I've flown into SFO enough times to go 'Wait, I've been there!' 😂 My best tips for business travel as an introvert: 1) Wear comfortable clothes on the airport and flight. Comfortable shoes throughout the trip. Nobody in gamedev expects suits or formfitting clothes. 2) Bring an arsenal of pain meds, melatonin, allergy meds, and blister patches... and locate a local pharmacy in case you need to stock up. 3) Backpacks are wonderful as under-the-seat luggage. 4) If there's a significant change in climate (eg. blizzard at home), don't bring your home outerwear, just layer up. 5) Reserve enough time in your schedule to take a walk to a local bookstore / board game shop / museum of your choice / something that's not work related. Business travel can be really taxing if you need to be 'on' the whole time. Having some planned me-time is a life-saver. 6) Light on the alcohol even if there's an open bar. My trick to staying out late and be ok the next day is to stay sober ... until I'm at the after-party of the after-party.
As a Product Owner who worked remotely and had a 8 hour round trip to get to either the office or the development agency and no travel expenses, I've learnt the hard way. It's extremely difficult to build stakeholder and development team relations digitally. Although to the dev team and key stakeholders, I had a message me about anything policy, what tended to happen is that key decisions started to get made without me and my role was completely undermined. With outsourced development teams, it's essential you still get that regular face-to-face time and the company should foot the bill as it's a key part of your role. For business travel horror stories: I once had to travel from the UK to New Zealand in Economy. We landed at 6am in NZ and apart from a quick shower at the hotel we were expected in the office ready to work a full day (because we should have slept on the plane). They also chose a mandatory cookery class team social at the end of the day. I refused to chop anything with knifes as I valued my fingers!
Your points are salient, I also found that it was frequently important to see what the other folks were dealing with, issues with test processes, equipment, or facilities could be addressed. I recall one piece of test equipment at Apple this was causing us difficulty passing a test suite. I never managed to talk them into correcting the situation, arrogant bunch, but I did figure out how to tweak my product to get by it. The other thing I discovered with business travel was to sit down with the folks arranging the travel. I would discover cheaper flights that would let me stay an extra day or two over the weekend and still more than cover the extra meal and hotel cost, and I could blow the weekend riding the local rollercoasters.
The pandemic really did have an effect. I think younger people were hit the hardest, and will feel the need to strongly control or assent to the why and how of business travel. I think you are right the introverts hate it, and people had to make decisions for their health or welfare. I think younger people may protect this more, and we may see more companies tied to a city or town or area where everyone who works there will live. Business travel could be then seen as people going out to bring something back.
last business travel was 8 (?) years ago? but before that I had a lot of it. So much so that I never paid personal travel during that time because of how much miles I accumulated. But I never flew business class. Not only due to HR policies, and money concerns, but I knew that directors and the C-Suit would not allowed due to "hierarchy". I overheard "He's not senior management? Absolutely not!" I always tried to get some days off either before or after the travel. I only got to know Barcelona and Côte d'Azur due to some time off after my business travel
@@MarkDarrah as one of the aforementioned introverts I dream of the end of business travel. Even when I was younger and less grumpy I only did stuff in the cities I visited when someone was assigned to taking me out and showing me the sights. Otherwise just work>hotel>home which is all I do now.
Yoh, So, technically unrelated question. No big if you don't have an answer. For years, I wondered what was with the armor in Dragon Age: Origins? Namely, the big pauldrons on the shoulders and gauntlets? Like I know what pauldrons are. Just never understood Origins designs. Have a good one
Mr. Darrah, This video has such a clickbait title pandering to negative algorithms. I thought higher of you. No, business travel is not over but maybe somehow it seems that way from your perspective. If you want to make a really interesting video, talk about what's actually going on at "Bioware". DA4 is vaporware just like Anthem NEXT right?
Rule 1: Bring a microphone
I put you through a band pass filter. You sound fine 😋
I've flown into SFO enough times to go 'Wait, I've been there!' 😂
My best tips for business travel as an introvert:
1) Wear comfortable clothes on the airport and flight. Comfortable shoes throughout the trip. Nobody in gamedev expects suits or formfitting clothes.
2) Bring an arsenal of pain meds, melatonin, allergy meds, and blister patches... and locate a local pharmacy in case you need to stock up.
