Tiny Details for
Effective Remote Work
Tal Safran
Senior Software Engineer, GitHub
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7 hours!
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Work Lunch Work
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Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
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Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
unch Work
Work Lunch Work
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Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
Work Lunch Work
unch Work
Work Lunch Work
%
%
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How We Communicate
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How We Communicate
Mostly written
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How We Communicate
Mostly written
Video meetings and 1-1s
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How We Communicate
Mostly written
Video meetings and 1-1s
⏱ Large meetings are recorded
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How We Communicate
Mostly written
Video meetings and 1-1s
⏱ Large meetings are recorded
Meetings are infrequent and often optional
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
• Hashing things out
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
• Hashing things out
• Personal relationships
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
• Hashing things out
• Personal relationships
• The actual work!
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
• Hashing things out
• Personal relationships
• The actual work!
• Making decisions
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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• It's urgent!
• Hashing things out
• Personal relationships
• The actual work!
• Making decisions
• Referencing past work/decisions
Asynchronous
Synchronous
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Tiny Details
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* Writing *
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Consider Your Readers
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Consider Your Readers
Capitalize
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Consider Your Readers
Capitalize
❗ Punctuate
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Consider Your Readers
Capitalize
❗ Punctuate
Use formatting
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Consider Your Readers
Capitalize
❗ Punctuate
Use formatting
✏ Make edits
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Work Pong
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Work Pong
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Work Pong
Prioritize blockers
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Work Pong
Prioritize blockers
Make it actionable (or reduce hops)
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Work Pong
Prioritize blockers
Make it actionable (or reduce hops)
Provide tons of context
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Work Pong
Prioritize blockers
Make it actionable (or reduce hops)
Provide tons of context
Show your appreciation
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Standups
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In Person Standups
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In Person Standups
⏱ Run long
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In Person Standups
⏱ Run long
5 Hard to remember
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In Person Standups
⏱ Run long
5 Hard to remember
Robotic
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In Person Standups
⏱ Run long
5 Hard to remember
Robotic
It's a meeting
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Asynchronous Standups
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Asynchronous Standups
At your own time
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Asynchronous Standups
At your own time
* Written record
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Asynchronous Standups
At your own time
* Written record
Can include links!
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Asynchronous Standups
At your own time
* Written record
Can include links!
✏ Can be edited!
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Asynchronous Standups
At your own time
* Written record
Can include links!
✏ Can be edited!
↩ Can be followed up on!
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Short, descriptive titles
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Labeled URLs
Short, descriptive titles
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Edited for clarity
Labeled URLs
Short, descriptive titles
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Slacking Sanely
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Slack At Its Worst
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Slack At Its Worst
Constant distraction
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Slack At Its Worst
Constant distraction
< Half baked thoughts
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Slack At Its Worst
Constant distraction
< Half baked thoughts
= Hard to reference
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Slack At Its Worst
Constant distraction
< Half baked thoughts
= Hard to reference
False urgency
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Slack At Its Worst
Constant distraction
< Half baked thoughts
= Hard to reference
False urgency
Information overload
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"What would you call an all-day meeting with unknown
participants and no agenda?"
Jason Fried
Basecamp
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Synchronous
Asynchronous
Hard to reference
Easy to reference
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Slacking Sanely
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Slacking Sanely
Slow down!
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Slacking Sanely
Slow down!
Mind your notifications
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Slacking Sanely
Slow down!
Mind your notifications
↩ Use threads
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Slacking Sanely
Slow down!
Mind your notifications
↩ Use threads
Add context
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Slacking Sanely
Slow down!
Mind your notifications
↩ Use threads
Add context
Prefer openness
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“Is Slack the right medium?”
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Meetings
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Remote Meetings
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Remote Meetings
Minimize frequency
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Remote Meetings
Minimize frequency
F Minimize attendees
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Remote Meetings
Minimize frequency
F Minimize attendees
Use the chat
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Remote Meetings
Minimize frequency
F Minimize attendees
Use the chat
⌚ Join early
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H Remote Relationships H
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Remote Relationships H
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Remote Relationships H
⏱ Be generous with 1-1s
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Remote Relationships H
⏱ Be generous with 1-1s
Don't only talk about work
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Remote Relationships H
⏱ Be generous with 1-1s
Don't only talk about work
Keep notes! Follow up!
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Remote Relationships H
⏱ Be generous with 1-1s
Don't only talk about work
Keep notes! Follow up!
Slack is for personality!