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Communication & Collaboration

Purpose

Clear communication is critical to delivering high-quality engineering work without unnecessary interruptions or confusion. This section defines how and where communication should happen, so information is visible, urgency is clear, and focus time is protected.

These guidelines support the Engineering Operating Principles, particularly:

  • Urgency is defined, not assumed
  • Deep work requires protected focus time
  • Work should be visible and documented

This section is not about limiting communication - it is about using the right channel at the right time so work can flow efficiently.

What This Section Covers

Use the pages below as a reference when deciding:

  • Where to ask questions
  • How to escalate issues
  • When something requires immediate attention
  • What should be async vs real-time

Engineering Communication Guidelines

Defines how engineering-related communication should flow, including expectations around response times and visibility.

Slack Usage & Channel Guidelines

Outlines the intended use of Slack channels, threads, and direct messages to reduce noise and context-switching.

After-Hours & Escalation Policy

Clarifies when after-hours contact is appropriate, how urgent issues are escalated, and what qualifies as an incident.

Key Principles to Keep in Mind

  • Slack is a communication tool, not a task manager

    Work should be tracked in ClickUp, not lost in messages.

  • Urgency should be explicit but able to be de-escalated

    If something is urgent, it should be clearly stated and routed correctly. Tasks can also be de-escalated if found to not be urgent or "platform breaking."

  • Async by default

    Not everything requires an immediate response. Allowing time for deep work improves outcomes.

  • Shared context beats private messages

    Whenever possible, communicate in shared channels so knowledge is visible and reusable.

How to Use This Section

If you're unsure:

  • Where to ask something
  • Whether something is urgent
  • Whether it needs after-hours attention

Start with this section before reaching out directly.