Communication Channels
VSHN has well-defined communication channels. This page explains the rules and the expected reaction times for each one of them. Some channels are good for short- and some for long-lived discussions; some are mandatory for all VSHNeers to participate in.
Regarding confidentiality, please refer to the ISMS - Richtlinie zur Klassifizierung von Informationen wiki page, which is the source of truth on what information we’re allowed to distribute over which channel.
In case of an emergency, have a look at Emergency Communication Channels.
Please don’t introduce new communication channels without a decision in the accountable Team or Work Group. |
Written Channels
VSHN Chat
Please check the "Chat Channels" page for more information about the names of important communication channels we use every day. |
- Functionality
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Direct messages to VSHNeers and partners (when invited)
Channel messages for VSHN internal and with partners.
- Information Lifetime
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Less than 8 hours
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Bad search experience.
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No guaranteed history availability.
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- Used for
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Daily written internal communication.
Efficient communication with partners when ticket is too inefficient.
- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
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Direct messages or mentions: ~4h during logged attendance time.
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Channel messages: best effort.
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Customer contacting VSHN: best-effort, no guaranteed answer (if urgent customer uses phone or ticket)
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- Mandatory for VSHNeers
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Yes, during logged attendance time.
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Be online.
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Or offline but check every few hours.
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Please make yourself familiar with the No Hello rule: "Please Don’t Say Just Hello In Chat." |
VSHN Announcements Channel
- Functionality
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VSHN wide announcements important to know for every VSHNeer in the #announcements channel.
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Moderated - Not everyone can post messages. No discussions allowed.
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Channel in VSHN Chat #announcements.
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- Information Lifetime
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Up to a year
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Searchable.
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- Used for
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Announcements which are mandatory to be read by every VSHNeer.
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Catch-up after Holidays or longer absences.
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- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
No response expected, it’s a one-way communication.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
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Yes, during logged attendance time.
VSHN Discussion Forum
- Functionality
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Long-lasting discussions
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- Information Lifetime
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Up to a year
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Searchable.
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- Used for
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Discussions lasting longer than just a few hours.
-
- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Only response expected from people participating in a discussion.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
No.
Ticket
- Functionality
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Mention VSHNeers in comments.
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Comments can be sent to customers.
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Customer E-Mail replies added as comments.
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- Information Lifetime
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The scope of the ticket
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Searchable.
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History with timeline.
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- Used for
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Discussion about a specific task.
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Customer orders and changes.
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Incidents.
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- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
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VSHN internal: ~4h.
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Triage: 15m.
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Assigned tickets depending on priority: 1-4h.
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- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Yes, during logged attendance time.
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React on notifications, check every few hours.
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Keep your tickets updated.
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VSHN E-Mail
- Functionality
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-
Encrypted or unencrypted.
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Internal or External communication.
-
- Information Lifetime
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A few days to a week
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For personal use only.
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Searchable.
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- Used for
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Customer and Partner communication which doesn’t fit into tickets.
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Sales, High Level Project Management.
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VSHN wide announcements.
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- Information Classification Level (Unencrypted)
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Public, Entitled
- Information Classification Level (PGP encrypted)
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Confidential
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
-
Next business- or working day, use vacation responder when away.
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Can depend on role (for example Sales or Project Managers have other rules here)
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- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Yes, during logged attendance time.
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Watch for new mails every few hours.
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Threema
- Functionality
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Direct messages to VSHNeers.
-
Private use.
-
VSHN channels.
-
- Information Lifetime
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Less than 8 hours
-
Bad search experience.
-
No guaranteed history availability.
-
- Used for
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Getting help (best-effort) out of office hours.
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Dedicated emergency channel should our VSHN Chat be unavailable.
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Private communication between VSHNeers.
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- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Best-effort.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Yes, during logged attendance time or when on-call (VSHN Tech channel only).
- Available Groups
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VSHN: Chit-chat channel for all VSHNeers (can be muted). Admin: Aarno Aukia
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VSHN Tech: Emergency tech channel. Admin: Tobias Brunner
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Threema IDs should be scanned by every VSHNeer from every VSHNeer. |
Wiki Page Comments / Git Merge Request Comments
- Functionality
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Collaboration on documentation or code, also with partners.
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Discussions in comments.
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- Information Lifetime
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Less than a year
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Can be deleted over time.
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- Used for
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Long-living discussions on a specific topic (for example RFC on a process or design draft, or on code)
- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Best-effort.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
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Yes, be able to search, view and edit documentation / code.
