DOC - Measures to ensure visibility of remote software development project

DOC - Measures to ensure visibility of remote software development project
(CopyRight 2009; Benjamin Goh, www.bensglobal.com)

D for Documentation. Customer requirements (vital statistics) and customer expectations (deliverable) must be clearly documented.
- If possible, create a standard software development requirement (functional design) checklist and conduct an interview with the customer with it.
- If an interview is not possible, send a copy of the questionaire for the customer to complete. In such a situation, ensure that the questionaire is clear and wherever possible, restrict language to layman terms. Where a technical term must be used, remarked a definition of the term. Further, if the questionaire sheet can accommodate, set aside four columns on the right of each question, labeling them as "Nice-to-have", "Good-to-have", "Must-have" and "Remarks". You may wish to assume that all customers may be a lay person with no technical software background.
- Customer is always right and so, follow up the project as often and as regular as required with an email or some written documentation as detailed as possible. This is to avoid the customer rejecting the project and stopping her/him from sending the stuff back and/or stopping her/him from adding requirements every now and then.

O for Organization. Where remote project management is concerned, it is most essential to organize everything that is required of the project. As such, it is most critical to achieve organization excellence. Make sure that one of the strengths of the Project Manager would be excellent organization skills.

C for Communication. Since the project is fulfilled by a remote team, a system of communication must be set up.
- If there is a time difference between the parties involved, specific communication protocol must be agreed by all parties. For example, response time, primary and secondary contact, etc.
- Means of communication should also be agreed upon. For example, email, chat, video conferencing, etc.
- Regular, continuous and focused communication is a best practice for successful software development projects.
- One (the most two) primary contact (and back-ups in case primary contact is not available) must be agreed upon and her/his contact information is distributed to all concerned. This is to ensure that communication is always possible under any circumstances.