Communication channels
Channel Overview
Chat Channels (Slack) — Chat channels facilitate quick, informal communication, promoting collaboration and real-time problem-solving.
Maintaining professionalism in chat communications involves promptly responding to messages and threading group conversations by theme. Tailor messages for clarity and choose the appropriate channels for communication.
Tag individuals with @username to raise visibility but limit @all, @channel, or @here tags to relevant messages for the entire channel. Where appropriate tag a user group, for example, @engineering-team or @platform-ops-team, but use the same discretion as you would for tagging an entire channel.
Use public channels for non-sensitive information and private channels for focused discussions. Create incident-specific war rooms to facilitate team communication while solving support or security problems. Direct chats are suitable for quick, informal conversations, while project updates should be posted in the relevant project channels.
Manage notifications to avoid interruptions, and be clear and concise in your messages.
Show your availability by updating your status and documenting decisions or action items in the relevant project management tool.
Regularly archive old channels to reduce clutter and ensure shared files are stored in the appropriate Google Drive folders.
Asynchronous Tools (Monday, Jira, HubSpot, Confluence, Calendar) — These tools are essential for managing tasks, projects, deadlines, and team interactions, allowing for organized and trackable collaboration.
Centralize all relevant information within shared tools to ensure everyone can access the latest updates. Regularly update the status of tasks and projects to maintain transparency and accountability. Integrate these tools with other communication platforms to streamline information flow and use standardized processes and templates for project consistency.
Set up notifications and alerts to stay informed about updates and deadlines. Document decisions, changes, and important communications to maintain a clear project history.
Manage user permissions to ensure the right level of access for team members and stakeholders.
Provide regular training and support to ensure effective tool usage and customize the tools to fit your projects and team's needs.
Formal Company-Wide Documentation (Google Docs, Handbook, KD Docs) — These tools are used for creating, sharing, and maintaining detailed records.
For document creation and sharing, use Google Docs for collaborative efforts and real-time editing. Avoid using Microsoft products unless specifically required by the project.
Store all work products, including drafts, in the respective Google Shared Drive for visibility, and avoid using personal drives for shared documents.
The KD Handbook should be the primary resource for company policies and procedures. The KD Documentation Library and Confluence should be used to store and organize formal documentation and knowledge bases.
Manage permissions carefully to ensure only authorized personnel can access sensitive documents.
Use standardized templates for common document types to ensure consistency and completeness, and organize documents with clear naming conventions and tags to enhance searchability and retrieval.
Establish a review and approval process for critical documents to ensure accuracy and compliance, and regularly review and update documents to keep them current and relevant.
Email (Gmail) — Formal and detailed communications that require a written record.
For detailed communication, use email for in-depth messages that need to be documented and referenced later. Ensure emails are clear, concise, and to the point to avoid misunderstandings and facilitate future reference.
Set expectations for response times to manage communication flow effectively. Use clear and descriptive subject lines to provide context and importance, and maintain a formal and respectful tone.
Ensure attachments are relevant and clearly referenced in the email body, and organize information using bullet points, paragraphs, and headings for readability.
Send follow-up emails summarizing decisions and confirming action items from meetings or discussions. Use CC for transparency and BCC to protect recipients' privacy when needed.
Include the KD email signature with your contact information, and use "Reply All" sparingly to avoid unnecessary inbox clutter. Set up out-of-office replies when you are unavailable, providing alternative contact information if necessary.
Meetings (Google Meet / Slack Huddle) — Meetings are necessary for real-time discussions, decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving.
To schedule meetings effectively, plan in advance, invite relevant participants, and prepare a clear agenda to keep discussions focused. Limit participants to essential members, and ensure everyone reviews the agenda and pre-reading materials beforehand.
Start and end meetings on time to respect schedules. Assign roles such as moderator, timekeeper, and note-taker to maintain organization and encourage active participation to ensure all voices are heard.
Record meetings if necessary for future reference.
Assign action items with deadlines and take detailed notes to capture discussions, decisions, and tasks. Store meeting notes and recordings in an accessible central location and share key points and action items post-meeting through appropriate channels.
Maintain a respectful and professional environment to enable uninterrupted contributions.
Phone Calls and Text Communication — Phone calls and text messages are reserved for urgent matters that require immediate attention.
Use phone calls and texts only for urgent issues, ensuring you have all the necessary information before making a call. Be mindful of the recipient's time and availability, and schedule phone calls in advance whenever possible.
Use status indicators to show your availability for calls to avoid disruptions. Be clear and concise to convey urgency and necessary information effectively.
Document key points and decisions from phone calls using a secondary communication channel for future reference. Always have a backup communication method, such as email, ready in case the recipient is unavailable.
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