Can Telecommuting Work for the Games Industry

A new article explores the quandary of telecommuting for the video game industry. Considering developers are some of the most tech savvy people around, it would seem telecommuting should be good solution for studios. It could help them cut office costs and let them hire employees without having to relocate them. This particular piece takes a look at the changes in the way a company handles development that need to be in place for telecommuting to work properly.

I can add my own personal perspective on working from home. Telecommuting seems like a great solution, but there are certain things to take into consideration. If you’re single with no pets, it’s pretty straight forward. However telecommuting becomes more difficult with each occupant you add to your household.

It’s hard to concentrate on work with others bombarding you with comments and questions. I also find it rather difficult to type when one of the cats decides to gain my attention by sitting on the keyboard. Even in a locked room, I’ve been distracted by kids and adults pounding on the door, running the vacuum or any number or noisy interruptions you can imagine.

If you’re going to try and telecommute; I recommend a dedicated work line with an answering machine or voice mail set to intercept personal calls. A room with a door you can lock and ear plugs or headphones is also a must. Hopefully your company will have some way for team members to communicate be it Skype, AIM or a similar program. If you thrive on face to face interaction with a group of peers, working at home is probably not a good option for you.

On the flip side, working outside of a traditional office can also be very inspiring. You can relocate to anywhere that has wireless; or with your satellite internet connection, anywhere at all. The park, coffee house and the library can be your office. Creative inspiration can come from where you least expect it if you dare to pursue it.

via Gamasutra