Introduction
Synchronous meetings and real-time messages dominate many engineering teams, but they come at a cost: interruptions, fragmented focus, and inefficient collaboration. As teams become more distributed and remote, mastering asynchronous communication (async) is essential for maintaining productivity and inclusivity (Salihefendic, 2022).
As Amir Salihefendic, CEO of Doist, explains:
Async is the freedom to collaborate on our own timelines, not everyone else’s. It’s the power to protect our best hours for focus and flow.
This approach ensures that engineers can work more effectively without unnecessary distractions, improving deep work and reducing burnout.
What is Asynchronous Communication?
Async communication happens when people communicate without expecting an immediate response. Examples include:
- Documentation (e.g., Confluence, Notion)
- Pull request comments
- Emails and Slack messages with thoughtful responses
- Recorded video updates
- Issue tracking in Jira or Linear
This contrasts with synchronous communication, which happens in real-time (e.g., meetings, Huddles, Zoom calls).
Why Engineering Teams Should Prioritise Async Communication
Async communication reduces distractions and enhances productivity (Fried, 2010). Here’s why it’s critical for engineering teams:
- Reduces Interruptions & Context Switching – Engineers need uninterrupted deep work to solve complex problems (Newport, 2016).
- Supports Distributed, Remote and Hybrid Teams – Async allows team members across time zones to contribute meaningfully.
- Encourages Thoughtful Responses – Well-crafted async messages lead to higher-quality discussions.
- Creates a Knowledge Base – Async communication leaves a written record for future reference.
As Jason Fried, co-founder of Basecamp, puts it:
Interruption is the enemy of productivity. The ability to focus for long periods is a superpower.
Async communication enables engineers to harness this effectively.
Best Practices for Effective Async Communication
1. Write Clearly and Concisely
Poorly written async messages create confusion, leading to more back-and-forth communication. Clear writing reduces misunderstandings and increases efficiency.
2. Use Documentation Instead of Repeating Yourself
Maintaining a centralized knowledge base (e.g., Notion, Confluence) prevents answering the same questions repeatedly. This is especially useful for onboarding new team members.
3. Set Expectations on Response Times
Async doesn’t mean instant—define norms for how quickly messages should be answered to avoid frustration and misalignment.
4. Use Video or Voice When Needed
Some things are hard to explain in text—record a quick Loom video instead of scheduling an unnecessary meeting.
5. Default to Public Channels
Reduce silos by sharing information in public threads rather than private DMs. This ensures transparency and knowledge sharing.
Conclusion
Async communication is a game-changer for engineering teams, improving focus, collaboration, and efficiency. By reducing unnecessary meetings, writing clearly, and documenting decisions, teams can work smarter—no matter where they are (Newport, 2016).
As Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, emphasizes:
Efforts to deepen your focus will struggle if you don’t simultaneously wean your mind from a dependence on distraction.
Async workflows create an environment where deep work and focus thrive, making teams more productive and effective.
references
- Fried, Jason. Rework. Crown Business, 2010.
- Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016.
- Salihefendic, Amir. Async: The Future of Work. Doist, 2022.
- Twist Team. Why Async? Discover a Better Way to Work Together. Twist, Doist Inc. Retrieved from https://twist.com/async.
