A Day in the Life of the Virtual Engineer?

Probably the most fundamental part of being a virtual engineer is that I work remotely for a software company. So, I work from a home office and work in a virtual office environment. This lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, but I can't imagine it any other way. People constantly ask what exactly do I do all day since I don't go into an office.

My primary responsibilities include pre and post sales technical support and training. Something we refer to as Field Services. So, I work closely with a team of engineers scattered all over the world. Most are in a similar situation and are fortunate enough to work from home. We work with our customers to ensure that they are successful using our tool to help them design and engineer better products. The software we develop is a fluid flow and heat transfer (CFD) simulation package. Conveniently referred to as virtual prototyping software.

Being in a virtual working environment has many advantages but also has its challenges. You have to be pretty disciplined and communication is critical. I am somewhat obsessed with communicating efficiently. It is easy to get caught up in the latest gadget that hits the market. But inevitably, it is a crucial part of our lives.

So, what are some of the tools we use to stay connected?

Obviously phone and email play a big part. We recently implemented MS Office Communicator (OC). An instant messaging program from MS. Integrates with Outlook etc. It has alot of really cool functionality such as file sharing, web cam and voip capability. What I like about it is that it is easy to have everyone log into the same server etc. We can then quickly see who is online and who is available etc. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/communicator/FX101729051033.aspx

Being in the software business, it is really handy to be able to have web meetings that allow us to share and view other's desktops. We have been using WebEx for quite a few years. Works fairly well. Many others out there like it, but we will probably stick with Webex for the time being.

When not in the office, I have a Treo750. Until the iphone hit the world, I thought the treo was the coolest phone out there. Easy to use, runs Windows Mobile. So grabbing calls, emails and texts are all very easy. I am in the process of seeing how I can incorporate
MS OC into my mobile device. This way I can be in instant contact with other members of the team.

Another service while on the road that has been invaluable is iPass (http://www.net-roamer.com). Essentially, it is a WiFi service that allows me to connect to the internet in airports, some hotels and coffee shops (Starbucks etc). Recently I found it very useful when traveling in England. Saved me having to pay ~$30 for a 24hr pass.

These are just some of the basics that we use. I would love to hear what others are using? I have recently gotten into using an im service to make phone calls. More on this very soon...