Managing Global Teams

One of the biggest challenges a Project Manager is likely to face on a large-scale Drupal project is the inherent tension between Agile and Waterfall: the desire for the inherent benefits of Agile, conflicting with Waterfall-based decision making bodies within the business. Add a layer of complexities around time zones, languages, cultures and personalities, and before the project has started, potential clashes already exist. How does the Project Manager successfully juggle translating processes, watching for storms on the horizon, navigating through weather and strengthening the teams?

In this session, we hope to share lessons learned from several major implementations, covering how the human elements of team dynamics can ensure Project Managers build those successful teams using common sense, trust, and a sound project management methodology and framework.

Attendees will walk away with solid foundational knowledge about the gaps and bridges among Team Members working worldwide, never meeting F2F, and still trusting and collaborating with each other. Even when the sponsoring organization doesn’t fully embrace Agile frameworks, the underlying teams can be united in an Agile methodology and solid PM framework.

Topics covered will include:

1. Human interactions over communications
2. Tools and Documentation to ensure success
3. Team collaboration among multiple partners, sponsors and stakeholders
4. Translating Agile to Those Who Only Know Waterfall
5. Dealing with language, culture and human idiosyncrasies
6. Building teams that successfully navigate all of the above