How we became the Brady Bunch Working on a distributed design team
Jennifer Thibault Experience designer, 18F @jlthibault | [email protected]
18F is a civic consultancy for the U.S. government, inside the U.S. government. We help agencies quickly deploy tools and services that are easy to use, cost efficient, and reusable.
For example
7
159 people 44% DC56% everywhere else
Last week
Next year?
1/ Things teams can do
PART ONE
“It can’t just be the responsibility of those working remotely to be extra-engaged.” - Becky Sweger, Developer, Western MA
Adopt a distributed-first mentality.
Starts on day 1
Keep building your team culture.
Create context for each other.
Try it online anyways.
Know when to come together.
Distributed-first. Keep building culture. Create context. Online anyways. Know limits.
PART TWO
2/ Things you can do
Make a “hitting the fan” plan.
Make a “hitting the fan” plan. Over-communicate.
Make a “hitting the fan” plan. Over-communicate. Say thank you. A lot.
Make a “hitting the fan” plan. Over-communicate. Say thank you. A lot. Eat lunch.
3/ How this really works
PART THREE
Design studio
If we’re doing this, so can you.