Web design & FOSS
Front-end web technologies and Free Open Source Software.
Wednesday 9 April 2008, 11:05 PM
Does remote working work?
I’m soon to engage in some dream fulfilment, moving out of London to live by the sea in the south west of England. I'm intrigued about the possibility of working remotely, and how effective that will be for paying the bills.
I have managed to pick up some writing work, which seems well suited to working from home. However, the litmus test will be web design and coding XHTML/CSS – something I've never done remotely before.
There are a whole slew of web sites where you can farm out web development work (GetAFreelancer.com is the one I have heard of). I’m guessing that you have to be super-precise with your Functional Specification. I'm also guessing that this is at loggerheads with Agile Programming-style approaches to development, where developers work in close proximity on a series of iterative tests.
Well, as the song goes “There ain’t nothin’ to it but to do it”.
I’ll keep you posted ;)
PreviousComments on this post
Ah, but will you miss Agile Development? I'd really like to know what the pros and cons are--it's one of those phrases you hear a lot but non-developers like myself don't really know what the experience is like.
For instance, I don't know if it's something that works ok if you do it as an online group. Do you all have to be physically present in one place?
Of course, you could always try bouncing ideas off other members....
Jake - I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote that you need to be super-precise with specs when working on project marketplaces. There is another way to approach remote work, though. oDesk (http://www.odesk.com) enables time-based relationships that accommodate shifting requirements and agile methods. [full disclosure - I work there]
Here's a list some of the current CSS/XHTML opportunities: https://url.odesk.com/zpysv
Good luck with your new adventure!
Brian
Jake,
Will you miss interaction with your customer(s)? Will you always be able to express your development challenges via e-mail?
Will you use particular collaborative tools to help you?
Of course, you'll restrict yourself from any info or data on ultra-secure networks, but maybe that's not an issue for you?
Most developers work very independently anyway - even when they are part of a team.
Frequent iterative testing methodologies are generally a VERY sensible idea. Tracking, management, controls, tests, measurement of project development with respect to what may an inherently moving goal... all good. But for a lone web developer, they are not exactly rendered redundant, but you can probably get away with doing your own thing your own way.
Moving to the South West? Always a good idea. I'm from North Somerset. At least you'll be closer to home games at Ashton Gate.
@Brian: thanks for the link, your site looks very interesting :)
There does seem to be a real blossoming of online collaborative tools—Basecamp and Google Apps also spring to mind—something I will definitely investigate further when setting up my own projects. Having worked as a contractor in clients' offices for years, this is all new territory for me, and I’m interested (as is my bank manager ;) as to how much work is out there!
@Adrian: Good point about customer interaction. I spoke to a friend who works from home, and she was adamant you should meet the client before starting the contract.
Not being a software developer, I was pondering the statement that “most developers work very independently”. And then it dawned on me: Free Open Source Software, developed by thousands upon thousands of independent individuals all across the world. Very interesting how it all pieces together.
On reflection, I think collaborative working will branch out from computer-specific professions to a far wider audience (as the internet, email and the web all did!)
PS I found my dream cottage on the south Devon coast, moving in the middle of May :)
