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How To Be A Remote Work Superhero

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Jon Jones
Jon Jones

So now were all remote workers. Whether youre managing teams or working for studios that are rapidly transitioning to remote work, its important to start understanding the new skills, disciplines, and technology required for all of us to be collectively successful as remote workers. But where do you start? This talk focuses on precisely how the clever application of technology and technique can untether you from your location, keep you deeply connected to your team and project, and distinguish yourself as a spectacularly effective Remote Work Superhero.

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HOW TO BE A REMOTE WORK SUPERHERO Jon Jones, Art Outsourcing Manager jon@gameartproducer.com
Working in games since 2001 on over 50 titles across all platforms Career-long specialization in art outsourcing management Working remotely managing distributed teams since 2009 Speaker at events like XDS, GDC, SIGGRAPH, MIGS, Casual Connect, and IGDA Who is Jon Jones?
Remote Work Superpowers 1. Omnipresence 2. Super Speed 3. Omniscience 4. Vigilance 5. Foresight 6. Regeneration
Video call tradecraft Look at the camera, not their face. Eye contact is important! 10 minute cutoff for no-shows Buy and use a laptop camera cover. Always keep it closed unless youre on a call Stay muted unless speaking to minimize background noise Before a call, check whats in the camera view and hide sensitive items Always wear pants. You can tell by their face. Screensharing advice: Hide your bookmarks bar: Ctrl-Shift-B in Chrome Check your open tabs, open windows, and desktop for sensitive or embarrassing info When possible, share only the WINDOW and not the entire SCREEN
Omnipresence 90% of telepresence is being in the first place people look when they need you BE WHERE THEY LOOK FIRST! Management By Walking Around is normal for many managers Person in seat = Person working Transitioning to remote work is like having your senses severed Compensate by learning, setting, and maintaining expectations of responsiveness Communication is the beginning and end of everything Learn when and where people communicate important information, and BE THERE
Identify primary comms channels: Work assignments and feedback email, Trello, Basecamp, Slack, Teams, Shotgun, Jira, etc General or technical discussions email list, Sharepoint, scheduled video calls in Zoom/Hangouts, etc Location of file share for collaborating on content and file transfer Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Aspera, Resilio Sync, etc Source control Perforce, SVN, etc Learn how people use those channels. How would you get answers? Where am I most likely to find a responsive artist or programmer? If source control is down, who do I talk to? Its late, everyones offline, and I need help. Where are our shared resources? Omnipresence
90% of telepresence is being in the first place people look when they need you BE WHERE THEY LOOK FIRST. Sometimes that's clear, sometimes you can train the team around you. Always : respond quickly in the primary channels dont spread yourself thin across too many channels follow up when you say you will consistently use the same communication channels for the same information This doesn't mean you're on call 24/7. If your team has set core hours, work during those core hours, and don't respond outside of them. Set boundaries. Remote work on an ongoing basis is EARNED. Push for sustainable conditions. Super Speed
Take responsibility for understanding process Whose work is upstream from me? Where does my work product go next? What tools do those teammates live in? Where will highest-priority contributions be noticed first? How can my thoroughness be easy to verify? Omniscience
All information must create its own context. Document A should not require Documents B, C, and D to make sense. Use proper nouns and be specific NO: hesheitthattherethingplace YES: BobAlicefile.pdf[full path]etc Save and include images, never link. Links break! Use specific filenames and absolute folder locations in all feedback Cite all sources and references, including web links Document edge cases in a shared scratchpad to incrementally build knowledge Omniscience
Vigilance You are now remote. You no longer have the luxury of ignoring security hygiene You do NOT want to be responsible for an easily preventable data breach a. Password Manager i. Use 1Password. Pay for it. In 2020, password managers are critical life infrastructure. ii. If you cant do the bare minimum to protect your lifes most valuable information, why should a company trust you with their confidential information? b. Two-factor authentication app i. Use Authy. Set a backup password. If you dont, lost phone = permanent account lockout ii. Only use SMS 2FA if there is no other alternative iii. 2FA on ALL ACCOUNTS! c. Create a new Work profile in your web browser i. Create new Gmail address for work ii. Log into your browser with that profile iii. Set up sync, set up 2FA
Foresight Realistic scenarios to plan for: Power outage Internet cell service outage Hard drive crash Stolen hard drive laptop Hospital or family emergency Non-specific hardware failure
Regeneration Self-care is important! Dedicated workspace with explicit on work / off work hours If you mix work and play areas, you will never be fully at work or at play, and youll grow to hate it Create daily rituals to separate yourself from work Do yoga Walk a dog Cook a meal Take language lessons (DuoLingo, 5 minutes at a time!) Podcast while you clean Develop a focus time for work playlist
Thank you for listening! Questions?