3) Backpacks are wonderful as under-the-seat luggage.
4) If there's a significant change in climate (eg. blizzard at home), don't bring your home outerwear, just layer up.
5) Reserve enough time in your schedule to take a walk to a local bookstore / board game shop / museum of your choice / something that's not work related. Business travel can be really taxing if you need to be 'on' the whole time. Having some planned me-time is a life-saver.
6) Light on the alcohol even if there's an open bar. My trick to staying out late and be ok the next day is to stay sober ... until I'm at the after-party of the after-party.
Never make time for #5. I should
As a Product Owner who worked remotely and had a 8 hour round trip to get to either the office or the development agency and no travel expenses, I've learnt the hard way. It's extremely difficult to build stakeholder and development team relations digitally. Although to the dev team and key stakeholders, I had a message me about anything policy, what tended to happen is that key decisions started to get made without me and my role was completely undermined. With outsourced development teams, it's essential you still get that regular face-to-face time and the company should foot the bill as it's a key part of your role.
For business travel horror stories: I once had to travel from the UK to New Zealand in Economy. We landed at 6am in NZ and apart from a quick shower at the hotel we were expected in the office ready to work a full day (because we should have slept on the plane). They also chose a mandatory cookery class team social at the end of the day. I refused to chop anything with knifes as I valued my fingers!
WOW, glad you still have fingers.
I haven't found a replacement for face to face for some things
Your points are salient, I also found that it was frequently important to see what the other folks were dealing with, issues with test processes, equipment, or facilities could be addressed. I recall one piece of test equipment at Apple this was causing us difficulty passing a test suite. I never managed to talk them into correcting the situation, arrogant bunch, but I did figure out how to tweak my product to get by it. The other thing I discovered with business travel was to sit down with the folks arranging the travel. I would discover cheaper flights that would let me stay an extra day or two over the weekend and still more than cover the extra meal and hotel cost, and I could blow the weekend riding the local rollercoasters.
Yes have a relationship with the people booking you
The pandemic really did have an effect. I think younger people were hit the hardest, and will feel the need to strongly control or assent to the why and how of business travel. I think you are right the introverts hate it, and people had to make decisions for their health or welfare. I think younger people may protect this more, and we may see more companies tied to a city or town or area where everyone who works there will live. Business travel could be then seen as people going out to bring something back.
We are in an in between time of travel, work from home, hybrid, return to office... not sure where we will settle
last business travel was 8 (?) years ago? but before that I had a lot of it. So much so that I never paid personal travel during that time because of how much miles I accumulated. But I never flew business class. Not only due to HR policies, and money concerns, but I knew that directors and the C-Suit would not allowed due to "hierarchy". I overheard "He's not senior management? Absolutely not!"
I always tried to get some days off either before or after the travel. I only got to know Barcelona and Côte d'Azur due to some time off after my business travel
Sounds normal, unfortunately
Have a great trip! I think you should at least get some time to tool around the area. It can't all be business.
Probably. I never do...
a) that SFO approach scares me every time
b) lol I know exactly what hotel you're in its the same one I end up in when I work travel :D
a) its bananas
b) Its got a new name every time it seems
@@MarkDarrah as one of the aforementioned introverts I dream of the end of business travel. Even when I was younger and less grumpy I only did stuff in the cities I visited when someone was assigned to taking me out and showing me the sights. Otherwise just work>hotel>home which is all I do now.
@@NorseArtemis Me too. Seems like a waste. Theoretically.
Yoh,
So, technically unrelated question. No big if you don't have an answer. For years, I wondered what was with the armor in Dragon Age: Origins? Namely, the big pauldrons on the shoulders and gauntlets? Like I know what pauldrons are. Just never understood Origins designs.
Have a good one
Silhouettes are important for smaller characters
@@MarkDarrah Fair, 🫠that makes sense. Thanks for answering.
Landing in Vancouver?
SFO
Mr. Darrah,
This video has such a clickbait title pandering to negative algorithms. I thought higher of you. No, business travel is not over but maybe somehow it seems that way from your perspective. If you want to make a really interesting video, talk about what's actually going on at "Bioware". DA4 is vaporware just like Anthem NEXT right?
Did you watch the video?
@@MarkDarrah Yeah, I do like some of the points you made about forced social interaction and per diem "expenses".