Product​ ​Quality

- Remote​ ​Working​ ​Expectations

Working​ ​from​ ​home​ ​is​ ​an​ ​approach​ ​that​ ​offers​ ​many​ ​benefits​ ​in​ ​productivity,​ ​engagement,​ ​and
making​ ​more​ ​efficient​ ​use​ ​of​ ​time​ ​otherwise​ ​spent​ ​commuting.​ ​Many​ ​people​ ​have​ ​been
successful​ ​and​ ​productive​ ​working​ ​remotely.​ ​Many​ ​teams​ ​function​ ​very​ ​well​ ​with​ ​remote
participants​ ​-​ ​including​ ​almost​ ​every​ ​team​ ​at​ ​Medidata.​ ​Even​ ​someone​ ​working​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NY​ ​Office
could​ ​be​ ​considered​ ​a​ ​remote​ ​worker,​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​the​ ​team.

There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​“one​ ​size​ ​fits​ ​all”​ ​approach​ ​that​ ​works​ ​for​ ​every​ ​person​ ​and​ ​every​ ​team.
Some​ ​people​ ​are​ ​less​ ​productive​ ​working​ ​from​ ​home,​ ​perhaps​ ​because​ ​of​ ​interruptions​ ​and
distractions,​ ​or​ ​maybe​ ​they​ ​just​ ​don’t​ ​work​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​they​ ​do​ ​in​ ​an​ ​office​ ​environment.
Some​ ​teams​ ​need​ ​more​ ​frequent​ ​in-person​ ​communication​ ​to​ ​fully​ ​succeed.

There​ ​is​ ​a​ ​built-in​ ​tax​ ​for​ ​every​ ​team​ ​member​ ​when​ ​communicating​ ​across​ ​distance.​ ​Don’t​ ​let
geography​ ​be​ ​an​ ​excuse​ ​for​ ​why​ ​a​ ​conversation​ ​doesn’t​ ​take​ ​place,​ ​or​ ​a​ ​misunderstanding
lingers.

To​ ​work​ ​successfully​ ​from​ ​home,​ ​some​ ​things​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be​ ​in​ ​place.

From​ ​the​ ​Company:

- The​ ​proper​ ​equipment​ ​and​ ​support
- Asking​ ​that​ ​teams​ ​organize​ ​themselves,​ ​negotiate​ ​commitments,​ ​value​ ​each​ ​team
member,​ ​and​ ​communicate​ ​openly
- Training​ ​for​ ​all​ ​employees​​ ​on​ ​using​ ​remote​ ​meeting​ ​technology,​ ​including​ ​video​ ​and
room​ ​audio​ ​so​ ​that​ ​remote​ ​employees​ ​can​ ​hear​ ​and​ ​see.​ ​Insist​ ​that​ ​these​ ​technologies
be​ ​used​ ​for​ ​meetings,​ ​even​ ​if​ ​just​ ​one​ ​person​ ​is​ ​not​ ​in​ ​the​ ​same​ ​room.
- Setting​ ​the​ ​expectation​ ​that​ ​remote​ ​employees​ ​will​ ​be​ ​included​ ​in​ ​all​ ​meetings​ ​and
significant​ ​conversations

From​ ​People​ ​in​ ​Offices​ ​(when​ ​not​ ​WFH):

- Team​ ​players​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​the​ ​team​ ​communicates​ ​freely,​ ​completely,​ ​and​ ​often.​ ​Make
sure​ ​all​ ​team​ ​members​ ​will​ ​be​ ​included​ ​in​ ​all​ ​meetings​ ​and​ ​significant​ ​conversations
- Take​ ​good​ ​notes​ ​and​ ​distribute​ ​them.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​good​ ​practice​ ​for​ ​any​ ​action​ ​items​ ​or
decisions​ ​anyways.
- Proper​ ​planning​ ​and​ ​use​ ​for​ ​meeting​ ​technology,​ ​including​ ​video​ ​and​ ​room​ ​audio​ ​so​ ​that
everyone​ ​can​ ​hear​ ​and​ ​see.​ ​Learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​meeting​ ​room​ ​tech,​ ​and​ ​plan​ ​for​ ​remote
attendees.
- Use​ ​your​ ​webcam​ ​on​ ​meetings​ ​when​ ​possible.
 - Keep​ ​another​ ​communication​ ​channel​ ​(Slack/Hangout/etc)​ ​ready​ ​in​ ​case​ ​there​ ​are
issues.​ ​Log​ ​into​ ​meeting​ ​early​ ​so​ ​you​ ​can​ ​solve​ ​communications​ ​issues​ ​before
proceeding​ ​with​ ​the​ ​meeting.
- Insist​ ​that​ ​these​ ​technologies​ ​be​ ​used​ ​for​ ​meetings,​ ​even​ ​if​ ​just​ ​one​ ​person​ ​is​ ​not​ ​in​ ​the
same​ ​room.

