"For this discussion, think about how communication plans and methods are affected when some project team members or stakeholders are in a different location.

Then, make a post that answers the following questions:

Have you been a part of a virtual team or do you have experience communicating with a virtual team? What methods did you use for communication? Were they successful? What were the challenges? Explain.

What strategies could be used when creating a communication plan for a remote or virtual team in a different city in the same time zone? Explain.

What strategies could be used when creating a communication plan for a remote or virtual team in a different country in a different time zone? Explain."

"My experience

Hello everyone,

In my role as a surgical physician assistant, I have regularly worked with virtual teams, mostly through telemedicine platforms. We have discussed patient cases, pre-operative planning, and post-operative management with remote specialists, such as cardiologists, radiologists, or other surgeons, who are frequently located in different geographic locations. While these methods have been largely successful in facilitating timely consultations and coordinated care, there are some challenges. These include potential delays due to time zone differences, difficulties interpreting complex medical imaging without physical interaction, and the need for clear, concise communication to avoid misunderstandings because facial expressions are absent in real life.

To guarantee that all team members are on the same page and informed, it is important to carefully examine when developing an efficient communication plan for a remote or virtual team, particularly in a surgical setting. The plan may even be more complex when considering a different country and time zone. To achieve successful collaboration, extensive planning and consideration of numerous elements are necessary.

The surgical team communicates via dependable platforms including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack. The file sharing, video conferencing, and instant messaging capabilities offered by these platforms are crucial for t teams. All team members must have access to the required resources, in which they are trained to use these tools, and feel comfortable doing so.

We have planned frequent virtual meetings to talk over updates, ongoing projects, and any problems that need to be fixed. Depending on the needs of the team, they could be weekly check-ins, monthly reviews, or daily huddles. We try to use a shared calendar to keep everyone informed about meeting hours and ensure they are convenient for all team members.

As our virtual meetings became more frequent, the team had to explicitly specify the roles and duties of each team member to minimize confusion and overlap. This is especially significant in a surgical setting where clarity and precision are essential. All team members had access to the roles' documentation.

We established guidelines about when and how to communicate, as well as how quickly emails and texts should be answered. Additionally, we have preferred methods of contact for certain kinds of messages (e.g., routine updates via email, urgent matters via phone). We have promoted the use of asynchronous communication techniques, like emails or prerecorded video messages, for individuals who reside in distant states in order to account for time zone differences. This eliminates the requirement for quick responses and lets team members reply whenever it's convenient for them. We also utilize apps that display multiple time zones to help plan meetings and deadlines.

Important documents, protocols, and patient data are safely stored and shared via cloud-based storage services like Google Drive. This repository is accessible to and usable by all team members that should have access to these documents.

We have previously scheduled frequent one-on-one sessions to address specific concerns and offer personal feedback. Everyone on the surgical team has always valued any tools that can be created by setting up systems for ongoing feedback to enhance communication procedures.

To keep the surgical team informed about new tools and best practices, monthly training sessions are held. As part of our comprehensive onboarding process, we introduced new team members to the communication tools and conventions. Fortunately, we haven't had to use this process.

These days, we usually meet in person. The majority of our virtual meetings took place during the period when Covid 19 struck, and several hospital departments closed. But we have continued to practice with these virtual meetings in case we are struck by another pandemic.

Have a great weekend."

"My peer:

I haven't been part of a virtual team completely, but we did have communication virtually. For example, at my previous job, I was part of a large hospital network. The mail IT department was in a building up the street, but as a PC tech, I was located at a different site. We would have meetings once a week to discuss our building, plans and challenges. As far as the same time zone, I thought that was a good strategy just to check in with other team members and managers to see if there are any issues or trends we could see or prevent. Another method was the use of shared calendars to keep everyone updated on what is going on with other techs, and to help them when needed. This also allows management to monitor what the team is working on. How I would communicate with members in a different time zone is more scheduling. If I am on the east coast, and I have a team member that is on the west coast, I would set meetings for a time everyone should be on the clock. For example, I would schedule a meeting for 11:00 or 2:00 eastern time. It would be 8:00 or 11:00 at the other end. This is a courtesy to not interrupt lunch breaks. Documentation would play a large role in this model as well, so if there is an issue that needs to be addressed by a certain team or person, there will be documents for others to help assist. Also, be conscious of note taking, if someone is going to start their day ahead or after you, I would make sure there are clear notes on where I left off on a project or task. Things like Outlook and Teams are on mobile devices, so depending on your job title and company policy, you may be able to respond while not on the clock as well. "

In your responses to your peers, address the following questions:

Compare your experience working with or in a remote team. How was your experience in using different communication methods similar or different? Did you face the same challenges?

Do you agree with your peers' strategies for managing virtual teams? Explain your reasoning and identify any risks you think may arise due to the changes.