Remote Workshops in the Digital Age

Historically, it was thought that successful collaboration and co-creation required people being physically together. Over the last few years, many companies have even tested this hypothesis by experimenting with different tools and formats while conducting workshops, strategic sessions, and conferences.

However, findings show that a mix of digital and in-person sessions is preferred to achieve optimal results—and in this tumultuous time, brands are more willing than ever for the shift.

Built for a time like this

SoftServe has always had a digital-first mindset, making digital collaboration a cornerstone and not an add-on process. We know that you don’t have to sacrifice quality with remote online sessions. In fact, you may even achieve a better outcome than an in-person workshop if you follow a successful framework for best practices.

Starting each project correctly is critical for its success and we developed an entire line of Discovery Services years ago to drive a competitive advantage for our clients by collaboratively identifying:

• User and business needs
• Problems to solve and technology gaps
• Pain points and opportunities
• Dependencies and risks
• Solution-Business need alignment

With our extensive expertise and years of practice we were able to make such services 100% remote.

SoftServe Remote Discovery

“SoftServe Remote Discovery” is a remote approach to executing successful digital project discoveries by leveraging digital collaborations tools and best practices for distributed teams.

We leverage digital collaboration tools and remote discovery techniques to research what exists today—experiences, systems, tools, and processes—in order to asses how to arrive at your desired destination in your digital journey, while using various solutions.

Armed with this understanding, SoftServe’s remote Centers of Excellence (CoE) rapidly prototype and test solutions—based on identified needs and behaviors—that map to your desired business outcomes.

We focus on radical digital collaboration for efficient project execution that combines the right tools, techniques, and team composition to achieve your target outcome.

Best Practices

The following are best practices we use to ensure successful collaboration and effective facilitation:

• Use virtual capabilities to think visually, share content, stay organized, and communicate (in real-time or asynchronously)
• *Ensure 100% inclusivity in team compositions
• Consider time zones when scheduling workshops so that all participants are energized and enthusiastic
• Use a virtual auditorium to clearly explain rules of engagement and present the toolset to be used for each activity
• Leverage a tool chain that offers a seamless virtual collaboration experience—while ensuring optimal licensing costs, setup effort, scalability, and data privacy

* There is no wrong team composition when it comes to effective workshops. Aim to facilitate an entirely inclusive workshop—whether participants are onsite or remote—so everyone can contribute and stay informed.

In Summary

When executed properly, remote workshops are far more scalable and exponentially less expensive to execute. These digital gatherings of talent enable collaboration beyond your local team and empower companies to assemble a dream team of global experts—focusing investments on talent, not travel.

With seven battle-tested CoEs ready to serve and deliver remotely, SoftServe is exceptionally well equipped to empower our enterprise clients in the “new norm”.

Let’s dive deeper into best practice learnings and discuss where you are in your digital enterprise journey. Contact SoftServe today or learn more about our remote approach to executing successful digital project discoveries by leveraging collaborations tools and best practices for distributed teams.