Team Practices Group/Team Norms/IRC Norms

Team Practices Group Norms for IRC
Note that other teams (which TPG members work closely with) may have entirely different norms.

Recommended uses of IRC

 * Unessential chit-chat
 * Use the #wikimedia-teampractices channel
 * Trying to quickly get a hold of someone (not guaranteed to work)
 * If one person, favor direct messaging
 * If multiple people, use the #wikimedia-teampractices channel

Expected behavior

 * TPG members should try to be available on IRC during work hours
 * Nobody is expected to read general channel scrollback
 * If any substantive discussions happen in IRC (which they generally shouldn’t), then any decisions or interesting notes should be archived in email, wiki, or Phab

Risks/Drawbacks/Limitations

 * IRC statuses may not reflect reality
 * Not everyone will see offline alerts later (even if they have a bouncer)
 * If the recipient doesn’t respond, assume they didn’t see the message
 * The #wikimedia-teampractices channel is public and logged

Alternatives to IRC
Consider using one of these communication channels instead: This document was created in response to T106711
 * email:
 * for longer form please consider adding a TL;DR
 * subject line should be tagged to help responder to prioritize the request
 * is asynchronous
 * is archived in a very accessible way
 * Phab:
 * for logging work to track, preferably with requirements and definitions of DONE
 * Video chat/telephone/in person for urgent matters
 * sensitive topics where visual/audio cues can help de-escalate issues, prevent misunderstandings, etc
 * for in-depth synchronous discussion