Telecommuting is a bad idea

If you have read my recent blog posts, you have undoubtedly noticed a pattern; i.e. I talk a lot about how software development is a highly collaborative activity; and we all (should) know by now that poor communication is the major contributing factor to project failure. So... stop doing things that detract from effective communication and collaboration. Permanent or frequent telecommuting is one of those things.

I'm mostly refering to the following scenario: You are allowed to regularly telecommute but could otherwise work with your peers in a local office. I'm not referring to scenarios where occasional or permanent telecommuting is ok, such as for reasons of illness or scarcity of talent.

A few years back, I telecommuted full-time for a whole year. I was a software tester at the time, embedded in a software development team. The company was local and was a 20-minute commute for me. There were many facets that were personally beneficial to me: an ability to set a flexible schedule, to not have to drive to work, and to attend to my daughter on demand; but the reality was that the business was not benefiting. I remain convinced that it is a bad idea.