Get Started with Async: Recent Episodes
Pilar Orti and Simon Wilson
In this first informal conversation, your tutors Pilar and Simon talk about their own experience with online collaboration, why they decided to create this course, how individuals warm up to asynchronous communication differently and one thing you must be clear about before starting the course.
We're kicking off the course, with a deceptively simple question: what is asynchronous communication?
In this module we cover:
- Examples of asynchronous communication
- Benefits and downsides of communicating in this way.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NwkmGXu6qyYQwRPFbxUMNpbMZSVQL-o1/view?usp=sharing
Sometimes it's helpful to know what good asynchronous communication looks like in a team.
This short piece introduces our fictional team, led by Jess.
In this first part of the module, we cover:
- Embracing an asynchronous mindset
- The need for psychological safety and
- Adopting facilitative leadership
Link to text full module:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1McgRZMIf58UKtU6_6UI3LLApJRBDhOXC/view?usp=sharing
This part covers:
- Balancing synchronous and asynchronous communication and defining boundaries
- Team readiness
Link to text full module:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1McgRZMIf58UKtU6_6UI3LLApJRBDhOXC/view?usp=sharing
In this module we cover the different types of conversation and how you plan and manage them asynchronously.
We’ll look at how you can categorise conversations in three ways -
- Day to day or outcome focused conversations
- One to one or one to many conversations
- Short exchanges or long exchanges.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zl-Jfpdz2pWGYlqZ3xAfLGclZWzIVumg/view?usp=sharing
In this conversation, Simon and Pilar talk about how to build psychological safety in our team, to make way for asynchronous interactions.
We’re going to cover:
- The need to be disciplined with your communication
- We’ll have an example of what collaboration might look like when you adopt an asynchronous mindset
-Visualising your task progress - How to use check-ins and deadlines and
What to do when things start falling apart
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12seuNPg_7S5JczEAQ9FV8REKFVdyJHJQ/view?usp=sharing
Asynchronous communication is hard... but it's worth it.
Simon and Pilar talk about their own experience of working on creating this course, mainly asynchronously. It was the first time they worked together in this way and have learned a lot about the nature of asynchronous collaboration, the reality and flexibility of a team agreement, and about themselves. (Bonus: how asynchronous communication allows for spontaneity in the online space.)
In this first unit we’re going to cover:
- How to prepare for decision making
- Thinking about the balance of synchronous and asynchronous activities in decision making
- And how to facilitate decision making in your team
Link to text (parts 1 + 2)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SRFrlWhywFUtN5jTId88yGcVAqjgNH4n/view?usp=sharing
In this unit we introduce two ways of making decisions asynchronously.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SRFrlWhywFUtN5jTId88yGcVAqjgNH4n/view?usp=sharing
We’re going to cover:
- The different types of knowledge your team generates day to day
- How to set up your online ecosystem to help you capture knowledge
- What we mean by “documentation” and why it’s important
- And finally, how to make knowledge capture a habit in your team.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SZyPIP8VoQXEhlTa8A3dd03kk_hXvgCr/view?usp=sharing
We cover:
- What to do before calling a meeting
- Advantages and disadvantages of both meetings and asynchronous interactions
- How to integrate meetings and asynchronous interactions in an overall process flow
- Your role as a facilitative leader in getting the process right.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13DBgy-kQdU5LWH4G9uQrZhBPhsbtQ6zm/view?usp=sharing
In this module, we go through the different kinds of online platforms that you can use to communicate in your team, and the kind of agreements you’ll need to have in your team, to make the most out of technology.
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11gFWlCJ1wXGgQcvMlVvjx_pv8Fi9qiUQ/view?usp=sharing
In this conversation, Simon and Pilar discuss the challenges of working with teams in other organisations. It needs a different approach to that which you take in your team. And even if your only collaboration tools end up being email and meetings, you can still adopt the asynchronous mindset to make the most out of the situation!
Welcome to the last module, where we’re going to share some of the things to look out for in the future, as you implement asynchronous communication in your team.
We cover:
- Reverting to "being seen"
- Growing "async antennae"
- Looking after your wellbeing
- Looking after your ecosystem and team
- Psychological safety
Link to text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ij3frbrmEiZAnVPg3-Pwp1KUGSuBaw3T/view?usp=sharing