Outsourcing Project: Collaboration,

Communication & Expectations

Dennis Stevenson

May 20, 2008

How will we get there?

3

Collaboration & Communication

Over communicate because…• You only get one chance to say it the first time

• It is too easy to misunderstand each other

Listen as hard as you talk because…• Accents & Telephone make it hard to understand

• We are dealing with complex topics

Write it down because…• Your memory and mine is fallible

• Someone important inevitably missed the conversation

4

Collaboration & Communication

Be Gracious with each other because…• Neither of you would be here if you didn’t deserve to be

• Tomorrow we will start all over again

Focus on Problems not Personalities because…• We’re here to solve problems, not fix people

• There will be plenty of problems… no time for personalities

Keep it short and sweet because…• Time is limited and speed is critical

• We want to build and maintain momentum

5

Expectations

No Repeat Mistakes• First time mistakes are about learning – that’s ok

• I expect teams to communicate lessons learned

No Shortcuts without permission• We will deploy this code to customers who trust us

• Code performance and behavior is EVERYTHING.

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency• Do it well and do it once – don’t reinvent the wheel

• This isn’t the end of the changes

6

Expectations

Next Day Answers• Make the time differential work for us, not against us

• If you don’t have an answer, say so and give a date

Know the Plan & Critical Dates• Ignorance is not an excuse

• Your performance either helps or hinders the plan

Escalate Issues at the first possible moment• I can’t fix what I don’t know is broken

• If there is a problem, I expect time to react