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# Issue trackers
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[GitLab](https://git.sinergise.com/), [Trello](https://trello.com/) and [RT](https://rt.sinergise.com/) are our systems for tracking pending, in progress and complete tasks.
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The choice of the system primarily depends on the team.
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GitLab should be the default choice, RT has an obsolete UX and is therefore unpopular, we sometimes use Trello under their free plan, which has some limitations.
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- Tickets (_or cards or issues_) owned by (_assigned to_) you, should generally represent your to-do list. Priority of the tickets should be decided by the team or a product owner.
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- If you've received a task, but no ticket, ask for a ticket if more explanation is required from the requestor, otherwise create a ticket yourself and include the requestor.
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- If a ticket is too general or describes a long-term task, break down the task into smaller tickets.
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- If a ticket relates to a specific enumerated requirement (such as from SW specifications), add the requirement number to the ticket subject.
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- Give regular feedback on assigned tickets; ask for further explanation, update progress, resolve or reassign the ticket when done with the task.
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- Before resolving a task, be diligent; carefully go over the entire ticket and make sure that everything has been completed and tested (if applicable).
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- The issue tracker is usually the communication channel of choice if you want something to happen, a pending ticket is harder to miss than direct chat or an email and contains more context.
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- Some ticketing systems have estimates and time tracking features, but we generally don't use those features as we find that the tasks of estimating and time tracking bring more pain to employees than they bring benefits to the management.
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- All communication in the ticketing systems should be in English; ticket reports are sometimes used to compile release notes or similar documents, a non-Slovene speaking member might need to reference a ticket, etc.
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- At least the ticket subject must be in English.
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# Mantis (helpdesk)
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[Mantis](https://helpdesk.sinergise.com/) is our client facing issue tracker or helpdesk.
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- On some projects it is integrated with RT, it will create a corresponding ticket in the RT and forward all the communication to that ticket.
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- Mantis time tracking feature is used on maintenance or support projects billed by the hour.
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- The choice of language used depends on the client, usually Slovene for Slovenian clients and English for all other clients.
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# Mattermost
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[Mattermost](https://mattermost.com) is our synchronous team communication channel.
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- Chat messages (even direct and mentions) are easy to overlook on a busy day. If you don't receive an answer, try asynchronous channels (email or a ticketing system).
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- All communication on company wide public channels should generally be in English (Town square, Off-topic, Events…). On other channels it depends on the members.
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- You are welcome to join any public channel that interests you.
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- Keep communication on public channels in-line with the channel's purpose. Do not troll!
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- Try to keep the use of keywords that mention the whole channel to a minimum. They should only be used for pings that are both urgent and important, not just important. By overusing channel mentions you make it harder to respond to personal mentions in a timely manner since people get pinged too frequently. If something is urgent and important:
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- use _@here_ to notify all currently active members in the channel.
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- use _@channel_ to notify ALL members in the channel, irrespective of away status.
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# Email
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Email is our main asynchronous communication channel.
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- Ticketing systems and Mantis send notifications on tracked issues.
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- RT is integrated both ways and supports [email commands](http://search.cpan.org/~falcone/RT-Extension-CommandByMail-0.16/lib/RT/Interface/Email/Filter/TakeAction.pm#COMMANDS)
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- Mattermost can be configured to send notifications on direct chats and mentions, but it might be too noisy.
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- It is recommended that you don't delete your emails, as it is often useful to search emails for references or recalling.
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- Some of us find a variant of zero inbox method to work quite well when dealing with lots of emails to avoid missing important emails:
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- leave only emails that you need to deal with in your inbox,
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- archive an email once you deal with it,
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- if you receive a non-urgent task by email, convert it to a ticket, archive the email and deal with the ticket later.
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- You can use either a desktop or a [web client](https://webmail.sinergise.com/).
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- You can subscribe to internal mailing lists on sympa;
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- you should be at least subscribed to sinergise@lists.sinergise.com list, which is usually already done by the IT.
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# In Person
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In person communication is usually the most effective channel and should be encouraged. But if the colleague you want to talk to, closed their office doors and is wearing headphones, please think twice before interrupting them at that moment. Maybe a [rubber duck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging) can help in the meantime? |
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\ No newline at end of file |