Internal communications
TTS uses several practices and tools to support clear and frequent internal communication.
Calendars
- Google Calendar is the primary way we indicate our availability and reserved time blocks.
- , external,The TTS Calendar in Airtable includes both TTS and CoE events.
- You can subscribe to a , external,feed that brings these into your Google Calendar.
- , external,The Federal holidays calendar from OPM is handy too.
Google Groups
Google Groups are used as email aliases for groups such as chapters.
TTS-specific groups of note:
-
- All new engineering chapter members should be added by their supervisor. If for some reason you didn't get automatically added, give a shout in , external,TTS-only, #dev and someone there will get you set up.
- This is a good way to write to the entire engineering leadership team at once.
Slack
Slack is a primary communication space across TTS.
Conduct and norms
Channels especially relevant to TTS
- For everyone
- , external,TTS-only, #the-shipping-news where teams publish their weekly project overviews (called “ships”)
- Acquisition
- , external,TTS-only, #acquisition (TTS-wide)
- Design
- Engineering
- Product Management
- , external,TTS-only, #product (TTS-wide)
Fun stuff
Meetings
Conduct and norms
See the handbook section on interacting in meetings.
Scheduling meetings
When scheduling a meeting, include an agenda and a descriptive title. If an invitee’s attendance is optional, indicate this.
Aim to schedule meetings during the block of working hours shared across continental U.S. time zones. That block of time is:
- Eastern: 1 p.m–5 p.m.
- Central: 12 p.m.–4 p.m.
- Mountain: 11 a.m.–3 p.m
- Pacific: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Meeting platforms
TTS’s primary meeting platforms are Google Meet and Zoom (generally for larger meetings). Engagement partners may use other platforms, such as Microsoft Teams: see using partners’ tools.
Recurring meetings
If you schedule recurring meetings for your engagement or other work, revisit them regularly and adjust their cadence and purpose as needed.
Several recurring meetings share information especially relevant to TTS staff:
| Meeting | Attendees | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| TTS All Hands To share updates with all staff. Chat happens in the meeting chat and , external,TTS-only, #townhall. , external,TTS-only, Archive of past recordings, slide decks, and question docs. |
For all TTS staff | 60 minutes every other month |
| TTS Project Snapshot To brief TTS leadership on current project work |
TTS or CoE leadership, TTS leadership | 60 minutes for each monthly |
| TTS Monthly Program Review For TTS leadership to share with TTS leadership |
TTS leadership, TTS front officer, TTS Ops representative | 60 minutes monthly |
CoE-focused meetings
| Meeting | Attendees | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| CoE weekly Management Update [Internal] Update on changes to CoE approach, strategy, upcoming plans, etc. |
CoE PMO and supervisors | 2 hours every 2-3 months |
| CoE All Hands CoE-wide meeting on announcements, administrative updates, team events, and deadlines |
All CoE Team Members | 90 minutes every 4-6 weeks |
| Center Check-in Touch base in each CoE on announcements, strategy, and timely risks as well as sharing challenges and experiences |
Center members with the supervisor | 30 minutes weekly |
| State of Center Review each centers, location, utilization in staff needs to make sure the central lead is well equipped to act on them |
Center lead and PMO | 30 minutes fortnightly |