From​ ​the​ ​Team​ ​Member:

- Personal​ ​Responsibility​ ​and​ ​Initiative:
- Be​ ​accountable​ ​to​ ​commitments​ ​and​ ​your​ ​team.​ ​As​ ​long​ ​as​ ​the​ ​team​ ​is​ ​satisfied
with​ ​your​ ​work​ ​and​ ​in-person​ ​communication​ ​is​ ​not​ ​required​ ​to​ ​fulfill​ ​Medidata’s
needs,​ ​working​ ​remotely​ ​may​ ​continue.
- Be​ ​available​ ​in​ ​person​ ​during​ ​regular​ ​business​ ​hours​ ​and​ ​when​ ​necessary​ ​and
beneficial.​ ​Meet​ ​in​ ​person​ ​for​ ​training​ ​and​ ​mentoring.​ ​Attend​ ​planning​ ​and
grooming​ ​meetings​ ​in​ ​person,​ ​when​ ​possible
- Solve​ ​any​ ​miscommunication​ ​or​ ​issues​ ​(there​ ​will​ ​be​ ​miscommunication​ ​and
issues)​ ​promptly​ ​and​ ​correctly.​ ​Follow​ ​up​ ​with​ ​any​ ​outstanding​ ​questions.​ ​Get
clarity,​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​no​ ​communications​ ​gaps​ ​exist​ ​between​ ​you​ ​and​ ​the​ ​team.
- Ensure​ ​that​ ​meetings​ ​include​ ​proper​ ​use​ ​of​ ​remote​ ​technology;​ ​when​ ​scheduling
a​ ​meeting,​ ​consider​ ​booking​ ​a​ ​room(s)​ ​for​ ​those​ ​attending​ ​in​ ​an​ ​office
- Check-in​ ​with​ ​the​ ​team​ ​frequently.​ ​Ask​ ​if​ ​they​ ​are​ ​getting​ ​what​ ​they​ ​need,​ ​when
they​ ​need​ ​it.​ ​Fix​ ​it​ ​if​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not.
- Be​ ​punctual.​ ​Meetings​ ​need​ ​to​ ​start​ ​on​ ​time​ ​to​ ​finish​ ​on​ ​time.​ ​Being​ ​late​ ​might
make​ ​it​ ​appear​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​not​ ​being​ ​respectful​ ​of​ ​the​ ​team’s​ ​time.
- Focus​ ​on​ ​results,​ ​not​ ​effort.​ ​Hours​ ​worked​ ​don’t​ ​matter,​ ​getting​ ​things​ ​done​ ​does.
- Responsiveness​ ​-​ ​any​ ​urgent​ ​communication​ ​should​ ​be​ ​replied​ ​to​ ​within​ ​a​ ​few​ ​minutes.
Even​ ​if​ ​it​ ​is​ ​just​ ​to​ ​say​ ​“I​ ​can​ ​look​ ​at​ ​this​ ​in​ ​an​ ​hour”,​ ​“Check​ ​with​ ​<person>”​ ​or​ ​“Back​ ​in
30​ ​mins”,​ ​it​ ​means​ ​you​ ​can​ ​be​ ​relied​ ​on​ ​to​ ​be​ ​responsive​ ​and​ ​helpful.​ ​This​ ​affects​ ​how
your​ ​team​ ​works​ ​with​ ​you.
- Use​ ​Slack​ ​status,​ ​updates​ ​in​ ​scrum,​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​office​ ​replies​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​everyone
knows​ ​when​ ​and​ ​why​ ​you​ ​are​ ​not​ ​available​ ​for​ ​any​ ​significant​ ​portion​ ​of​ ​time.​ ​Do​ ​your
best​ ​to​ ​be​ ​readily​ ​available​ ​otherwise.
- Be​ ​an​ ​effective,​ ​proactive​ ​communicator:​ ​pick​ ​up​ ​the​ ​phone​ ​or​ ​start​ ​the​ ​video​ ​chat
frequently,​ ​email​ ​concisely​ ​and​ ​well,​ ​use​ ​video​ ​whenever​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​increase
effectiveness​ ​of​ ​communication​ ​AND​ ​encourage​ ​others​ ​to​ ​use​ ​their​ ​video.​ ​Communicate
more​​ ​as​ ​a​ ​remote​ ​employee
- Be​ ​‘visible’​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​presence.​ ​ ​As​ ​they​ ​saying​ ​goes,​ ​“out​ ​of​ ​sight,​ ​out​ ​of​ ​mind.”​ ​ ​But
