Effectively Communicate on Slack

Problem

Slack is a wonderful communication tool but it does come with its downfalls. People use it to chit-chat, it can get a bit too noisy, not everyone is aligned on how to use it, and it has its limitations on what it can be used for. Even so, it’s a great resource for communication that can be used when your team is either collocated or distributed. After listening to other people’s conversations and receiving feedback around certain issues I decided to devise a framework for using Slack that I recommended company-wide.

1. Use public channels

We do not use direct messages (DM) for any business related information exchange such as project-related topics. DM should not be used unless for personal chats. Information needs to be shared on a public channel so that it is amplified and distributed throughout. This is especially true when everyone is working from home otherwise it’s difficult to keep tabs on what is going on, whether there are any blockers, and the progress that is being made. As a result, it's extremely useful to be transparent and accountable for followup steps. Private channels are used for sensitive or confidential discussions, such as HR issues or confidential project details.

2. Use threads

We started a thread on every question asked, rather than communicating about that topic in the Slack channel feed. Using a thread to discuss one topic or question (and follow up questions) reduced the noise for those who had no part in the conversation or were not interested in it. Especially when working asynchronously, this prevented individuals from waking up and having to go through hundreds of messages. Instead, using threads made the information easier for anyone to digest, organize and respond better. If it's not relevant, they can skip over it without scrolling over pages.