Open Source software has been conceived of, created and maintained by distributed teams, and several companies like the one I work for (Lullabot) have formed that leverage this same distributed model for a business. It's a model that seems natural for software development. But what about for other disciplines like design?

The design process is a challenging journey of inspiration, ideation and implementation. For most of the history of design as a service, design teams have worked together in collocated teams, venturing out into the field but always reconvening at a central location. It's a brave new world now, and UX/Design teams are finding new and interesting ways to have that single location be the internet, rather than a city or office building. Nevertheless, distributed teams need to find ways to encourage collaboration, create inspiring work environments and maintain a shared vision. In this session we'll look at some lessons from the front lines of designing together, apart and cover some practical ways to create great design teams and cultures, even when you're not all in the same room.
Note: While this session may be especially interesting to designers, there are lessons that apply to many disciplines.