Imagine how it feels to be an offshore developer working on a key project, only to be told you need to become โmore agile.โ
Imagine an agile coach explaining that your participation in the agile transformation is mandatory, because โthe offshore development team is no different from anyone else.โ
Imagine working to tight deadlines as a non-native English speaker, relying on electronic communication, being several time zones away, and having limited access to the client or product owner.
Imagine receiving user stories that are โplaceholders for conversationsโ, except the customer is in another country and the conversations occur in a language thatโs not your first.
Iโve seen this happen too many times, and I donโt want to imagine it anymore.
Once, I watched a talented offshore team struggle because their agile training assumed daily standups and real-time discussions. However, a 10-hour time difference left them catching up asynchronously, often missing key details.
Indiscriminately enforcing local practices like this isnโt just unhelpful; itโs harmful. What the remote developer needed was more structure and guidance, not less.
There is nothing wrong with over specifying what needs to be built, if that is what the team and the situation requires. Just because the Scrum guide or agile framework prescribes something doesnโt mean it needs to be followed.
Instead of forcing offshore teams into frameworks designed for co-location, we should adapt agile to fit remote teams. For example, prioritise clear documentation, asynchronous updates, and structured workflows.
Happy productive development teams come in all shapes and sizes.