Rules to Better Outsourcing

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  1. Do you make sure all software uses English (Language setting)?

    ​​​​When dealing with western people, you want to avoid having screen captures etc. showing foreign characters.​​

    Let us look at some examples:

    Google Chrome

    Figure: Bad example - Chrome using Chinese as its language setting
    Figure: Good example - Chrome using English as its language setting

    How to fix on a PC?

    You want all screenshots you take to be showing English. Most of the time it is as simple as going Tools | Options | Language | Default Language = English (US).

    In Chrome, you can follow these steps directly:

    1. Three dots bar at the top right of the Chrome window:

      ​ chroooome.jpg
      Figure: Blank Chrome page showing the 'Settings' button, 3 small dots
    2. Click on Settings:
      ssw12.png
      Figure: Showing the 'Settings' page
    3. Click on Advanced:
      ssw13.png
      Figure: Advanced tab in Settings
    4. Click on 'Add Languages':
      ssw14.png
      Figure: Add Languages to your current Chrome
    5. Move English to the top
      ChromeEnOnTop.png
      Figure: Move English to top

    How to fix on a Mac?

    1. Change the language in System Preferences. Go to Apple menu | System Preferences | Language & Region.
      WX20180906-111514@2x.png
      Figure: In macOS it’s simple to change to English
    2. In Preferred languages, add English and select it as primary language:
      Figure: In Language & Region, add English
    3. Reboot the system and verify that English is now the primary language for all desktop applications.

    How to fix your Google account?

    You should also change your Google language to English as well. If it is not already, take a look at these steps:

    1. Go to www.google.com
    2. Click on `Sign-In` or `My Account` if you are already signed in
      ssw1.png
      Figure: Google page without an account
      ssw2.png
      Figure: Google page with an account
    3. Search for 'Language':
      GoogleAccountSearch.png
      Figure: Search for 'language'
    4. Now click `Language` and search for English
      GoogleAccountAdd.png
      Figure: Language picker
    5. Move English up to Default language by clicking on the arrow
      GoogleAccountMoveUp.png
      Figure: Move up English
    6. Done! You changed your language to English.

    How to fix your Gmail account?

    1. Click on the cog then Settings
      Gmail1.png
      Figure: Access to Settings on Gmail
    2. Set language to English(US)
      Gmail2.png
      Figure: Change language setting
    3. Scroll down and click on 'Save Changes'. Done!

    How to fix Mozilla Firefox?

    1. Go to Options
      Firefox1.png
      Figure: Access to Firefox options
    2. Set Display language to English(United States), you may have to restart Firefox to apply the change
      Firefox2.png
      Figure: Language settings
    3. Choose your preferred language for displaying pages. Add English(UnitedStates) and move it to the top.
      Firefox3a.png
      Figure: Click Choose to change your preferred language
      Firefox3.png
      Figure: Add English(United States) to your preferred language for displaying pages
    4. Done!

    How to fix on MS Azure?

    Azure.png
    Figure: In Azure https://portal.azure.com it is as simple as clicking on the Cog icon

    How to fix on MS Office 365 (rich client)

    office365.png
    Figure: The Office 365 cog does not show the language. Some cheap versions of Microsoft Office 365 only allow Chinese, so you need to uninstall and install the English version. It requires you to download a language pack which is a bit more of a hassle...
    3.png
    Figure: If you do not have the English version. In Microsoft Office open the rich client application such as Outlook or Word, then install and configure as per the image above

    How to fix on Office 365 (https://outlook.office365.com)
      

    ​  screenshot.png
     Figure: If you have the Inbox, Sent Items etc in Chinese then you will need to follow these steps
    ​​
    ​   1. Go to ​​https://outlook.office.com
       2. Click on "My profile"​​ in the top right corner​
      screenshot-step1.png
    ​  Figure: Choose 'My profile'

       3. Click on "setting" button
      screenshot-step2.png
    ​​  Figure: Choose 'Mail'

        4. Click on Region and time zone
      screenshot-step3.png​
      Figure: Choose Region and Time. Then when you change the ‘Language’ with the checkbox enabled, the problem will be fixed.

        5.In Windows10, Go to Settings| Language| Windows display language, click Windows display language and search for English.​
        6. Done. You have changed your language to English. Congratulations!~
    ​​​  screenshot-finished.png​
      ​Figure: After completing the fix.



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  2. Communication - Do you go beyond text when using Skype/Team chat?

    Communication can be difficult  (even if English is your first language!). It might be tempting to only communicate via IM, but this will not improve your skills or build a relationship as well as communicating verbally.​​

    Stop: Just using text in IM
    Start: Asking ‘Can I call you?’ (Especially for complicated conversations)

    ...

    Start: Using a video call (if weak bandwidth just use it for the first 10 seconds and say "I'll turn off video to save bandwidth")
    Start: It's always helpful to confirm things you're talking about with typed text during the call (Especially helpful for people with English as a second language)
    skype-conference.jpg
    Figure: A group call should look like this

    Here are some tips to have a better call:​

        
    1. Answer the call with video
    2. Sound - Be ready with the headset already on (it looks disorganized plugging it in after you take the call)
    3. Sound - Check the sound quality of the microphone - you need a good mic and it should be close to your mouth - if you are using the laptop mic, sit in close.
    4. Video - Check the image quality of the camera. Beware of the angle of the camera - the ones with thin bezels now put the camera at the base, looking up your nose. Avoid them.
    5. Consider what is in the background 
    6. Help the other person by taking a screenshot and giving them a mark /10 with good and bad feedback of the call quality and background.
    7. ​​Get your video background right. Check  Rules to Better Branding

    Figure: Bad Example - ugly​​​ background eg. Air conditioner​​​

    ​Figure: Good Example - good background​​​
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  3. Do you avoid Chinese or messy code on your website?

