How we solve the different time zone issues
Have you ever had difficulty with offshore software development? If you have, you’re not alone. Many clients have expressed concerns about the challenges when working with a team in a different time zone.At HDWEBSOFT, we understand these challenges and have a well-established process for overcoming them. Our key to success is active communication. We know that no one can work overnight every day, so we focus on avoiding dead time as much as possible.
Time-zone discipline is one of several engineering practices that help us deliver measurable outcomes for clients — including a 60% cloud cost savings case study across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. You can also explore our success stories of a software development company, including the long-term reliable software development company trust philosophy.
Emergency Plan
In software development and maintenance, it is impossible to guarantee that software will always run smoothly. However, HDWEBSOFT has a well-established emergency plan in place to address any critical issues that may arise.
Our emergency plan includes the following:
– A dedicated team of engineers who are available 24/7. This team is responsible for responding to any critical issues that may arise, regardless of time zone.
– A transparent escalation process. In the event of a critical issue, it will be escalated to the appropriate management level until resolved.
– A communication plan. We will communicate with you regularly throughout the emergency process to keep you updated on the issue’s status.
– A backup plan. In the event of a major outage, we have a backup plan to ensure your software remains available.
Frequent Status Update
We are committed to providing you with frequent status updates on your project. We will send you a daily report that highlights the outstanding issues that need your support. This will allow you to review the report in your daytime and unblock the outsourcing team the next day. Meanwhile, key members of the project can continue to check and reply in their informal time.
By default, we always have the following reports:
– Daily Report: This is a text copy of the standup meeting, which is a daily meeting where the development team discusses their progress and any outstanding issues.
– Weekly Report: This report is written by the team leader and summarizes the outstanding issues from the week.
– On-demand Report: We will follow any of your report standards.
Avoid Dead-Time
Poor time management can lead to a situation where there is no more work to do for some time. This is known as "dead time," and it can be costly for both the client and the development team.
At HDWEBSOFT, we take steps to avoid dead time by implementing the following practices:
– Regular status updates: We provide regular status updates to our clients so they know our progress and can identify any potential bottlenecks.
– Flexibility in communication: We are flexible with our communication hours to communicate with our clients even in different time zones.
– A well-defined communication plan: We have a well-defined communication plan that outlines the best times to communicate with our clients.
– A proactive approach to problem-solving: We take a proactive approach to problem-solving to identify and resolve issues before they cause dead time.
By following these practices, we have avoided dead time on our projects. This has allowed us to deliver high-quality software on time and within budget.
Well-Organized Communication Plan
A well-organized communication plan is essential for overcoming the challenges of time zone differences. At HDWEBSOFT, we take the time to understand your specific needs and create a plan that works for you.
Our communication plan typically includes the following:
– A definition of the best formal time frames for communication. This will typically be during your working hours, but we can accommodate other times.
– A recommendation of the best unofficial time frames for communication. This could be evenings, weekends, or even holidays.
– A list of the communication tools that we will use. This could include email, Slack, Discord, Whatsapp, Viber, or even phone calls.
– A process for escalating issues that must be addressed outside regular working hours.
By following this plan, we can ensure that we are constantly communicating effectively with you, regardless of time zone.
Flexibility in Communication
To overcome the challenges of time zone differences, project leaders at HDWEBSOFT are flexible with their communication hours. This means they may not be working officially, but they will still be available to communicate with you through chat messages, emails, or phone calls.
This flexibility ensures that we are always available to answer your questions and address your concerns, regardless of time zone.
Tools we used for communication and time management
Slack
Discord
Google Meet