APPUiO Community Chat
- Functionality
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APPUiO customer support best-effort.
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Direct or channel chats with Puzzle.
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- Information Lifetime
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Less than 8 hours
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Not really searchable.
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No guaranteed history availability.
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- Used for
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Free best-effort APPUiO customer support (better use tickets)
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Written efficient communication with Puzzle.
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- Information Classification Level
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Public
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Best-effort.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
No.
VSHN Status Page
- Functionality
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Inform all subscribers.
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Show status for components.
-
- Information Lifetime
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Up to a month
-
No guaranteed history availability.
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- Used for
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Announcing planned work, maintenance window and planned or unplanned service interrupts.
- Information Classification Level
-
Public
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
-
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
No.
APPUiO Status Page
- Functionality
-
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Inform all subscribers.
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Show status for components.
-
- Information Lifetime
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Up to a month
-
No guaranteed history availability.
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- Used for
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Announcing planned work, maintenance window and planned or unplanned service interrupts.
- Information Classification Level
-
Public
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
-
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
No.
Customer specific chat (for example Slack)
- Functionality
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Allows efficient communication with the partner (customer)
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Customer can have a lot of users there where we might only need few users to join.
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Besides that, similar to our chat.
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- Information Lifetime
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Less than 8 hours
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Not really searchable.
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No guaranteed history availability.
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- Used for
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Efficient communication with partners when ticket is too inefficient.
- Information Classification Level
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Public
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Best-effort.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
No
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Partners know that this is best-effort.
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In urgent cases ticket or phone are the correct channels.
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For communicating with a customer in his Slack channel f.e. during an incident, there is usually a generic account available in the VSHN password manager.
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In-Person Channels
Make sure to document the outcome of any in-person meeting! |
Talk
- Functionality
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Efficient and personal.
- Information Lifetime
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Up to an hour
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Except what’s written down.
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- Used for
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Getting help, discussing things.
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Getting to know a person.
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- Information Classification Level
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Internal
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Depends on involved parties.
-
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Synchronous, instant.
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Be open to talk and friendly when someone approaches you.
Phone calls
- Functionality
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Efficient and personal.
- Information Lifetime
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Up to an hour
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Except what’s written down.
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- Used for
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See "Talk."
- Information Classification Level
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Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
-
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
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-
- Forward calls
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For external calls: Telefon extern verbinden
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For internal calls: Telefon intern verbinden
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More information about phone calls can be found in the Zoom Phone and How to Answer Phone Calls pages. |
Internal Education
- Functionality
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Spread knowledge and create awareness
- Information Lifetime
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Up to a month
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Except if it’s based on a Wiki or Handbook Topic.
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- Used For
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Creating awareness for new processes and technologies
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Refresh awareness on existing processes and technologies
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Spread knowledge about technologies, processes workflows and tools.
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Introdion in to topics.
-
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Some are.
Meetings
- Functionality
-
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Efficient when moderated or limited number of attendees.
-
Please refer to the Meetings section of this handbook.
-
- Information Lifetime
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Up to two hours
-
See "Talk."
-
Please take notes.
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- Used for
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Brainstorming.
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Getting everyone on the same page.
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Meeting partners.
-
- Information Classification Level
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Internal
-
See "Talk."
-
When not using unsafe remote conferencing tools.
-
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Synchronous, instant
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Yes
-
When meeting invites are accepted.
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Meetings marked as mandatory.
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Audio / Video Conference
- Functionality
-
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Official tool in VSHN is Zoom.
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Remote audio and video calls.
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Screen sharing for collaboration and presentations.
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More details are documented in the Videoconferencing Guidelines page in this handbook, and in the wiki.
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- Challenges
-
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Usually only usable with 3–4 participants.
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Without (good) video: Missing out on non-verbal communication: facial expressions like smiling/frowning.
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A (working) headset is required to participate. Plain old voice calls (no Internet): Usually bad experience due to low bandwidth combined with cheap headphones beeing used by participants.
-
- Information Lifetime
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Up to two hours
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Except when recorded
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Not searchable
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Not guaranteed
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See "Meetings"
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- Used for
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Same as Meetings, same rules apply
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Only when In-Person meetings aren’t possible.
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Dial into broken video conferencing tools (Skype for Business, etc)
-
- Information Classification Level
-
Internal
- Expected response time of VSHNeers
-
Synchronous, instant
- Mandatory for VSHNeers
-
Yes
-
When invited to a Zoom meeting, prepare yourself, test the tool beforehand, and be ready to use it.
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When no other option is available.
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