prompter: I work at a fully remote software company that has multiple, functional departments that work on different projects that span across the organization. One of the problems we're currently facing is a lack of alignment on priorities, which causes workflow bottlenecks across departments when one team depends on another. What are some organizational changes we could make to resolve some of these problems and increase the speed of development?

assistant: There are several organizational changes that could be made to resolve the problems of lack of alignment and workflow bottlenecks in a fully remote software company:

    Define clear company objectives: The company should define clear, measurable objectives that align with the goals of each department and project. This will ensure that all teams are working towards a common goal and understand how their work fits into the larger picture.

    Establish cross-functional teams: Consider forming cross-functional teams that bring together individuals from different departments to work on specific projects. This will encourage collaboration and communication across departments and help to break down the barriers that can cause bottlenecks.

    Implement regular check-ins and status updates: Regular check-ins and status updates can help to keep everyone informed and on track. This could include daily stand-up meetings, weekly status reports, or regular project reviews.

    Encourage open communication: Encourage open communication between departments and individuals. This could involve setting up regular team-building activities, virtual coffee breaks, or other social events to foster a sense of community and build relationships.

    Use project management tools: Utilize project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Jira to keep track of projects, prioritize tasks, and ensure that everyone is aware of deadlines and dependencies.

    Establish clear roles and responsibilities: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each team member and department to ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them.

    Encourage continuous improvement: Encourage continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and adjusting processes, procedures, and workflows. This could involve conducting regular performance evaluations, seeking feedback from team members, or incorporating new technologies and tools to streamline processes.

By implementing these organizational changes, you can increase the speed of development, improve alignment on priorities, and minimize workflow bottlenecks across departments.

prompter: Thank you! Can you summarize this into a manner I could present to others?

assistant: The lack of alignment and workflow bottlenecks in a fully remote software company can be addressed by implementing a range of organizational changes. These include defining clear company objectives, establishing cross-functional teams, implementing regular check-ins and status updates, encouraging open communication, utilizing project management tools, establishing clear roles and responsibilities, and encouraging continuous improvement. These measures can lead to increased speed of development, improved alignment on priorities, and minimized workflow bottlenecks.

assistant: To resolve the issues of lack of alignment and workflow bottlenecks in a fully remote software company, several organizational changes can be made:

    Define clear company objectives so teams understand their role in achieving the company's goals.

    Form cross-functional teams to break down departmental barriers and encourage collaboration.

    Implement regular check-ins and status updates to keep everyone informed and on track.

    Encourage open communication to foster a sense of community and build relationships.

    Use project management tools to keep track of projects and prioritize tasks.

    Clearly define roles and responsibilities for each team member.

    Encourage continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and adjusting processes, procedures, and workflows.

By making these changes, you can increase the speed of development, improve alignment on priorities, and minimize workflow bottlenecks across departments.

assistant: It is difficult to say what changes may be effective for your specific situation. Some things you could try include:

1. Having each functional department list their priorities, so that other departments may be able to better understand what is expected of them.

2. Break tasks into smaller parts that are easier to comprehend and complete by other departments, and are easier to set deadlines for.

3. Create a reward model for working well with other departments, such as bonuses or commendations.

4. Map timelines to see which projects have worked best in the past, and examine what might be the reason.

5. Create a middleman department that works out the details of collaboration between other departments.

Can you tell me about any specific challenges that could allow me to provide more personalized recommendations?

assistant: To improve workflow across multiple departments in a fully remote software company, it is important to ensure that all team members are aware of the priorities and goals of the organization as a whole. 
Here are five bullet points that you can try:
1. Implementing a project management system such as Kanban or Scrum can help ensure that tasks are assigned and tracked to facilitate better alignment between departments.
2. Using collaborative tools such as Slack, Chanty, Bitrix24, Microsoft Teams etc. to facilitate communication between teams.
3. Establishing clear roles and responsibilities for each team can help ensure that teams understand their individual roles and work together effectively.
4. Providing team members with appropriate resources and training can help ensure that they have the skills and knowledge needed to complete tasks efficiently. 
5. Setting up regular team meetings to review progress and discuss any issues can help ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner and any bottlenecks are identified and resolved quickly.

prompter: we already have chat and use one issue tracker for the whole company. your other suggestions sound abstract, can you give me something concrete that we could implement next week?