Go async-first with your team.
If you and your team wish to work async-first and you’re not sure which practices to adopt, you've reached the right place. This method stack offers ideas for small changes you can implement on your team to go async-first, one step at a time. The launch video on this page (from a few years back) offers a quick overview.
Use the filters below to find async-first methods that are relevant to your team. For detailed articles, check out the blog.
Async audio
Async audio can be an interesting way to share your message while conveying emotion. Audio is particularly easy to consume passively; such as, when working out or when driving.
Avoid communication blasts
A single line message that you send to 200 people isn’t a single line message anymore. It’s a 200-line message. Instead, “shrink the blast radius”.
Target your conversations
Limit chat conversations only to those necessary to the discussion.
React, don’t respond
In the spirit of limiting messages, use emoji reactions where possible, instead of responding to a message.
Limit the number of messages
It’s ok to write longer chat messages! Save everyone the extra notifications.
Make the task-board the central communication tool
Most project management tools allow you to define a workflow for your team and visualise that workflow as a task board. Your task board should be the source of truth for all the work your team is up to.
Make "async-first" part of your vocabulary
This play has examples of how you can bring the phrase “async-first” into everyday conversation, by making it a catchphrase.