How Asynchronous Communication Affects Software Companies

Asynchronous communication is any communication that doesn’t happen in real-time and works effectively without all parties participating at the same time. Team members can receive and respond to content when their schedules permit. Asynchronous communication gives parties more time to collect information, resources, thoughts, and opinions before responding to any questions or concerns or presenting ideas. Having more time to craft an accurate message that’s mistake-free leaves less room for error and more time for catching potential mistakes or miscommunications.

5G has become more widespread in 2020, bringing greater speeds and lower latency than 4G. It uses higher radio frequencies that allow for higher and faster data transmission, which can be applied to remote surgery, Internet-of-Things adoption, and real-time communication. One of the key ingredients to the functionality of 5G is edge computing. EnderTech explains edge computing as bringing the computing resources closer to the devices in need, such as mobile devices, by moving the servers closer. Servers and applications have custom, individual codes and logic that have to be run to make decisions and perform data analysis. An edge computing service provider then functions as a customizable CDN by running an application’s custom code on their servers.

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How can teams communicate asynchronously?

Asynchronous communications leverage all the perks of the online environment without trying to replicate in-person communication. Remote teams have been relying on collaboration tools throughout COVID-19 to communicate effectively. Remote workers can hold daily meetings with Standuply, keep track of deadlines and meetings with Google Calendar, share and review code with GitHub, manage development integration and deployment activities with CircleCl, and send instant messages on Slack.

Event-driven architecture (EDA) is software that allows an organization to detect events and act on them in real-time or near real-time. Events are recorded as they happen from data sources such as the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, applications, and networks. EDA is a type of asynchronous communication that replaces the traditional request-response architecture that required services to wait for a reply before moving to the next task. EDA follows a flow of events and is designed to respond and carry out an action in response to an event. EDA offers improved scalability, improved operational efficiency, increased agility, and greater versatility.

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How to Create Better Asynchronous Communication With Your Team

Create and communicate clear processes.

Better asynchronous communication means creating clear communication processes that team members understand. Depending on how many remote workers you have, document the communication processes in a centralized location that team members can access on-demand. This will reduce the stress of communication and the chance of misunderstanding or miscommunication information.

 

Define what’s urgent.

Make sure your team members are clear about the difference between urgent and virtual communications. Instant messaging tools, such as Slack, can make all communications seem urgent, which can be stressful for workers. Establish guidelines that clearly define what an urgent message is and how to flag it. Make sure team members know how to turn off notifications for non-direct messages or how to set after-hours do not disturb mode.

 

Use the right words.

Instant messaging tools are ideal for short communications, whereas email is ideal for more complicated communication. Instant messaging tools increase the likelihood that you’re misunderstood or misinterpreted, which increases the volume of back and forth messages. Help your remote workers by using the right words to clearly and properly express yourself before sending a message. This will reduce confusion, help you craft a more thoughtful response, reduce how many messages you send, and help send more efficient updates.

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The Shortcomings of Asynchronous Communication

The problem with asynchronous communication is that if you need an immediate response, you might miss a deadline. It’s not an effective form of communication in times of crisis or tight deadlines. This type of communication can be less engaging or personal than synchronous communication. An email doesn’t have the same personal touch as a phone call or in-person conversation. You can create more engaging communications by making short videos that are enthusiastic without overdoing it on production value.

Choosing the best form of communication for your remote team depends on the nature and urgency of your message. An asynchronous message can be tended to on a team member’s own schedule, which is okay so long as you don’t need an immediate response. This type of communication is integral to keeping remote teams connected across time zones.

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