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How To Be A Remote Work Superhero

  • 1. HOW TO BE A REMOTE WORK SUPERHERO Jon Jones, Art Outsourcing Manager jon@gameartproducer.com
  • 2. Working in games since 2001 on over 50 titles across all platforms Career-long specialization in art outsourcing management Working remotely managing distributed teams since 2009 Speaker at events like XDS, GDC, SIGGRAPH, MIGS, Casual Connect, and IGDA Who is Jon Jones?
  • 3. Remote Work Superpowers 1. Omnipresence 2. Super Speed 3. Omniscience 4. Vigilance 5. Foresight 6. Regeneration
  • 4. Video call tradecraft Look at the camera, not their face. Eye contact is important! 10 minute cutoff for no-shows Buy and use a laptop camera cover. Always keep it closed unless youre on a call Stay muted unless speaking to minimize background noise Before a call, check whats in the camera view and hide sensitive items Always wear pants. You can tell by their face. Screensharing advice: Hide your bookmarks bar: Ctrl-Shift-B in Chrome Check your open tabs, open windows, and desktop for sensitive or embarrassing info When possible, share only the WINDOW and not the entire SCREEN
  • 5. Omnipresence 90% of telepresence is being in the first place people look when they need you BE WHERE THEY LOOK FIRST! Management By Walking Around is normal for many managers Person in seat = Person working Transitioning to remote work is like having your senses severed Compensate by learning, setting, and maintaining expectations of responsiveness Communication is the beginning and end of everything Learn when and where people communicate important information, and BE THERE
  • 6. Identify primary comms channels: Work assignments and feedback email, Trello, Basecamp, Slack, Teams, Shotgun, Jira, etc General or technical discussions email list, Sharepoint, scheduled video calls in Zoom/Hangouts, etc Location of file share for collaborating on content and file transfer Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Aspera, Resilio Sync, etc Source control Perforce, SVN, etc Learn how people use those channels. How would you get answers? Where am I most likely to find a responsive artist or programmer? If source control is down, who do I talk to? Its late, everyones offline, and I need help. Where are our shared resources? Omnipresence
  • 7. 90% of telepresence is being in the first place people look when they need you BE WHERE THEY LOOK FIRST. Sometimes that's clear, sometimes you can train the team around you. Always : respond quickly in the primary channels dont spread yourself thin across too many channels follow up when you say you will consistently use the same communication channels for the same information This doesn't mean you're on call 24/7. If your team has set core hours, work during those core hours, and don't respond outside of them. Set boundaries. Remote work on an ongoing basis is EARNED. Push for sustainable conditions. Super Speed
  • 8. Take responsibility for understanding process Whose work is upstream from me? Where does my work product go next? What tools do those teammates live in? Where will highest-priority contributions be noticed first? How can my thoroughness be easy to verify? Omniscience
  • 9. All information must create its own context. Document A should not require Documents B, C, and D to make sense. Use proper nouns and be specific NO: hesheitthattherethingplace YES: BobAlicefile.pdf[full path]etc Save and include images, never link. Links break! Use specific filenames and absolute folder locations in all feedback Cite all sources and references, including web links Document edge cases in a shared scratchpad to incrementally build knowledge Omniscience
  • 10. Vigilance You are now remote. You no longer have the luxury of ignoring security hygiene You do NOT want to be responsible for an easily preventable data breach a. Password Manager i. Use 1Password. Pay for it. In 2020, password managers are critical life infrastructure. ii. If you cant do the bare minimum to protect your lifes most valuable information, why should a company trust you with their confidential information? b. Two-factor authentication app i. Use Authy. Set a backup password. If you dont, lost phone = permanent account lockout ii. Only use SMS 2FA if there is no other alternative iii. 2FA on ALL ACCOUNTS! c. Create a new Work profile in your web browser i. Create new Gmail address for work ii. Log into your browser with that profile iii. Set up sync, set up 2FA
  • 11. Foresight Realistic scenarios to plan for: Power outage Internet cell service outage Hard drive crash Stolen hard drive laptop Hospital or family emergency Non-specific hardware failure
  • 12. Regeneration Self-care is important! Dedicated workspace with explicit on work / off work hours If you mix work and play areas, you will never be fully at work or at play, and youll grow to hate it Create daily rituals to separate yourself from work Do yoga Walk a dog Cook a meal Take language lessons (DuoLingo, 5 minutes at a time!) Podcast while you clean Develop a focus time for work playlist
  • 13. Thank you for listening! Questions?