Ask HN: Working fully remotely as a QA and/or deaf person?

3 points by qa_guy 6 years ago | 1 comment

Preface: Commute 2h 1-way to Chicago half of the week, remote the other half. Work in QA automation and am very good at what I do (finding bugs), in charge of a QA team. May have opportunity to work full remote and want to. I am deaf but have a cochlear implant - I can talk and hear well for the most part.

I communicate OK with my colleagues while at home on a 1:1 basis, talking over Slack or a video call. My weakness is in a group setting when I am remote. If I am present in person at a group meeting, my chances of understanding everything enough to answer QA related questions or enforce a culture of quality is high. While I am remote, it is hard to both raise my voice to get my words in and also very hard to understand everything people are saying in a group meeting. Even without group meetings, my level of contribution is high - but others feel differently and frequently want to schedule meetings with me being present in person. I feel that if I go fully remote, they will be unable to cope.

1. Are there strategies on how to minimize group meetings or otherwise make them a bit more directed? Is it awkward to do so just for one person (me) so I can perform better while remote?

2. In your experience, does working fully remotely impact my chances to keep being in charge of a team?

3. Do I even have a chance as a deaf person to find another remote QA job to keep doing what I do if this current job doesn't pan out forever?

I'm trying to find experiences with folks who have done any of those things:

- Worked remotely as a lead or have responsibilities related to "being in charge of a team"

- Worked with a remote deaf employee of any position

- Worked as a remote deaf employee of any position

Please offer your insights!

deckiedan 6 years ago |

I recently had some "how to run a meeting" training, maybe some ideas? This would be just thoughts I have maybe to make remote video/audio meetings work better. Honestly though, I'm just guessing. I'm not an expert (yet!)

Can you delegate the running of meetings to others in your team? Have meetings "chaired" by a different member of your team each time, they're in charge of keeping it to agenda, making sure everyone contributes, doesn't go too off topic, etc. Then they have free reign within that. Use it as a training / mentoring thing for them too.

Before each group meeting, you have a quick 1 on 1 with the meeting chair, let them know your direction, etc, and afterward to debrief if things go badly.

Also, have a PM window open to them during the meeting, and msg them if you need something clarified, or want to say something. I'm sure they'll be happy to ensure that happens. Teams look after each other.

One of the ideas from the meeting training I had was some companies have a "if there's no agenda and notes sent ahead of the meeting with enough time to read them all, then you aren't expected to show up".

Look for information about "Lean" meetings, maybe, there are a few different styles about.

I whole heartedly recommend getting in contact with Dan and Suzie Potter ( https://duzie.com/ ), they're fantastic coaches and team trainers, and excellent and giving out-of-the-box ideas.