At the very least get project members all working in the same open space. This leads to information sharing, shortens development time, adds depth, and enables deeper problem solving.
Example: “Both sides talk to each other about the kind of products they’d like to build, and by providing a place for these discussions to occur, we’ve developed new software expertise. Criticisms are readily forthcoming and unexpected ideas often pop up. The ‘power of place’ is important in software” (Uemura, father of the NES).
Example: “…we try to get members of the same project seated as close to each other as possible……that way, meetings don’t have to be painful, laborious affairs. We want people to keep smiling. We place a lot of emphasis on jokes – they’re a great source of new ideas.” (Miyamoto, in charge of developing Mario Brothers).
Source: Katayama, O. (1996). Japanese business into the 21st Century: strategies for success.