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How to learn to work asynchronously

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Software development has always been asynchronous. This is easy to notice if you had experience in a traditional office or on a remote site. But since almost everyone is working remotely now, it’s important to define the concept of asynchronous work and consider specific tips for those who are new to it.

So what is asynchronous operation? When working asynchronously, your activity should be distributed in such a way that it does not interrupt due to the need to wait for someone to get any results or clarifications. This requires changes in the way your work is going. Often we like to do only one task at a time until it is completed, even if it means involving other people to immediately receive the necessary information. When working asynchronously, this is not an option, so you need to be able to work on a task, isolate what you may need from others, request this information from the right people, and, in anticipation of an answer, move on to another task.

But this does not mean that you do not need to communicate synchronously with the task.

Video conferencing and chatting are essential tools, but they should be used with care. Jason Fried and David Heinmeier Hensson (DHH) are best described in their book, “Don't Go Crazy at Work . ” They wrote this: "Sometimes you need to work in real time, but in most cases, the work should be asynchronous."

So, after we figured out the concept, here are ten tips to help you avoid some common mistakes and quickly start a productive asynchronous workflow.

Goals, not the activity itself. Many of those who have just started working asynchronously feel the need to look busy. However, asynchronous work is about setting goals, not the activity itself. Focus only on the tasks that have been assigned to you, and relax. Enjoy the benefits of asynchronous operation. This will reduce the amount of unnecessary chatter with colleagues, help you work better and allow you to enjoy a new balance between work and personal life.

Work at the same time.When you just start working remotely, make a schedule for yourself. Many companies set the main working hours for workers at a distance. If this is your case, this is a good start for scheduling: you can organize your work around these main hours. Once you get used to the schedule, you will understand what is best for you. If you get up early, you may need to shift the schedule more in the morning, or if you like to sleep, you can enjoy a brunch every day without haste and work until sunset.

Self-documenting code.There are many ways that provide good asynchronous communication throughout the software life cycle. For example, you can clearly write code or leave clear comments on commits. A well-made software life cycle is, in principle, similar to a meeting of engineers. Only in your place let me “speak” to your written code and the tools that you use.

Know (and use) the right tools.Hangouts and Zoom are good, but sometimes they are a luxury that asynchronous workers should use sparingly. Tools such as Slack or Stackoverflow for Teams (for development teams), as well as project management tools such as Jira or Asana, are used more often. These tools allow you to share knowledge outside of virtual meetings, in an open space in which everything can enter at a convenient time for everyone to get the information that is necessary at that moment.

A picture is worth a thousand words.Images, links, and other supporting materials can go a long way in discussing a problem or issue. Emoticons and gifs are not just so popular! They allow us to share such nuances that can not be expressed in words. Just as an emoticon can show your mood, just screenshots or even short videos showing a technical problem can provide enough context for understanding it. A verbal description of the same problem may take you twice as long.

Learn from other employeesyour organization or find where you can reach those who are already working remotely in asynchronous mode. There is probably someone in your circle of friends who would like you to buy lunch for them in return to share with you the asynchronous operation strategies that work for them.

Reduce communication to the required volume.Asynchronous communication requires a certain amount of information for certain people at a certain time. Think through communication, do not dump too much information. Your messages should contain enough information to cover questions that the interlocutor may have, as well as provide clarifications. They should not overload the recipient with unnecessary information. Pay attention to messages marked “here” (here) and “everyone” (for all) in group chats, as well as sending messages by e-mail to people who may have only an indirect interest in the conversation.

Transparency is the goal, but reasonable privacy also matters.. You will hear a lot about transparency, which is the principle of asynchronous operation. Transparency matters, but so can privacy. I still support the golden rule of working in virtual space: if you didn’t do something in a real office, do not do it in a virtual one. If your colleague rejects the pull request, you won’t shout to him during the break for the entire rest room: “Yes, this pull request simply sucks!” And with the same approach, think about what you write in general chats and how you turn to colleagues there. In the above example, it would be wiser to send a personal message to this person to solve the problem. He would appreciate that you did everything directly with him and that he did not have to blush because of criticism of his work in public.

Disconnect from the network while working. Disconnect from the Internet to focus and recharge. It's easy to get distracted during asynchronous work, so be smart about managing notifications. Don't be afraid to pause or close applications to focus on a single task. Just remember to turn on the Internet every few hours to solve problems or reply to messages when necessary. To "recharge" psychologically, physically move away from your workplace, go for a walk. Call your mom or old friend to distract your thoughts from work for a short while.

Asynchronous operation does not mean asocial. The goal of asynchronous operation is efficiency, but that does not mean that you cannot have fun. Many companies have virtual parties or happy hours when colleagues can relax, play online games and meet their workmates on a personal level. Just because most of your work is done remotely or asynchronously does not mean that you should not use the opportunities for communication and fun with colleagues.

I believe that the coronavirus pandemic will change the world in many ways. One of these changes will be the way we work. Many of us are forced to learn to work asynchronously, so I believe that we will bring this skill to the office when everything is back to square one.

What asynchronous life hacks do you use?

Have a nice programming!


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