Greg Cope <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> David Cantrell wrote:
> >
> > On Fri, Jan 19, 2001 at 05:04:54PM +0000, Piers Cawley wrote:
> >
> > > I'm *really* unsure about telecommuting. Seems to me that the way to
> > > really build a team (especially when doing serious development) is to
> > > have people in the same room;
> >
> > Plus there's too many distractions at home. Even if you live on your own.
> > It's great to have the capability - for those evening brainwaves, or if
> > you're ill - but doing it every day just doesn't work, at least for me.
> >
>
> That should read there's too many distractions at home for me .... (or
> you as the case may be).
>
> I am about 150% more productive at home - 25 % because I save the
> journey, and the other 25% due to not having to go to meetings /
> going for long lunches / the chat that turns into a tangenical
> discussion on XZY / some Luser or PBH asking a stupid question that
> they could have worked out themselves if I was not there / <insert
> any other activity that takes me away from the task in hand>.
The vision I have is of a team (or teams) working in *our* premises,
with customers working with us. We avoid pointless meetings. The
customer is there because they know what we're supposed to be doing
for them, and they know what's important. When you're only working a
35 hour week (40 tops...) then you should have enough free time
outside work that there's less inclination to piss off for a long
lunch. And the whole point about setting this up is to get rid of the
PHB.
> Sorry the above turned into a rant, I just get a bit pissed off with
> closed minds that assume that having people in an office =
> productivity.
*Ahem*. Were I to be the sort of person who takes things personally,
I'd take that personally. Or something.
Seriously, I tried working from home when the trains were up the
spout, and for a couple or three days it was great. However, one or
two points.
1. As a sole developer, working from home is/can be good, especially
when your head is down and you're turning out the code for a
particular bit. But working from home means you're away from the
customer, and the customer is the only person who can make business
decisions about what your code is supposed to be doing.
2. You are away from the team. Again, sole developer, this is not a
problem. Consultancy where we're supposed to be doing the synergy
thing, not quite so good. Time you spend away is time in which you
aren't plugged into what's happening and (and this is *really*
important), time spent away is time in which you aren't doing the
mentor thing. I strongly believe that, in a joint consultancy deal,
it is *really* important that gurus help to enlighten students,
otherwise how do we get our partners up to speed so we can go out
and get more fun work and make more fun money?
3. Every time I need to ask you something and you're not there and I
have to phone you, there's a chance I'll think 'ah fuck it' and not
bother. And there's a chance that that will be a *really* bad idea.
I'm not saying that offices (especially client offices) don't suck.
But they don't have to. If we're going to do this, lets do it right.
Now, I freely admit that I have partaken of the Extreme Programming
Kool-Aid, and dammit I want to do it. But dammit again, it makes
*sense*. Also bear in mind that when I made the decision (having tried
it) that I'd rather commute in and be near the customer rather than
work from home (in my *very* comfortable home office...) that meant
adding another 4 hours (count 'em) of travelling time to my day. If
I work from home I work too long. If work too long my code starts to
suck. If my code starts to suck I get embarrassed and my reputation
starts to slip. I want to work with copilots. I want to be able to
*have* that tangential conversation that'll turn out to be useful in
six months time. And table football's no fun if you're playing with
yourself.
> Yes there are advantages to working in an office - i.e the team can
> be greater than the sum of its parts.
This is *so* important.
> But working from elsewhere also allows idividuals to be productive -
> often alot more.
How are you measuring productivity?
> Why not combine the two - i.e have a day a week where everyone meets to
> brainstorm / ask questions / do what needs to be done to take advantage
> of a group.
Because groups don't work like that. All of a sudden I'm taking notes.
And trying to remember the questions I needed to ask. And having to
plan further ahead than I want to. And I'm not cutting code.
> Rant over.
Time to wrap up the counter-rant too.
--
Piers
