Empowering Offshore Contractors on an Agile Team

Agile isn't just about doing ceremonies, it's also about being agile by changing the way we think and work together. One of the main changes that agile techniques advocate is empowering the team to make decisions, plan and estimate their work, resolve conflict, and so on.

However, how can that apply to offshore contracting teams who are used to working in an environment where they are told what to do, and not asked how? Let's cover some ideas.

Set their goals to align with what agile stands for                                      

• Don't reprimand offshore team members for speaking up
• Write their contract with the same goals that the client and/or onsite employees have (as a team, everyone should be working toward the same goal)

Remember, no matter the location of the individuals, they all make up a team that should be working together.

Make the offshore team feel like they are just as important as onsite team members

• Don't only communicate to the onsite team members; always include everyone on the team, even if they are on the other side of the across the globe
• Ask for insight and questions from those who are not onsite
• Hold meetings where video conferencing is used
• When treating onsite team members, try to also arrange for the offshore team members to partake in something fun (for instance, in many of my meetings, I provide snacks. In that case, arrange for someone to expense snacks at the other location(s))

Allow for mistakes and continuous improvement             

• Give offshore team members the same freedom you give onsite team members
• Coach offshore team members in the same way coaching is given to onsite members
• Ask for and follow through on advice given in retrospectives

There is no doubt that a mature agile team works at their best, not simply because of the ceremonies, but when they are empowered and have support behind them to truly be Agile. Offshore contractors deserve to have that same work environment, and if they do, I can guarantee you that they will get just as much done as if you micro-managing them. The best part is that quality will rise. Team happiness for all the team members will raise (as everyone on the team communicates instead of onshore team members telling offshore team members what to do). Most importantly, because the entire team is empowered, the project will have a much better chance of being successful.