“sight”​ ​means​ ​something​ ​greater​ ​today​ ​than​ ​it​ ​did​ ​even​ ​10​ ​years​ ​ago.
- Treat​ ​your​ ​preferred​ ​IM​ ​method​ ​(Gchat​ ​or​ ​Slack)​ ​as​ ​your​ ​desk.​ ​ ​If​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to
step​ ​away,​ ​set​ ​yourself​ ​as​ ​inactive​ ​or​ ​away.​ ​ ​Ensure​ ​that​ ​you​ ​let​ ​team​ ​members
know​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​using​ ​IM​ ​in​ ​this​ ​way.
- Use​ ​available​ ​communication​ ​tools,​ ​like​ ​Medidata​ ​Express,​ ​to​ ​build​ ​your
presence​ ​within​ ​your​ ​team​ ​and​ ​the​ ​company.​ ​ ​Build​ ​and​ ​maintain​ ​your​ ​virtual​ ​self.
 - It​ ​is​ ​okay​ ​to​ ​have​ ​preferred​ ​communication​ ​tools​ ​and​ ​to​ ​use​ ​them​ ​heavily.
However,​ ​you​ ​should​ ​at​ ​least​ ​be​ ​functional​ ​with​ ​the​ ​others,​ ​so​ ​you​ ​can
accommodate​ ​the​ ​preferences​ ​of​ ​your​ ​team​ ​members.
- Be​ ​available​ ​during​ ​normal​ ​business​ ​hours.​ ​Joining​ ​meetings​ ​from​ ​a​ ​car​ ​or​ ​train​ ​is​ ​not​ ​a
good​ ​experience​ ​on​ ​either​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​connection
- Reliable​ ​and​ ​speedy​ ​internet.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​the​ ​responsibility​ ​of​ ​the​ ​worker​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​the​ ​right
internet​ ​service​ ​and​ ​equipment​ ​to​ ​be​ ​reliably​ ​connected.​ ​Without​ ​proper​ ​connectivity,​ ​it​ ​is
not​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​work​ ​effectively,​ ​and​ ​working​ ​remotely​ ​cannot​ ​continue.
- A​ ​quiet,​ ​comfortable​ ​place​ ​to​ ​work​ ​with​ ​minimal​ ​interruptions.​ ​Ideally,​ ​you​ ​should​ ​have​ ​a
dedicated​ ​room​ ​for​ ​your​ ​home​ ​office,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​door.
- Quality​ ​headsets​ ​and​ ​microphone,​ ​with​ ​phone​ ​backup​ ​handy​ ​if​ ​there​ ​are​ ​issues.
- Scheduling​ ​appointments​ ​and​ ​periods​ ​offline​ ​around​ ​the​ ​team’s​ ​needs.​ ​Maintaining
mobile​ ​connectivity​ ​to​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​possible​ ​during​ ​normal​ ​business​ ​hours​ ​(if​ ​you​ ​have
elected​ ​to​ ​install​ ​Okta​ ​on​ ​your​ ​mobile​ ​device)
- Organize​ ​and​ ​log​ ​work​ ​daily.​ ​Be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​clearly​ ​communicate​ ​what​ ​you​ ​did​ ​today,​ ​and
what​ ​you​ ​have​ ​planned​ ​for​ ​tomorrow.
https://x-team.com/blog/slack-tips-tuesday-look-like-slacker-slack/

References:
● Remote​ ​Control​​ ​–​ ​a​ ​Medidata​ ​Express​ ​space​ ​for​ ​remote​ ​employees
● WFH​ ​in​ ​Product​ ​Quality:​ ​Tips​ ​from​ ​a​ ​remote​ ​employee
● https://biz30.timedoctor.com/remote-work-ultimate-guide/
o Chapters:
● Communicating​ ​and​ ​Building​ ​Relationships​ ​with​ ​your​ ​Team
● Staying​ ​Motivated
● Boosting​ ​your​ ​Productivity
● Conquering​ ​Distractions
● Managing​ ​Your​ ​Workspace
● Maintaining​ ​Work-Life​ ​Balance