Task Manners

Working together, whether it’s online or in person, takes good communication and all sorts of etiquette. When you’re in the same room, body language can soften words that would otherwise seem harsh. When collaborating online, that luxury doesn’t exist. It takes a separate set of manners to keep things respectful and running smoothly. Here are some of the things we do:

When Delegating Tasks

• Ask nicely
• Describe the task in a comment
• Title the task as an outcome or action
• Either set a due date, or ask for one to be set
• Thank the person who completes it

Discussing Tasks

• Keep your comments on topic
• If you want to bring up something new, create a task for it
• For cute kitty or pug pics, use email or chat (liberally)
• If you agree with someone, say so (or like their comment), otherwise it might seem like you don’t
• Feel free to read tasks you’re not subscribed to, but only jump in if it’s directly related to your work, or there is important information missing

Managing Tasks

• Provide a brief explanation if you extend a task’s due date
• Keep personal tasks in your inbox or invite-only lists
• Provide a brief explanation if you reassign a task
• When you complete a task, sometimes it’s nice to comment with an update

That’s us, but what about you? Has your team developed any unique norms while using Flow? Share it with us on Twitter or Facebook.