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COMMUNICATION

Time is irreplaceable. It's essential that we respect both our time and others'.

  1. Think Before You Communicate Synchronously (Chatting or Calling) Before initiating real-time communication, consider: “Have I explored all other options, or am I opting to communicate simply because it's more convenient?” If there are other options, please try them. If you are communicating simply because it’s more convenient, please remember that you might be spending someone else’s time to satisfy your own needs.

    • If you're working with an unfamiliar library, please check the technical documentation as a first step. Similarly, when seeking information on any topic, check if existing documentation is available. Assuming someone may already have the answer to anything shouldn’t mean that we can't contact them instantly.

  2. Please Don't Say Just Hello In Chat Check out the following chat history:

2010-07-19 12:32:12 you: Hi
2010-07-19 12:32:15 co-worker: Hello.

CO-WORKER WAITS WHILE YOU PHRASE YOUR QUESTION

2010-07-19 12:34:01 you: I'm working on [something] and I'm trying to do [etc...]
2010-07-19 12:35:21 co-worker: Oh, that's [answer...]

It's as if you called someone on the phone and said "Hi!" and then put them on hold!

Please do this instead:

2010-07-19 12:32:12 you: Hi -- I'm working on [something] and I'm trying to do [etc...]
2010-07-19 12:33:32 co-worker: [answers question]

Note that you get help minutes sooner and don't make them wait. Instead, the co-worker can start thinking about your question right away!

You're trying to be polite by not jumping right into the request as you would in person or on the phone. But Chat is neither of those things. Typing is much slower than talking. Instead of being polite, you are just making the other person wait for you to phrase your question, which is lost productivity.

The same goes for "Hello -- Are you there?", "Hi, Bob -- quick question.", "Do you have a sec ?", "yt?" and "ping". Just ask the question!

If you feel it's brusque to say "Hi" and ask simply, you can do something like this:

2010-07-19 12:32:12 you: Hi -- if you're not busy I was wondering if I could ask a question.  I'm working on [something] and I'm trying to do [etc...]

Additionally, asking your question before getting a reply allows asynchronous communication. If the other party is away, and you leave before they return, they can still answer your question instead of just staring at a "Hello" and wondering what they missed.

Source: No Hello

  1. Please Don’t Use Your Teammate as a “PROXY” Please ensure that when seeking assistance, you communicate directly with the teammate responsible for the task rather than reaching out to someone else just because they are problem solvers or more responsive in chats. Avoid using others as intermediaries. Speak to the person who actually owns the work.

If you find gaps in the work requirements or encounter something unclear, please reach out directly to your product manager for clarification.

If the work seems incorrectly executed or incomplete, address your concerns directly with the person responsible for implementing the task.

Avoid involving tech leads, managers, or any other engineers who aren't overseeing the task at hand. It is not their role to act as intermediaries or a proxy. You are responsible for engaging with the appropriate individual to resolve any issues you encounter. This is what we call “ownership”.