Effective communication and collaboration are key to successful software development. However, as many developers and project managers know, achieving this is easier said than done. In-person meetings, despite being a tried and true approach, are often seen as outdated and time-consuming in today’s fast-paced business world. Yet, as a senior .Net developer with years of experience working remotely, I can attest to the value of in-person meetings for understanding the business and fostering strong working relationships. In this article, I will discuss the importance of in-person meetings throughout the software development lifecycle, drawing from both my personal experience and industry research.

Why Are In-Person Meetings So Important?

A few years ago, I was invited to the USA to participate in a large software development project planning that involved multiple departments and teams, each with its own goals and priorities. As a fully remote working developer, I knew that virtual meetings would be the primary means of communication with my colleagues and clients. However, I soon realized that virtual meetings were insufficient for solving some of the project’s more complex issues. That’s when I decided to travel to the client’s office to meet with the different departments in person.

During these in-person meetings, I was able to directly discuss the project’s challenges and possible solutions with representatives from each department. This allowed us to quickly figure out ad hoc solutions to the issues we were facing without having to rely on multiple virtual meetings that were difficult to schedule due to everyone’s busy schedules. Additionally, meeting in person allowed us to establish a rapport and build personal connections that made subsequent virtual meetings more productive and effective.

This experience reinforced my belief that in-person meetings are essential for effective software development and for building strong professional relationships.

Let’s explore some of the benefits of in-person meetings and discover how to make the most of them throughout the software development lifecycle:

1. Establishing a Shared Understanding

One of the most significant benefits of meeting in person is the ability to establish a shared understanding among team members. When you meet in person, you can discuss the project in detail, share ideas, and clarify any misunderstandings or ambiguities. This can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and clearly understands the project’s goals and requirements.

2. Building Trust and Relationships

Building trust and strong relationships is crucial for the success of any software development project. Meeting in person is a powerful way to establish these relationships, as it allows for face-to-face communication and the opportunity to connect on a personal level.

When developers and clients meet in person, they can build trust by showing that they are invested in the project and genuinely interested in the client’s needs. This can be accomplished by actively listening to the client, asking questions, and demonstrating a willingness to collaborate and find solutions together. When trust is established, clients are more likely to share information, be open to new ideas, and work collaboratively towards a common goal.

In addition to building trust, meeting in person can also help establish personal connections between everyone involved. This can be done by engaging in activities outside of work, such as going out for drinks or dinner after a planning session. These informal interactions can help build rapport, establish common ground, and foster a sense of camaraderie between team members.

For example, after the program increment planning session was done, everyone was invited out for drinks after 3 long days of work. We were able to relax and chat with one another, which greatly improved our relationship and made us feel more like a cohesive team. As a result, we were able to work more collaboratively and effectively on the project, leading to better outcomes for both our team and the client.

3. Identifying and Addressing Issues

Being face-to-face also helped with identifying and addressing issues more efficiently. During the planning session I was invited to, we were able to discuss our plans and identify potential issues with representatives from multiple departments. Since we were all on the same floor, we were able to quickly address these issues and come up with solutions in real-time without relying on multiple virtual meetings or email exchanges that can often lead to miscommunications or delays. This allowed us to move forward with the project more quickly and with greater confidence.

4. Facilitating Innovation

Innovation is often the result of collaboration and creative thinking. When you meet in person, you can bounce ideas off of one another, brainstorm new concepts, and engage in a more collaborative problem-solving process. This can lead to new and innovative solutions that may not have been possible with remote work. For instance, during the same program increment planning session, our team discussed a particularly tricky problem related to the integration of two different software components. Despite multiple virtual meetings, we were unable to come up with a solution that satisfied everyone. However, during the in-person meeting, we started discussing the problem over coffee. Someone from another team overheard our conversation and mentioned that they had encountered a similar issue in the past and had a potential solution. This sparked a lively discussion among all of us, and eventually, we were able to combine everyone’s ideas to come up with a working solution.

5. Improving Communication

Effective communication is one of the three key elements of building successful client relationships. In-person meetings provide benefits that simply cannot be replicated through video conferencing or other virtual communication methods. For example, being in the same room as your colleagues and clients allows you to pick up on non-verbal cues, such as body language and facial expressions, which are not always apparent during virtual meetings. Additionally, there is a psychological effect of being in front of a screen that can impact communication and productivity and cause fatigue or disengagement.

During a face-to-face meeting, you are fully present in the moment, with no distractions from notifications or other work. You are able to engage with your colleagues and clients in an authentic way, building stronger relationships and establishing trust that can be difficult to achieve virtually. Moreover, face-to-face meetings allow for ad hoc discussions and problem-solving sessions that may not be possible through virtual meetings due to the difficulty in scheduling everyone at the same time.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the importance of in-person meetings for understanding the business and fostering strong working relationships cannot be overstated. Such meetings enable effective communication, collaboration, and commitment, which are crucial for successful software development projects. In-person meetings also provide an opportunity for remote workers to build personal connections and feel more invested in the project’s success. While virtual meetings and remote work have become more prevalent in recent years, the benefits of in-person meetings remain unparalleled. Investing in in-person meetings is well worth the effort and expense. By prioritizing face-to-face interactions with clients and colleagues, we can improve our understanding of the business, enhance communication and collaboration, and ultimately deliver more successful projects.