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02_communication_channels_and_etiquette

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Communication Channels and Etiquette

Clear and consistent communication is key to a successful project. This document outlines which channels to use for different types of communication and the expected etiquette for each.

Communication Channels

1. Slack

  • Purpose: For real-time, informal, and day-to-day communication.
  • Use it for:
    • Quick questions and clarifications.
    • Sharing work-in-progress.
    • Announcing when a new PR is ready for review.
    • General project chatter.
  • Shared Client Channel (e.g., #client-name):
    • This is the primary channel for daily interaction with the client.
    • Etiquette:
      • Be professional, but friendly.
      • Use threads to keep conversations organized.
      • For important questions, @mention the specific person you need an answer from.
      • Avoid making major decisions or commitments in Slack. Follow up with an email or document the decision in the project management tool.
  • Internal Project Channel (e.g., #proj-client-name):
    • For internal team discussions that are not relevant to the client.

2. Email

  • Purpose: For formal communication, important decisions, and official documentation.
  • Use it for:
    • Meeting summaries and action items.
    • Weekly status reports.
    • Contractual or budget-related discussions.
    • Any communication that needs to be formally documented.
  • Etiquette:
    • Use clear and descriptive subject lines.
    • Be concise and to the point.
    • For emails to a group, use “Reply All” only when your response is relevant to everyone.

3. Video Calls (Google Meet / Zoom)

  • Purpose: For scheduled meetings, demos, and discussions that are too complex for text-based communication.
  • Scheduled Meetings:
    • Weekly Sync: A regular check-in to discuss progress, blockers, and plan for the week ahead.
    • Sprint Demo: To demonstrate the work completed in the last sprint.
    • Workshops: For collaborative sessions like design reviews or feature planning.
  • Etiquette:
    • Have an agenda: All meetings must have a clear purpose and agenda, shared in advance.
    • Be on time.
    • Come prepared.
    • Mute your microphone when you are not speaking.
    • Send a follow-up: The meeting organizer is responsible for sending a summary with action items afterward.

4. Project Management Tool (Jira / Asana)

  • Purpose: To be the single source of truth for all tasks, requirements, and bug reports.
  • Use it for:
    • Tracking the status of work.
    • Commenting on specific tasks with technical questions or updates.
    • Documenting acceptance criteria.
  • Etiquette:
    • Keep task statuses up-to-date.
    • Comments should be focused on the specific task. For broader conversations, use Slack.

General Communication Principles

  • Be Responsive: Acknowledge messages within a reasonable timeframe, even if you don’t have the full answer yet. We aim to respond to all client communications within 8 business hours.
  • Be Proactive: If you foresee a delay or a problem, communicate it early. Don’t wait until the deadline.
  • Assume Good Intent: Approach all communication with a positive and collaborative mindset.

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