I love remote working. It suits me down to the ground. I have a nice little office where I can shut out the rest of the world (complete with table football I might add…) and fortunate for me, I’m not easily side tracked by the need to clear up the kitchen or the fact that another episode of How I Met Your Mother is on on E4…

However, I know that remote working isn’t for everyone and is not always a suitable option. I have had experience in the past working with a website design team based outside of the UK and personally I found it very tough. The situation had arisen outside of my control whereas I was no longer a graphic designer, a skill I have honed for many a year with education and experience to match, I was now a marketing assistant/beta tester/user experience designer/CRM co-ordinator/social media guru. With no time to learn the skills I needed, I was out of my depth and I knew it. Thrown in at the deep end, I did the best that I could. In order to get the job done with the remote team there were many channels of communication from our base in the UK. There were Skype calls, conferences and chats, JIRA queries, e-mails and office visits. It was a complex, decision making website that was being produced, complete with ever stricter enforcements of compliance legalities, and the boundaries were being moved on a daily basis, often by government legislation. This made communicating with the overseas team a daily necessity to keep up with progress, new demands and bug fixes. Things were taking time and deadlines were missed. Would this have been a different story had everyone involved been based in the same office? I think it would have been. We knew it wasn’t working, but there was no obvious solution, all we could do was learn how to improve for the future.

What did I learn from this?

1. I learned that when working remotely, a single point of contact is essential, otherwise wires get crossed, things get missed and everything can get lost in translation. 2. A key decision maker is important. This goes hand in hand with a single point of contact. We can be meeting the needs of others involved, but is the client or person in charge happy with the output? 3. And processes. If there are processes in place, make sure that everyone knows what that process is and follows that established process. It’s sometimes trickier than it sounds, and sometimes it seems pointless, but if some people are following the process and others go off piste, it can lead to chaos… 4. Communication is key. I personally work 99% of the time with my clients via e-mail. It works for me and my clients. I have my instructions written down, I make a list of what is needed and I do it. Getting things in writing is always a good method in my eyes. Even if I have a meeting with a client, I will e-mail a round up of what I understand they are looking for with an expected date of delivery. 5. Deadlines. Know when a deadline is and work towards it. If the boundaries move so will the deadline and always keep clients informed. Oh, and be realistic with those deadlines. 6. Know your strengths and weaknesses. I am a graphic designer. I am 100% confident I can turn around a good job within a fair timeframe. I can even turn around a good job in a tight timeframe but this can lead to other clients being let down which I don’t like to do. If something isn’t my forte I think it is only fair to inform a client. I now have a whole load of contacts within the industry so can easily pass you on to someone who is more skilled in that field. 7. You can only do your best. Based on your experiences every day is a learning curve. Doing the best you can is often well received, however, in some circumstances this just isn’t enough and in those circumstances you will know it. In those times it is best to have a good think and decide what is best for you.

So, the moral of this tale is…

If you’re considering using an external resource always know what you’re looking for before you approach a remote worker. As we are not there to discuss things at every point, set out your guidelines and needs, and really think about what you want. From a graphic design point of view, it is our job to bring your design to life, so if you have any ideas just let us know beforehand and we can get the results you’re looking for much sooner. Know when you need it for and give us the time to work our magic and keep us informed if the goal posts change. I know I try to accommodate everyone and am sure others do too. If you get your instructions and ideas down from the start, you will not need to keep a constant check on progress and so remote working will not become a problematic issue. And now as more and more companies are offering the possibility of remote working, trust is an essential part of working with a remote team. I personally feel proud that my clients trust me enough to give me the tasks that they do.

To sum up

Working with a remote worker is a great option for some industries, but I know it’s not great for others. As a graphic designer I will always produce something and so you can see the fruits of my labour. I feel that I am a lot more productive working remotely as I am not involved in office life, be it meetings or conference calls, helping out others in a pickle or doing the “can you just….” tasks. I spend each day working towards a goal, hence why I meet the targets my clients set me. Having worked in a variety of environments, I know which one I prefer. This may change in the future but for now I love being a freelance remote worker as it gives me the flexibility I am looking for. In some ways I do miss office life, but I now provide a value for money service for my clients from the comfort of my own home. And did I mention the fact that I don’t have a commute? That for me and the flexibility I now have is worth missing out on office banter any day of the week.