[nicw]

Along with good specs, I would add having an open line of communication with your engineers about what to do when the specs aren't clear. I've worked with some engineers that their personality caused them to think it was their fault they didn't understand the spec - and they spent unnecessary time and frustration trying to puzzle something out.

Raising your hand and asking, "Is this what you meant?" can save a lot of hassles, especially with remote teams.

[sardonicbryan]

Yeah, our teams are pretty small (about 20 between eng, art, product, qa, etc) and sit by each other in open plan floor space, so the lines of communication are definitely open, as long as no one is an asshole. I guess implicit in our interview process is that we're screening for a minimum of communication skills.