☎ protocol: CALLS
< DRAFT+ >
Revisions:
20190730 draft
20190914 add <d
20190921 cleanup
20190921 overview +lies during call
20200722 first working call after L leaves cht7bf
20210209 D+L "retry using this" →D
20210228 quick ping
Ties to:
* XXX🔗calls #TOMERGE !!!!!!
* 🔗postchatter — we don't like chats
* [...]
Table of Contents
*** PROTOCOLS
* Initiation and Regularity
Is call initiated?:
Do you have an agreed Initiation Style?:
→Skip.
(graph)
[!!!] Remove non-initiation parts from graph
You have INITIATOR(A) and RECEIVER(B).
(call initiation styles)
A) Just call me anytime ← BEST
Call me anytime on GSM, we can move to another channel.
Proposed channels are ___.
B) Call via shared availability slots:
For busy people, this should be more common, published on personal website.
Can be a calendar with open call slots, or the reverse pattern, a fully published calendar ("busy slots").
Example:
"I am free ___ ("afternoons 3-7PM every day)"
C) Schedule a call ("Let's talk at XY")
But, this sucks, if you're not sitting in an office.
For some, a "Is this specific office-time slot good for you?" is more meaningless and complicated than it might seem to you.
Responses:
a) --"OK, might work 70%"
b) --"I will be there for sure, because it's urgent"
c) --"I will be there for sure, because I generally have nothing to do"
(patterns)
* Establish interest (or obligation) to do it !
"hey, wanna talk sometime next week?"
-- yes !
* Call for real, or fuck off:
you give somebody a number
→ you MUST be able to give them a Short Call in so called Reasonable Time
if not:
→ just stop pretending you want to call & tell them to fuck off
* Reasonable Regularity:
* 3 days? 1 week?
* depends on urgency the initiator gives to call!
-------
* ESTABLISH: during Pre-prep?
* CONFIRM: during Call
* Good agendas make for short calls:
Short Calls MUST have a pre-defined agenda
* Repeat unanswered calls to show urgency:
(already a commonly recognized way)
* "Ping-pong" when returning calls:
A calls, B doesn't answer → B calls back
* Switch call initiation:
A calls week 1, B calls week 2
* When to call?:
A) anytime !
B) base on approximate regularity
C) base on commonly understood SCHEDULE / SCHEDULE FRAME
D) call more regularly if you think things need to move:
(because they are not)
(this might feel counter-intuitive)
* Pause 2 hours before retrying:
when to call back, or expect being called back?:
maybe in an hour or two
* Don't message about calls:
Never "when can i call you" message me!
EXCEPT IF ... / IN THE FORM OF ...
* Set a regularity expectation:
"~1/month"
* Deal with broken regularity:
1) try impromptu (3x)
2) try scheduling (3x)
3) re-set regularity expectation
* Maintain responsibility for regularity:
Whose "fault" is it, if calls are not made?
How bad is this?
Should there be a baseline for different levels of collaboration?:
→ YES
people working together see eachother every day, have regular meetings, etc. we should be at least as good as X.
* Wednesday pong & "short week":
If we talk (i "pinged") on wednesday
It's best you pong on monday or tuesday
Calling wednesday should be a "last resort", OR a "clear" message we should downgrade connection
* Correct Tools & Workflow
Apologize and inform in advance if something from this is missing!
:
* Use earplugs (headphones) with mic !!
* Don't do it in external noise situation (except if urgent & agreed!)
* Minimize to correct earphone volume on phone:
(to not get headaches over it)
* Call channels:
* FIRST use GSM to engage and establish the connection
* KEEP GSM, if you have free minutes
* OTHERWISE use:
1) telegram ON PHONE
2) whatsapp ON PHONE
3) ###:
* Pick best data channel:
4G often works better than Wifi !
You need to experiment and know this in advance (for all locations where you might telephone!)
* Establish recording policy:
a) Yes
b) We agree & assume that no
______________
Tools ###:
android call recorder
*** AGENDA BITS
Recomposing & shuffling different agenda bits / patterns / modules.
* regular updates
Outside main project:
* what have you been up to, where do you find yourself
* what's new on work on other (non-CHT) projects
Inside main project:
* news from outside
* new tasks
* brief reports
* [...] ###
* overview general works & todos
Go to regular todo docs.
always / often:
* 🔗works
* XXX🔗todos
* 🔗todos
* [...]
also / sometimes:
* XXX🔗agenda — mid-term plans
* [...]
