Communication channels

Email

  • You should keep up to date with our email.

  • Aalto email is Microsoft which isn’t great, but that’s life.

  • If you get a login loop for Outlook web, this extension that rkdarst made can delete the relevant Web Outlook cookies automatically. (It’s kind of ridiculous that we have to go making these things…)

  • When setting up the Microsoft two-factor authentication, you can use configure a custom authenticator app (not the default phone app that needs some Microsoft stuff) get a QR code that works with any TOTP device/program. Then, for example, a web browser extension can do MFA instead of the main Microsoft app.

Zoom

  • This is our main synchronous communication method. It’s good to get used to it (and unfortunately install the desktop application…).

  • Our Zoom has a private data center somewhere in the Nordics (by NordUNet).

  • Log in to https://aalto.zoom.us (Aalto account) and you will get an Aalto zoom account and be able to configure it. Set your display name to [ASC] Your Name so users can know who is staff.

  • You will be added as a co-host to the Garage zoom meeting, and then you can control breakout rooms (if you are logged in). You can move yourself and others to different rooms.

  • Don’t click “End meeting” ever - everyone will be kicked out. Always click “Leave meeting” and transfer host to someone else if needed.

See also: Meetings for how we meet via Zoom.

Audio

This fits under “meetings” and “zoom” but is important enough to make it a separate section.

  • Audio quality is extremely important for our style of working. If you don’t have good audio quality, it affects others and the smoothness of the whole meetings. Good headphones also help your comfort.

  • Minimum standards would be: microphone in front of your mouth (boom mic on headset or desk) and not bluetooth (dedicated dongle and wire for latency).

  • Read the CodeRefinery instructor audio guide for details and recommendations.

  • Ask your supervisor how to buy headphones if you need them. (You aren’t expected to spend your own money, but are expected to have something good.) We have options.

Calendars

  • You have a personal calendar as part of the Outlook. This is the official “Aalto calendar system” and despite being Microsoft stuff, it very useful for everyone to be able to see everyone else’s free times.

  • You are expected to keep it reasonably up to date with appointments, so that people can know when your free times are.

  • Send calendar invites to keep people’s calendar in sync and make meetings explicit. Send them to customers to make meetings explicit. Etc.

  • We have a “Science-IT” calendar which you can add (see onboarding) which appears alongside your calendar. This is used for things which people should know about, but is not worth reserving a time in everyone’s calendar (since not everyone is expected to attend). You can open the event from the Science-IT calendar and send it to you, if you want it on yours.

Chat systems

  • We use Zulip chat. Its specialty is organizing information.

  • Official getting started guide

  • rkdarst’s hints on managing too much information in Zulip - a lot of practical advice on configuring Zulip for usability.

  • Chat is for short term topics. It is great for quick talks, but:

    • It’s short term and not everyone can follow everything.

    • If you need rapid talking, consider moving to the Garage zoom room to talk.

  • If something is important (everyone needs to know), there should be a mention in a weekly meeting (add a summary to an agenda document) .

  • Zulip topics allow you to follow what is most interesting to you.

  • Topics are very important, since it allows people to scan… topics… and see what to read. Try to make topics descriptive enough so that someone will know when they need to click.

  • You don’t need to follow everything unless you want. However, there are some important channels which you should always follow:

    • #science-it for everyone

    • #rse-internal for RSEs

    • #triton-admin for admins

    • Beyond that, follow what is relevant for your work. See the rkdarst blog post above for ideas on managing the effort.

  • If unreads get too long (for example after vacation), mark everything as read as read. Then you will see what stays active and you can scroll back of those topics to get caught up. You aren’t expected to follow-up on old chats after a break, but you should probably quickly browse the “inbox” and “recent topics” view.

  • Users can ask questions in the public channels in our chat. It’s good to answer but we don’t promise any guaranteed service level there.

  • Try to avoid private messages unless about a personal matter - it’s better to use our internal channels and good topics and allow everyone to learn from our questions.

Mailing lists

Profile pictures

It can be useful to have consistent profile pictures in our chat systems, to make it easy to tell who is communicating at a glance. This does not in any sense mean it should be a real picture of you, any distinct graphical representation can work. You can also choose to have no picture.

Consider synchronizing the following: Zulipchat, Github, Aalto Gitlab, Zoom, Outlook/Teams, etc.

rkdarst can take high-quality profile pictures if you ask. These can be taken and used for any purposes and do not necessarily have to become the pictures of chat, Github, etc. These pictures could be used for your personal sites, CVs, etc.

If you don’t want real pictures, some geometric shapes you make in a image editor, photo of any object, or online sites can make something. You could also download the best default auto-generated Gitlab/Github/Chat picture and use it for every other site.