Virtual Teams and the Enterprise. Virtually Impossible?

Can virtual teams successfully take on large, enterprise-level web projects?

The appeal for agencies and employees is obvious...reduced overhead, no commute, easy access to the tv and refrigerator (stocked just how you like it), and who doesn't love working in their PJ's? In practice, though, the question of whether to go virtual is critical and complex. For all its appeal, it ain't all slippers and cost savings. Can you keep your team motivated and connected without the camaraderie of face-to-face interactions? How will you keep track of who is doing what, and how well? What happens when you hit a rough patch...will you be able to keep up morale, or will the team fall apart?

Clients have their own questions to ask. Sure, you've got a few staffers who work from home sometimes, and you've sourced smaller projects to consultants working out of their homes...but major, mission-critical web projects are something else entirely. Can a team whose members are spread out across the country, or even around the world, really work cohesively and effectively enough to produce an enterprise-level website?

Over the past two years, we've done just that. We have migrated from a company with an office and a couple of virtual team members to one that is almost completely virtual--and have done so while continuing to provide the enterprise-level services we've built our reputation on.

In this session we will draw on that experience and share the tools, techniques, and methods we have used to overcome the challenges of operating as a virtual team serving enterprise-level clients. Agencies and shops will gain insights into what they must consider before deciding to go virtual, and ideas for how they might operate more effectively if they have already done so. For clients, this session will provide a sneak peek into the inner workings of a virtual team and things you should consider when evaluating virtual teams for your next major project.