Communication As A Task: A Mindset for Successful Asynchronous Work
Source: Dev.to
Background
It’s needless to say asynchronous work is valuable. As engineers, we require concentration, but the tools, methods, and procedures needed for that concentration vary from person to person. A single environment like an office has its limitations.
Moreover, before being engineers, we are human beings, and as humans we want to minimize life’s burdens. For instance, getting exhausted from commuting is ludicrous. Even a 30‑minute one‑way commute, with preparation, settling in, and context‑switching, is effectively equivalent to about 1 hour one way—2 hours round‑trip. Imagine what could be done in those 2 hours.
To ensure each individual’s concentration and well‑being, remote work is essential. This necessitates asynchronous work.
The Reality of a Shift Back to Office Presence
Even giants like GAFAM and MATANA are still advocating a return to the office. Productivity can result from being in a physical office, but confining people by time and place is exploitative, and it’s no surprise that exploitation can yield results. Much like an oppressive regime, outcomes can be forced by overworking.
Even without such force, many people inexplicably prefer to gather. Gatherings are lively, fun, and socially satisfying, but that’s all. While it might work for some, it is not favorable for concentration and stress load, and it should not be forced on everyone.
Why does this imposition still run rampant? People who prefer this collective way of working are often in power. As organizations grow, inefficiencies and sabotage structurally increase, leading to the use of office attendance as a loyalty test.
Seemingly Full Remote But…
In many organizations that appear fully remote, there are cases where they are consistently engaged in online meetings. This is no different from being at the office.
Office work binds both time and place, while online meetings bind only time. The binding exists either way. To achieve focus and care, the binding must be reduced, which also means reducing online meetings.
Thus, asynchronous work means working remotely without relying on online meetings.
A Perspective to Establish Asynchronous Work
In my years of advocating, I’ve realized that many don’t grasp the prerequisites for establishing asynchronous work. This time, I’ll articulate what these prerequisites are by considering communication as a task.
Communication As A Task
Communication As A Task is a concept where communication is seen as a task, abbreviated CaaT.
In asynchronous work, communication naturally becomes asynchronous communication. Many people dislike asynchronous communication simply because they do not understand the underlying concepts. Asynchronous communication should be perceived as a task.
A task has the concept of being open and closed. It begins when opened and ends when closed. This means that all opportunities for communication and the topics covered therein are handled as tasks. Bringing everything to a point where completing a task means it’s finished provides clarity.
Example
Suppose Manager M and Engineer E have a 45‑minute 1‑on‑1 meeting. The topics are:
- Icebreaker
- E’s career
- Topics 1 and 2 concerning Project P
- The poor compatibility and handling of members M1 and M2 in P
- Closing
Under CaaT, this would be:
- Task 1: “Icebreaker” – conclude in 3 minutes
- Task 2: “About E’s career”
- Task 3: “Topic 1 concerning Project P”
- Task 4: “Topic 2 concerning Project P”
- Task 5: “Compatibility and handling of members M1 and M2 in P”
- Task 6: “Closing” – conclude in 2 minutes
Everything becomes a task, and we think about completing all six tasks.
- The icebreaker and closing are time‑bound; they automatically end after the specified time.
- The other tasks are regular; once either or both parties agree to close, they are over.
It’s not necessary to conduct these six tasks as a meeting. They can be done asynchronously. For example, in Slack, create a channel with both E and M and open six threads. In GitHub Issues, open six issues.
If asynchronous, you might not need an icebreaker or closing, so four tasks would suffice. If you want small talk, open a dedicated thread or issue for ongoing discussion.
Does It Seem Bland?
Many may find CaaT “bland” or “lacking in humanity.” That’s true, but is it necessarily an issue? We are engineers, and this is work—not playtime with friends. We’re not students anymore; we should have professional consciousness.
Certainly, as humans, some social interaction is necessary, but a dedicated opportunity can address that. Meeting weekly, monthly, or at a lower frequency could suffice. Many organizations conduct retreats.
I call this Communication Time and recommend securing social time as “part of work hours without working.” Whether it’s Minecraft, board games, or just chatting—it doesn’t matter. You can do it regularly or spontaneously adjust as you like. An example is GitLab’s Coffee Chat, where anyone can request a 1‑on‑1 with anyone at any time.