The Impossible Deadline: An Engineering War Story
Squeezing three months of work into three weeks of launch is the ultimate stress test. Read how our engineering team delivered under an impossible deadline.
The Impossible Deadline: An Engineering War Story
When a client tells you a launch date that you can't move, that's the kind of fear that comes along with it that you must endure for three months of work to be squeezed into three weeks of launch[cite: 22].
An impossible deadline is the last test in the sphere of Offshore Software Development[cite: 22]. When we started looking at the product roadmap and the date math and realized that standard operating procedures wouldn't work[cite: 22]. The idea of working 60 hours a week was not in the cards, as the team would be ruined long before we got to the finish line[cite: 22].
We needed to change our mindset about our usual way of building under pressure if we didn't want to panic[cite: 22].
This is where Remote Team Management comes in handy[cite: 22]. With velocity being the key, traditional micromanagement flops on the spot[cite: 22]. We relied on our Remote Work Culture, giving each feature vertical complete freedom[cite: 22]. Strictly implementing Asynchronous Work Strategies reduced status meetings to zero, resulting in engineers being able to dedicate long periods of focused work between multiple time zones[cite: 22].
But of course, rushing a release risks damaging Remote Talent Retention if people feel like they are being exploited[cite: 22]. We slashed the MVP of our team as we see the need to protect it[cite: 22]. Everything else that wasn't directly tied to the client's revenue was easily removed from the sprint[cite: 22]. We didn't reduce the engineering level, it's just we cut the noise[cite: 22].
When we do Remote Developer Onboarding, we have to introduce new engineers to this sprint – it's a trial by fire[cite: 22]. For our front-line Distributed Agile Teams, it was a course in efficiency![cite: 22]
The key to success was our dedication to Cross-Cultural Team Integration[cite: 22]. When a blocker arose in one part of the world, then another part of the world picked it up in the same style and seamlessly, as a true 24-hour development cycle[cite: 22]. We used the very best Borderless Hiring and didn't waste weeks interviewing people – the talent was in place and operating at full capacity[cite: 22].
Being able to do that while maintaining International Tech Compliance was a crucial ingredient[cite: 22]. Don't burn out developers in one room to get velocity[cite: 22]. You do it by assembling an awesome team of talent to create an asynchronous engine[cite: 22].
The Future of Work is used by organizations that are able to grow their service and service quality without compromising[cite: 22].
Zemenay Tech
Zemenay Tech is an Ethiopian based leading IT Staff Augmentation firm, bridging the gap between high-caliber Global Remote Talent and ambitious companies[cite: 22]. From the absolute last minute to scaling your Tech Talent Acquisition to creating a strong engineering organization from scratch, we're equipped with the people to make it happen[cite: 22].
Contact us today to get a free consultation.[cite: 22]
