Slow emails in the virtual team...

PMing a Virtual Team where teammembers are slow returning emails...

What to do: Propose a Communications Plan to address the issue.

Virtual Team Member Communications

Similar to industry SLA's and their corresponding window, we shall abide by no greater than 45 minute response time for any given mission email thread between team members or project stakeholders.

When team member email and/or phone discussion threads involve issue discussions, the issue submitter or assignor should precede and/or accompany any such discussions with at least a written statement of the issue, problem, assignment or need. At minimum, a couple sentences clearly stating the issue, purpose or goal so all involved in the solution have a clear understanding of the goal, the customer need or requirement.

If the nature of the email and/or phone conmmunication is to solve an existing issue, then minimum informal written descriptions should include the problem or issue to be solved and the agreed upon solution. If performance of the solution is required then enough clear written information should be disseminated to enable the accurate performance of the solution work.

Virtual teams rely primarily on clear informal written email and verbal phone conversations to accomplish team work. If someone cannot understand either form of communication, then you are not being clear. Communication is a two-way process.

Often team members, particulary members new to the team particularly rely upon answers to what may be considered simple questions by veterans. When a simple question appears in your inbox from a team member, give back a simple answer, but do answer. Our informal team communication is primarily email, since, we as developers are typically at our computers during working hours. We are not so busy that we can afford to leave team member queries in suspense, waiting for perhaps an easy answer. An effective development environment requires expedient communication between team members.

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