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SEPTEMBER 2026 I I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE 71 together?" That's when you see a distributed team become a true engineering organization. Don't Let Distance Create Distance Technology makes it easy to forget that global col- laboration is fundamentally about people. It's impor- tant to get to know your team members personally. I believed strongly in spending time with the team in India rather than attempting to manage the rela- tionship entirely through technology. I regularly trav- eled there, so I could get to know my team members, helping me approach the relationship with respect and positive assumptions. I feel that personal con- nection made a difference for them and for me. When engineers know and trust one another and understand their working styles, communica- tion becomes easier. We are more comfortable asking questions, challenging assumptions, sharing ideas, and acknowledging when we need help. This becomes particularly important when cultural differ- ences are involved. A different communication style does not neces- sarily mean a lack of engagement. A question that seems obvious to one person may not be obvious to someone working within a different cultural or organizational context. The answer is not to assume the worst. The answer is to ask, listen, and seek to understand, not just to be heard. Knowledge Grows Through People A global engineering organization has access to a tremendous amount of collective experience. The challenge is to make that knowledge accessible to everyone and to create an environment where en- gineers learn from one another. One of the most valuable initiatives we developed within the India organization was an internal IPC club. As designers, we met frequently to discuss PCB design experiences, IPC knowledge, complex design challenges, tools, processes, and lessons learned. Our objective was to improve both indi- vidual designers and the team's overall capability, and it worked. That concept remains just as relevant today. Design reviews, technical forums, lessons-learned sessions, training, supplier interactions, and industry engagement can turn individual experience into organizational capability. However, knowledge sharing is only part of the equation. Organizations should invest in the people expected to apply that knowledge by enabling them to develop new skills and pursue new learning opportunities. When that happens, I've seen the entire organization become stronger. Rather than remain with one person, project, or location, that experience becomes part of the team's collective capability. This is especially important in PCB design, where much of what separates a good design from a great one comes from experience. Understanding why something happens in a design can be just as valu- able as the design data itself, and the best global teams make both knowledge and experience portable. More importantly, they recognize that knowledge does not just develop on its own. One Team, Not Two The most important lesson from my experience with the India team was that global collaboration fails when an organization creates an artificial dis- tinction between "the local team" and "the global team." There should be one engineering team. It doesn't mean every location performs the same work or has the same responsibilities, but that we all understand the common objectives, share accountability for the outcome, and have a voice in solving problems. When a challenge arises, it should be handled the same as if the engineer were sitting in the cubicle next to you: address it immediately, discuss the options openly, listen to suggestions, and solve it together. Effective global collaboration enables engi- neering organizations to improve quality, control costs, manage manufacturability, and get products to market faster. When that happens, the world truly can become your design team. I-CONNECT007 Stephen V. Chavez is principal technical product marketing manager at Siemens EDA and chair of PCEA.