At Slack, we’ve developed a strategy to avoid overthinking and get directly into concrete ideas, a product principle we call “Prototype the Path.” It means that the best way of finding the best solution to a problem is by prototyping multiple approaches with the expectation that you’ll have to shift gears quickly as you work. Individual teams will inevitably have unique ways of working, and focusing too much on abstract discussions can chip away at the group’s overall momentum. Of course, coming together as two teams can also be potentially disruptive. Dependencies are made obvious and proposed solutions are more holistic from the start.

Not only does it prevent us from shipping our org chart, most importantly, it allows us to be more efficient in editing and testing product changes. The power that comes from solving challenges like this collectively, across silos, cannot be overstated. Rather than staying focused within our distinct surface areas, our teams came together to make these improvements as a single team with a shared goal. Prototyping the path to a cohesive solutionĪs it often happens, while this problem seems simple from a user perspective, it would involve two entirely different teams at Slack to solve: the Information Architecture and the Files teams. We wanted to build a better way for users to access information once it was uploaded to Slack. Searching for a file in Slack is possible, but success depends on being able to recall information about that file - where it was shared, or by whom. The most recent message ends up feeling like the most important one, even if documents you shared a few hours (or days!) ago are still relevant. The ability to quickly cross-reference information in files to resolve issues, answer a question or make a group decision is key to making communication in Slack.Īnd yet, the fact that most information in Slack is recorded chronologically makes it highly susceptible to the flow of channel conversations.

Think about how often you find yourself opening a doc or PDF or a spreadsheet to get your job done. It’s a constant stream of conversation that keeps everyone on the same page.īut plenty of important information in Slack exists in formats other than messages. Channels are where work happens: It’s where teams exchange ideas, get feedback, and share files. Slack is primarily designed for team communication in channels.

Slack pinned messages