Virtual Teams in the Real World

[Meeting notes] [streaming video archive by Altus Learning Systems]

You've heard us say it before -- the largest part of knowledge transfer and learning happens outside of formal training courses, happening instead as part of our regular work processes. Virtual teaming is another aspect of this phenomenon and is becoming a major part of how we do our work and how we learn informally.

You may be wondering what happens when your workers are spread around the country (or the world)? How do you make this work? We'll hear from practitioners who are working successfully with virtual teams and researchers who are discovering the best practices.

Speakers (and their presentations)

[Agenda]

• Professor Terri Griffith of Santa Clara Leavey School of Business [presentation 1, presentation 2] will discuss benefits, barriers and best practices for transferring knowledge in virtual teams. Terry is also working with Cisco in doing an empirical analysis of its virtual team collaboration processes.
• Megan Gailey, Manager of Technical Programs with Cisco's Worldwide Sales Force Development [presentation] will talk about the structure and organizational benefits of Cisco’s virtual team program for sales engineers (SE).
• Ted Cocheu, CLO of Altus Learning Systems [presentation] -- who works closely with Megan and her team at Cisco -- will discuss and demonstrate how Altus has transformed video-on-demand content into what has become a huge, searchable, video "brain bank"that plays a key part in knowledge transfer in Cisco's SE virtual teams.
• Sameer Bhatia, serial entrepreneur and founder of Octane Technologies, will talk about Virtual Team Collaboration in the Context of Outsourcing to India —an increasing common option here in the Bay Area. This topic is interesting not only for its economic/business and political ramifications but also because cultural challenges often arise in cross-border virtual team collaboration. This discussion should bring some very interesting lessons and “best practices” for how to deal with these challenges.
• Sandeep Sood, President of DeepSun and eLearning Forum Board member [presentation] will share his experience and also talk about Virtual Team Collaboration Technologies, based on recent work he has done.

We'll also talk about virtual team collaboration and the challenges faced in outsourcing technical work to India -- an increasing common option here in the Bay Area. Cultural challenges often arise in cross-border virtual team collaboration and thus this discussion should bring some very interesting lessons and best practices for how to deal with these challenges.