Atwix has transitioned to being a distributed company over the past year. It grew from 15 employees working in one physical office and one person remotely, to over 20 employees working across two physical offices and three people remotely. The company now spans four time zones. A distributed company is defined as a group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries connected through communication technology. Some of the key aspects of building a distributed company that were discussed include prioritizing communication, tracking performance metrics, addressing challenges of different time zones and locations, and emphasizing the benefits like increased productivity and employee satisfaction.

1. Viacheslav Kravchuk
Working as a distributed company.
Our journey.

2. Atwix last year
• 15 people
• 1 physical office
• 1 person constantly work from home
• 1 time zone

3. Atwix this year
• 20+ people
• 2 physical offices
• 3 persons constantly working from home
• 4 time zones

4. Define a distributed company?

5. Define a distributed company?
- a group of individuals who work across time, space
and organizational boundaries with links strengthened
by webs of communication technology
© Virtual Teams, J. Lipnack (2000)

8. stars = employees

9. stars = employees
GRAVITY?

11. IDEOLOGY

12. IDEOLOGY
Culture
Habits
Performance

13. IDEOLOGY
Culture
Habits
PerformanceActions

14. Commandments
of a distributed company

15. #1 Thou shall be able to work anywhere

16. #2 Thou shall not feel left out

17. That is the approach to
everything.

18. Communication

19. Communication
In-person communication
naturally tends to suppress
electronic channels.

20. Communication

21. Communication
Telegraph
~ 1830s

22. Communication
Telephone
~ 1870s

23. Communication
Email
~ 1970s

24. Communication
Digital communication
is very new to us.

25. Communication
Digital communication
is very new to us.
So what?

26. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels

27. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels
• Set expected reaction time

28. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels
• Set expected reaction time
• Graceful communication

29. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels
• Set expected reaction time
• Graceful communication
• Encourage feedback

31. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels
• Set expected reaction time
• Graceful communication
• Encourage feedback (ask for it)
• 360º (peer) feedback

32. Communication
• Encourage usage of digital channels
• Set expected reaction time
• Graceful communication
• Encourage feedback (ask for it)
• 360º (peer) feedback
• 1 on 1 meetings

33. Changes in daily standup

34. Changes in daily standup
• Talking object has to go???

35. Meetings

36. Changes in daily standup
• Talking object has to go???
• Voice or text?

37. Changes in daily standup
• Talking object has to go???
• Voice or text?
• Less is more (applies to all meetings)

38. Changes in daily standup
• Talking object has to go???
• Voice or text?
• Less is more (applies to all meetings)
• Next change: Makers Schedule vs.
Managers Schedule

39. Hiring
• Talent pool is much bigger

40. Hiring
• Talent pool is much bigger
• Good developer ≠ good remote worker

41. Hiring
• Talent pool is much bigger
• Good developer ≠ good remote worker
• Remote work is a skill

42. Tracking performance

43. Tracking performance
Common criteria: job gets done.

44. Tracking performance
Common criteria: job gets done.
Measurable?

45. Tracking performance
Example KPIs: time logged, clients
satisfaction, number of bugs, etc.

46. Cross country challenges

47. Cross country challenges
• Vacations, days off, national holidays

48. Cross country challenges
• Vacations, days off, national holidays
• Time zones

49. Cross country challenges
• Vacations, days off, national holidays
• Time zones
• “Gettogethers”

50. Cross country challenges
• Vacations, days off, national holidays
• Time zones
• “Gettogethers”
• Legal issues

51. Core tools

52. Core tools

53. Core tools

54. Core tools
@slkra

55. Interested? vk@atwix.com
Core tools
@slkra

57. Handbook really tied the
room together

58. Conclusions
@slkra

59. Challenges
@slkra

60. Challenges
• Less face-to-face time, no socialization
@slkra

61. Challenges
• Less face-to-face time, no socialization
• Higher self-discipline required
@slkra

62. Challenges
• Less face-to-face time, no socialization
• Higher self-discipline required
• Harder to cultivate culture
@slkra

63. Benefits
@slkra

64. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
@slkra

65. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
@slkra

66. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
• Freedom boosts creativity
@slkra

67. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
• Freedom boosts creativity
• Higher employees happiness
@slkra

68. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
• Freedom boosts creativity
• Higher employees happiness
• Possibility to travel & work
@slkra

69. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
• Freedom boosts creativity
• Higher employees happiness
• Possibility to travel & work
• Easier to see bottlenecks in the processes
@slkra

70. Benefits
• Less interruptions, better productivity
• Saving time on commute
• Freedom boosts creativity
• Higher employees happiness
• Possibility to travel & work
• Easier to see bottlenecks in the processes
• …
@slkra

71. Q & A
vk@atwix.com
@slkra
@slkra