How to improve knowledge sharing in remote software engineering teams

Remote work has changed a lot about software engineering. The type of knowledge sharing that used to possible with a quick conversation at someone's desk or a casual lunch-and-learn is now a more difficult, and often much slower, process.

As remote setups become the norm, software engineers are facing a growing challenge: how do we keep these essential practices smooth and effective when we're not physically together?

Code reviews are tough in remote teams

Let's start with code reviews. In an office, you could walk over to a teammate's desk, discuss their code, and give them feedback in real-time. You could clarify points, spot potential issues together, and move things along quickly. But in remote teams, this process often slows to a crawl.

Here's why that's a problem

• When reviews are purely text-based, they lack the context and nuance of a real-time discussion. Misunderstandings are more common, and the back-and-forth can stretch out longer than necessary.

• Code reviews are not just about catching bugs, they're a valuable opportunity for mentorship. In remote setups, it's easy for reviews to become purely transactional, missing out on the teaching moments that can help less experienced developers grow

Knowledge sharing is tougher in remote teams

In an office, knowledge transfer was often organic. You'd overhear conversations, attend spontaneous whiteboard sessions, or grab coffee with a more senior engineer who'd share some valuable tips.

In remote teams, that organic flow of information is gone. Instead, we rely on formal, structured communication to pass on knowledge, and it's not always effective.

• Without frequent, casual interactions, knowledge tends to get siloed. Engineers often hold critical information that doesn't get shared because there's no clear forum for it.

• Junior engineers may hesitate to reach out for guidance, or may not even realize they need help in the first place.

• In remote setups, documentation becomes the default way to share knowledge. But let's be honest, it's often incomplete, outdated, and is rarely a high priority when there are new features to be built.

Why it matters

These changes come with real consequences.

When reviews are delayed, it takes longer to merge code, which slows down the entire development cycle. Features get shipped later, bugs persist longer, and team velocity drops. Without real-time clarification or deeper discussions, code reviews can miss key issues.

Junior developers miss out on learning opportunities, and senior engineers miss the chance to deepen their own understanding. When critical knowledge stays siloed, it weakens the team as a whole. People end up solving the same problems over and over again because the solutions aren't shared effectively.

What can you do about it?

Here's how senior engineers can take the lead in improving both code reviews and knowledge sharing in remote setups.

1. Set clear expectations

One way to combat the delays and inefficiencies of remote code reviews is to set clear expectations. Define how quickly reviews should be done (e.g., within 24 hours), and make sure everyone on the team understands the priority of reviewing code.

Why it works: Having a clear standard speeds up feedback loops and ensures no one is left waiting indefinitely for a review. It also prevents reviews from piling up and becoming a bottleneck.

2. Encourage real-time discussions

Not everything has to be async. For complex or critical changes, consider scheduling a quick real-time code review via Zoom or Slack huddle. This allows for a more dynamic conversation, clears up misunderstandings quickly, and helps junior devs get immediate feedback.

Why it works: It brings back the spontaneity of in-person discussions and shortens the review cycle for more complicated code changes.

3. Pair programming sessions

Pair programming might feel more cumbersome in remote setups, but it's still a highly effective way to share knowledge and improve code quality. Senior engineers should encourage pairing with junior devs, especially for tricky features or architecture decisions.

Why it works: It's an excellent way to share knowledge organically and ensure that junior engineers learn by doing, rather than just reading PR comments.

4. Create knowledge sharing rituals

To replace the informal knowledge transfer that used to happen in-office, build formal processes around knowledge sharing. This could be weekly lunch-and-learn sessions, regular tech talks, or rotating team presentations on different areas of expertise.

Why it works: It gives senior engineers a platform to share their knowledge and creates a structured way for the team to learn from each other.

Final Thoughts

Remote work is here to stay, and with it, the way we approach code reviews and knowledge sharing has to evolve.

As senior engineers, it's our responsibility to adapt to these new realities by finding ways to keep reviews timely, meaningful, and educational. We also need to ensure that knowledge flows freely within our teams, even without the benefit of face-to-face interaction.

It's not easy, but with the right strategies in place, we can bridge the gaps that remote work has introduced.

If you're interested in reducing friction for your remote engineering team, check out capture.dev - a bug reporting tool that takes the effort out of reporting issues so your team can spend less time debugging and more time building.