“Async First” means we always try to default to asynchronous options.

It’s more inclusive to working styles, and work locations. It lets people take time off with less disruption to colleagues and the company. That includes vacation as well as “taking the afternoon off because a friend just came into town.” It encourages action over waiting for permission. And, it’s a necessary element of remote work. Without the other, neither is a good experience.

Preston Wickersham explains async work as:

"Asynchronous work is a simple concept: Do as much as you can with what you have, document everything, transfer ownership of the project to the next person, then start working on something else.”

That sums it up pretty well.

We always ask:

“Could we do this asynchronously?” (Do we have to call about this?)

“How would I do this if I wasn’t here to explain this later?” (The reality is, you probably won’t be there to explain it. We want people in other time zones—as well as future employees—to be able to understand what you said and use it to act.)

“Could I act on this instead of waiting?” (Most decisions and actions can be undone, anyways. Waiting is more disruptive to progress, overall.)

“What will the next person need?” (Give them the context around what you’re doing. Make it so somebody else could do what you do, if they just spend some time reading.)

Working asynchronously is an investment up front, but once everything is set up, we can work around the clock, across many people, without losing a beat.

<aside> 📖 Related Reading: Asynchronous Work Principles, Remote Work Principles,

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