Building on the idea of “follow the sun” — a strategy where global teams operate in sequence across different time zones to maintain ongoing progress — Time Zone Trios reinterprets this model for small, agile development teams. By bringing together three developers in carefully selected time zones, this concept enables round-the-clock productivity, especially for tasks that are difficult to parallelize and benefit from sequential handoffs.
Consider a scenario with one developer in San Francisco, another in London, and a third in Perth. When the San Francisco developer finishes work at 6 pm local time, it’s already the next morning in Perth, where the next developer can start right away. By the time the workday in Perth wraps up, it’s morning or midday in London, allowing the third developer to take over. Finally, when the London developer completes their tasks and documents the progress, San Francisco is back online to continue the cycle. This setup effectively compresses three full workdays into a single 24-hour period, significantly speeding up turnaround times for sequential tasks. Not to mention, tapping into the unique strengths of Silicon Valley, London, and Perth adds cultural and technical diversity to the team while keeping it it small.
This approach works best for tasks that rely on sequential workflows - where one piece needs to be completed before the next can begin. For example, a backend developer could create an API, the frontend developer in the next timezone integrates it, and a mobile app developer in the third timezone tests and refines it. By eliminating the downtime often associated with waiting for dependencies to be completed, Time Zone Trios help projects move forward faster and more efficiently.
Key to the success of this model is async-first communication. Tools like Slack, Loom, and clear handoff documentation are essential to ensure smooth transitions between time zones. Developers must clearly document what they’ve done, outline what’s pending, and flag any blockers to keep the handoff process seamless.
Overall, I find the concept intriguing. Could Time Zone Trios be another tool on the toolbelt for faster and more efficient development? It’s an idea worth exploring.