your assumptions are mostly false: I've actively brainstormed and planned with people in voice-only sessions -- and they rarely exceeded 25-30 minutes. And that went on and on for the 1-year contract, every week or two, and only once did we have trouble getting a message across. Building trust can take anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks if you are a down-to-earth productive programmer -- which I am. Not sure where your multi-year idea of building trust comes from? I am not attacking you. But I can't stand behind this very widely believed legend that face-to-face trumps everything. That's provably false in literally half my work relationships during my 17-year-long career. When people have common vision and are working honestly for the interests of their employer -- and are professionals -- things go pretty smoothly and the machine gets oiled fast.