As we scale up our operations, we’re learning lots of important lessons. This conversation between our Creative Director Neil LaChapelle and our Research Consultant Barb Adams illustrates three important insights we’ve come to embrace.
1. In-person communication is still the best channel for collaboration
While we are a remote, self-managed organization, being co-located on the right days for the right reasons really accelerates our work (and it justified building a kick-ass office, to make coming to work fun).
2. Paired-development helps build our culture
Doing development in pairs is a great way to preserve our design culture as we expand. We can integrate new talent while maintaining continuity with our current successful practices.
3. Peer-mentoring makes our organization more resilient
We don’t just do paired development between people doing similar work. We mentor each other across disciplines. Everyone learns about everyone else’s craft.
That helps us generate better ideas, and discuss them fluently as a team. Our work becomes faster and better as a result.
The kicker
It takes candor and charity to make this happen. People need to speak frankly, and listen to frank feedback – while maintaining goodwill. It’s awesome to see that collective trust evolving on our team.