An open SIG
| Status | Driver | Approver | Contributors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementing | Qin Guan | NA | Qin Guan |
Situation
I find knowledge sharing in Overflow is lacking. A lot of processes, tips, SOPs, etc. are not documented down. Even if they are, it's in an obscure part in a Google Driver folder no one touches, or 123123 messages up in a WhatsApp chat.
Background
Currently, the way of documenting anything in Overflow is to chuck it somewhere in a Drive folder. This is the simplest and most convenient way to go about things, but perhaps not the best.
Assessment
There is no standard way of knowledge sharing, at best it would be condensed into a document, at worse it's in someones head.
From a continuity standpoint, this is not great. Any knowledge gained simply goes with the Overflow EXCO member when they step down, and the next generation has little to gain. With obscure documents hidden everywhere in storage, many points are repeated across years.
Recommendation
A simple, and well organized repository that makes information accessible to everyone. It is heavily inspired by the Handbook that GitLab created.
GitLab is a fully remote company, and has had great success working remotely.
At GitLab, they saw some benefits listed here, or in the list below for the ones relevant to us:
- Reading is much faster than listening
- Reading is async, you don't have to interrupt someone or wait for them to become available
- Retention is better if people know what they are getting into before they join
- On-boarding is easier if you can find all relevant information spelled out
- Teamwork is easier if you can read how other parts of the organization work
- Everyone can contribute to it
Created: August 23, 2024