How to Choose the Right Communication Tool for an Agile Team
Email is a thing of the past, according to The Boston Globe, with information overload and large amounts of spam-induced message volume as the culprits for its demise. The people interviewed for the story say that in place of email, there is now a preference for using instant messaging, Twitter (following and direct messages), Facebook, text messaging, phone calls, and face-to-face communications. The headline might be overstated, but the article raises some important issues about how we interact with others.
The problem with email isn’t the technology itself but how it’s used. When you use email as a default form of interaction, you can fall victim to the traps of the law of the instrument, where (to paraphrase) “every interaction looks like an email message.” Each of the alternatives to email has advantages for some forms of interactions, such as group conversations. However, each also has limitations.
Each mechanism has its own protocols, of which many participants are often unaware. I’ve observed that when the rules of mailing list etiquette are ignored, participants begin to assert that email lists are a poor medium for conversation when the problem is often a misunderstanding of the goals and rules of the medium.
In some cases, the mechanism of communication is the problem. The Agile Manifesto expresses the importance of individuals and interactions over processes and tools, so before dismissing a form of communication outright, consider how it fits into how your team works together.
Face-to-face communication is often the preferred way to interact in an agile team. Many agile practices, such as the daily Scrum or daily standup meeting, work very effectively with collocated teams. Other tools can have their place if your team has established a working agreement on how to use various options for interaction.
However, remember that some communications mechanisms might actually be outdated. For example, NPR recently reported that there is a campaign to convert New York City phone booths into audio time capsules. But before dismissing a tool, think about the the impact on how you work.
People often want to move past the canonical agile planning practice of using index cards and do planning using an electronic tracking system. But pen and paper can still have a place, both in terms of helping people visualize relationships and in terms of creating a more contemplative and collaborative environment.
Experimentation and change is useful, but before making an absolute decision on whether to use a tool to collaborate, take time to observe and appreciate what works best for you and the people around you.
When what works for you conflicts with what someone else claims works for him, use the difference as as an opportunity to learn, rather than to inflict your preferences on someone else.
Maybe there’s a great third option that you will discover together.
How do you communicate with people on your team? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using email? Have you ever been told that “email isn’t good for (insert goal here)?”