* ping personal work index
### [→] move this somewhere else
aka "main (personal) work pad"
:
* "level zero" TOC overview:
aka "make sure TOC is not totally fucked"
* check "[C" tasks
* [...] ###
* overview / salvage old calls
Check 1-3 previous call logs.
* pick random task → just do it
Just do it !
(especially from 🔗works)
* editorial on specific pad
###
* presto reading and improving pads
Pick a random pad and push it.
Or, something we haven't touched in a while
Usually PD→D.
A) via 🔗oversee
B) via personal indexes
C) ###
* push the pod
Use auto tools! :
* find "!!!!!!" and "??????" tasks
* overview NOW points
* work reporting
Check:
* dated logs
* pad indexes
( HOW TO PICK BITS )
Curating agenda.
* Essential:
"We must always push 2 or 3 pads."
* Cycles:
"We haven't done Works in a while"
* Shuffle:
"Throw a dice! Oh no, it's salvaging time!"
( GOOD PRACTICES )
* FAST SKIPPING
Do the more regular partss really fast.
Like, all tasks — just run through them!
This could produce imprints.
* EXECUTE > PLAN
Don't spend more time on planning than on doing!
"Does it make sense to keep re-reading the tasks?"
* AGENDA FOR NEW COLLABORATORS
Either:
A) pre-write an agenda & pre-share the link in a pad
B) just improvise it (assembled as point #0)
*** ¶¶ META-AGENDA
PART -1: PRE-PREP
* The agenda !
* Create day pad
* apply the theme:
###
* replicate meta-agenda
* check the last one (or few!) and refer to those points !
PART 0: HELLO
* (Sound check)
* (Finish what you're working on)
(outside of the call, like eating, writing something, etc)
* (Chat what's up)
* (Establish time constraints)
* Decide on approx time interval (length):
* "short" ~20min
* "optimum" ~1-2h
* "marathon" ~4h
PART 1: AGENDA SETTING
Start with an "off-the-cuff" agenda reflection.
* brainstorm agenda
* take a short break:
* independent review of agenda
* review
* "break out" parts (=B+U)
* make quick remarks
* ... and try to form "fragments" like pieces:
(sometimes even already making them DONE)
* reprioretize current agenda:
each suggests (ping-pong) style:
* re-sorting points of order
* ... either as:
A) "ANARCHIST":
move stuff yourself to appropriate position in agenda
B) "ORDERLY":
suggestions to a Single Editor Person
_____________________
Stuff that typical gets priority:
* time-critical shit !!
* cleaning up, merging fragments, etc
* [...]
PART 2: →MAIN WORK←
* Do note-taking !
* decide on place to make notes:
a) daily pad !:
b) inter-personal pad
* make notes!:
(using 🔗workflow-ethering)
* "one person talks, other makes notes" !!
* Perform pre-written agenda
* Perform "bits"
↓ BITS
PART 3: WRAP UP
* Do a full-pass
(of the pad)
* Discuss next call
(timing, expectations, etc)
* Establish/repeat "urgent todos for right now"
(even though they're also written down etc)
PART 4 : POST CALL
* Add to index
* Clean up & cut up / "salvage" the pad
1) Mark down the fragments, fold the TOC
2) Move:
* to topic pads
* to todos (or Just Do It)
* Shape agenda for next time:
Keep & continue a common agenda!
* overview it every time
* respect now-point
* →→→ PRE-PREP
______________
(UNSORTED)
* do several quick passes
* skip stuff
* designate symbols for call parts:
did we finish with this?
do we need to return to it?
is it useful info?
____________________________________
... standard fragment symbols?
* return to previous calls
* [...]
<---------------------------- (new)
*** CUES
Also see 🔗cues.
* "What's going on?"
* "I'll be there in 1min":
see 🔗time
* "UH-HUH" (nods)
Give regular "nods" throughout the call.
* "uh-huh" so to clearly affirm you are there, on the right line, etc
* "i see" : i'm on the right line in a pad.... (= just wiggle your cursor!)
* ###
* "CONTEXT CHECK!"
"is context ok?"
(if there are weird sounds around, etc)
* "TEST!"
In bad connection, when switching microphones, etc.
"test test test"
-- "OK".
* "THIS IS TERRIBLE!"
Change equipment.
Re-establish the call.
*** PAD
[!] workflow/tools -- we need screen-sharing #workflow !!!
* would be faster for many tasks we are doing
* perhaps two-sided would be best !!!
_________
A) jitsi works (but ... not secure ... in a way?!)
B) dedicated app ???:
anything free, but cross-platform?:
just ... VNC i guess?
[!↑] good meetings resources
https://meetingexpectations.surge.sh/#/20
<dmytri
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