#0092 - Developing digital products in China - Bianca Grizhar
Dec 22, 2023
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Bianca Grizhar discusses developing digital products in China, focusing on cultural differences, cross-functional teams, and the benefits of Scrum. The podcast explores working in a multicultural environment, the challenges of a diverse team, and the importance of shared language and agile practices.
Establishing a shared language, both verbal and in code, is crucial for effective communication and collaboration in cross-cultural teams.
Forming blended squads that treat everyone as part of the same team fosters unity, problem-solving, and adaptability, overcoming cultural differences.
Deep dives
Creating a Shared Language
In the podcast, the speaker discusses the importance of establishing a shared language within cross-cultural teams. Despite the language barriers and diverse backgrounds, the team decided to use English as their working language to ensure effective communication and understanding. This shared language extended beyond verbal communication to include the language of code and agile methodologies like user stories and Scrum. By having a shared language, the team was able to collaborate more seamlessly and work towards common goals.
Forming Blended Squads
The podcast highlights the benefits of forming blended squads, where different cultures and backgrounds come together to work as one team. Rather than creating separate teams based on nationality or origin, the speaker emphasizes the importance of treating everyone as part of the same team. This approach fostered a sense of unity, collective problem-solving, and adaptability. By working together towards shared goals and outcomes, the team was able to overcome cultural differences and find success.
Challenges of Offshore Teams
The speaker touches on the challenges often faced when working with offshore teams, particularly in scenarios where there are multiple layers of management and communication barriers. They highlight the importance of being involved directly with the team, rather than having several intermediaries relaying information. Additionally, the speaker cautions against seeing offshore teams as simply a cost-saving measure, as this mindset can potentially lead to increased costs and less-than-expected outcomes. Instead, they suggest focusing on building transparent and open relationships with the offshore team to align everyone's goals and ensure effective collaboration.
Join Murray Robinson and Shane Gibson as they as they chat with Bianca Grizhar about developing digital products in China. We discuss the cultural differences between Germany and China, and how Scrum improved team collaboration. We talk about the benefits of working directly with people offshore in cross functional, cross organisational teams. Whether you're a product manager or a developer, this episode is packed with practical advice that will help you work more successfully with your offshore teams.
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