    Many companies use overseas developers to do some of their work, but the language barrier can sometimes extend past simply communications. Sometimes you can end up with foreign language snippets in your code too.

    When you edit an aspx page in TFS, follow the below steps to avoid having Chinese characters appear.

    1. Set the default language on your computer as English(Australia).
      Set default language as English (Australia) 
    2. After you finish editing, but before check-in, make sure Code Auditor and Link Auditor 0.
    3. Check the whole page which you edited, and make sure no messy code or characters are there.
    4. Ask someone beside you to check the rule or page you just edited.
    5. Reply done in an email.
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  4. Do you make sure your Visual Studio encoding is consistent?

    Make sure your Visual Studio encoding is consistent with Sydney to avoid encoding problems in the future.

    Open file with Encoding:

    Use 'Open With...' in Visual Studio for file open
    Figure: Use "Open With...&Figure: Use "Open With..." in Visual Studio to open the file
    Set '... Editor with Encoding' as Default Editor
    Figure: Set "... Editor with Encoding" as the Default Editor
    Make sure your encoding is consistent with Sydney
    Figure: Make sure your encoding is consistent with Sydney

    Save file with Encoding: (Optional - it will be saved w (Optional - it will be saved with opened encoding automatically.)

    Open 'Advance Save Options...' in Visual Studio before checkin
    Figure: Open "Advance Save Options..." in Visual Studio before checking in
    Make sure your setting is consistent with Sydney
    Figure: Make sure your setting is consistent with Sydney
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  5. Do you know you should always use the language of your head office? (usually English)

    Say your language is Chinese, of course, local Chinese customers would feel more comfortable communicating in English. The disconnect happens when head office needs to get involved. They can't review emails, read the history of email threads etc.

    ​So make it easier to add English speakers into the loop at a moments notice.

    The most polite way of doing this is to mention in the email why you are using English.

    Hi Joe, hope all is well. I wanted to confirm our conversation...

    Figure: Bad example ​

    (This is in English since I have included a Sydney colleague... let me know if you need it in Chinese).

    Hi Joe, hope all is well. I wanted to confirm our conversation...​

    Figure: Good example​​​​
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  6. Are you always careful with your spelling, grammar, and punctuation?

    ​​Improper spelling, grammar, and punctuation gives a bad impression of your company and can result in your message not being conveyed correctly. Emails with no full stops or commas are difficult to read and can sometimes even change the meaning of the text. And, if your program has a spelling checking option, why not use it?

    Web Content

    When on a web page, install Grammarly Addon for Chrome so you can automatically check web content. For example, while editing in a CMS.

    grammarly.png
    Figure: A typo caught by Grammarly plugin

    Documents

    When on Word, press F7 (or on the ribbon go to Review > Spelling & Grammar) to check your .docx text.

    Use Microsoft Word's spelling and grammar checker to confirm your content is correct
    Figure: Click on "Spelling & Grammar" button to check your web content

    Presentation

    When on PowerPoint , press F7 (or on the ribbon go to Review | Spelling & Grammar) to check your .pptx text.

    ppt-review-f7.png
    Figure: Click on "Spelling" button to check your web content

    You should also keep "Check grammar with spelling" checked in your PowerPoint Options | Proofing:

    ppt-check-spelling.png
    Figure: Make sure "Check grammar with spelling" is enabled

    Web Content

    Any other text can be checked manually. Go to Grammarly, create a New Document and Paste your content to check your text.

    grammarly.png
    Figure: A typo caught by Grammarly

    Related rule

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  7. Do you know to add the ClientID as your email subject prefix when sending an email regarding a client?

    ​When discussing client work in an email, it is not always clear which client you are referring to. By using the ClientID as your email subject prefix, those involved in the email conversation will immediately know which client you are talking about.​

    Mmake sure you add ClientID as your email subject prefix
    Figure: Make sure you add ClientID as your email subject prefix


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  8. Do you show your phone number to allow for emergency communication?

    Email is great. But in an emergency, you need to pick up the phone. Often the most effective methods of communication for a project is to talk directly to colleagues and clients on the phone.
    skype-phonenumber-bad.jpg
    Figure: Bad example - can't call a phone number
    skype-phonenumber-good.jpg
    Figure: Good example - Able to call phone numbers

    Remote offices tip: Don’t make being overseas a barrier. ​Of course,​ it is always best to provide a local number as that gives clients peace of mind and keep their costs down. Not many clients will call an international number and there are lots of options -  http://www.skype.com/en/features.

    The next best alternative is to at least show your overseas phone number.​

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  9. Do you share screens when working remotely?

    If you are working remotely you should be sharing your screen with your programming partner for the majority of the day. This allows you and your programming partner to see changes that are happening on screen, making the remote collaboration experience much nicer.

    For a list of our recommended screen sharing tools, please check the SSW rules for remote support.​

    ​Another good practice that follows on from this, is to leave a S​kype session open. This eliminates to need to call your programming partner every time you have a query or question to ask.​

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