Internal communications
TTSC 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 TTSC Calendar in Airtable includes both 18F 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.
TTSC-specific groups of note:
- , external,All TTSC staff
- , external,TTSC leadership
- , external,All 18F staff
- , external,All CoE staff
- , external,18F-dev@gsa.gov
- 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.
- , external,18f-eng-leadership@gsa.gov
- 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 TTSC
- For everyone
- , external,TTS-only, #the-shipping-news where teams publish their weekly project overviews (called “ships”)
- TTSC Leadership
- , external,TTS-only, #tts-consulting for all TTSC staff
- , external,TTS-only, #tts-consulting-leadership-chat 🔒
- Account Management
- Acquisition
- , external,TTS-only, #acquisition (TTS-wide)
- Design
- , external,TTS-only, #18f-design — Home base for 18F Design Chapter conversation and news
- , external,TTS-only, #design (TTS-wide)
- , external,TTS-only, #service-design
- , external,TTS-only, #ux
- , external,TTS-only, #product-design
- , external,TTS-only, #g-content
- , external,TTS-only, #g-research
- , external,TTS-only, #18f-help-wanted
- , external,TTS-only, #dev-frontend
- , external,TTS-only, #18f-methods
- Engineering
- , external,TTS-only, #18f-engineering — Home base for 18F Engineering Chapter conversation and news
- , external,TTS-only, #18f-eng-leadership — channel for supervisors and principal engineers to discuss chapter initiatives and best practices
- , external,TTS-only, #dev (TTS-wide)
- , external,TTS-only, #dev-frontend
- , external,TTS-only, #javascript
- , external,TTS-only, #python
- , external,TTS-only, #ruby
- , external,TTS-only, #infrastructure
- , external,TTS-only, #18fers-working-toward-atos
- , external,TTS-only, #g-accessibility
- , external,TTS-only, #g-security-compliance
- Product Management
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
TTSC’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 TTSC staff:
| Meeting | Attendees | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| TTSC 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 TTSC staff | 60 minutes every other month |
| TTSC Project Snapshot To brief TTSC leadership on current project work. , external,TTS-only, Past 18F decks |
18F or CoE leadership, TTSC leadership | 60 minutes for each 18F/CoE monthly |
| TTS Monthly Program Review for Consulting For TTSC leadership to share with TTS leadership |
TTSC 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 |
18F-focused meetings
| Meeting | Attendees | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 18F Team Coffee Various updates, trainings, reports. Chat happens in the meeting chat and , external,TTS-only, #townhall , external,TTS-only, Agendas and recordings of past meetings |
All 18F staff, and open to TTS guests | 75 minutes fortnightly on Fridays |
| 18F Leadership Team meetings Support people of 18F, projects of 18F, plan for the future, and clear blockers |
18F Directors, Chief of Staff, Chief of Delivery | 45 minutes Mondays, 30 minutes Thursdays |
| 18F GMT To share updates and work through management issues. , external,TTS-only, Agenda and notes |
Supervisors, directors, and representatives from Account Management and Acquisitions | 30 minutes on Thursdays |
| 18F Pipeline meeting To track and communicate incoming work, balance capacity and risk, and align chapter directors. , external,TTS-only, Agenda and notes |
18F Leadership Team, specific account managers as needed | 30-60 minutes on Tuesdays |
| 18F Chapter meetings To discuss chapter practices and administrative news. |
Individual contributors, supervisors, and directors | Various |
