Protocol : For Communication + Note Exchange

This is a sample protocol document that we used to recognized different types of communication. Even though it looks too detailed, the document faded into the background over time and the behaviour stayed with us.

This protocol helped us to differentiate between various types and communications. We differentiated between a note exchange, a discussion, a meeting, a presentation, a workshop and a conference. We even had mini versions of workshops called plug-in workshops to accomodate those informal impromptu communication sesions.

NOTE
What is a Note?
· An informal, objective project information-exchange between two team members.
· A note is not written if the other team member is physically present.
· This would consume not more than five minutes of the team members' time. It is the equivalent of a real-world short conversation between two people.

Project Procedures
How is a Note exchanged and between whom?
A NOTE is exchanged as a simple e-mail message or Chat.
It is exchanged between any two employees.

Team Directives
Properties of a Note
· The Note sent by email shall have a subject and shall follow this format if sent via email.
COMPANY Project Code + Unit Name + Task name
For Example: SA + Library + QA Implementation

Who shall you CC it to and who shall you not CC it to?
· The Note shall be exchanged between two people only. A copy [of an intra assignment note] could be marked to other team members for information purposes.
· A Project Note should not be marked to the people other than the one who it is sent to unless a direct response from them is solicited.

Inter-Assignment NOTE
Inter-Assignment NOTES are exchanged across assignments and usually between assignment leads. Any such Note falls under one of the following Category.

Types of NOTES
· Status Information · A Query · Response to Query