Communication

The Turing Way recommends documenting communication pathways so contributors know where to ask questions, share updates, and record decisions.

Why document communication?

  • Clear communication channels reduce confusion and duplicate conversations.
  • Public, searchable discussions make it easier for new contributors to understand previous decisions.
  • Documented expectations help maintain respectful, inclusive, and timely collaboration.

What should be documented?

  • The main audiences for the project, such as maintainers, contributors, reviewers, and external users.
  • The purpose of each channel, for example README.md for orientation, GitHub Issues for work, Discussions for questions, and SECURITY.md for private vulnerability reports.
  • Response expectations, meeting cadence, and where agendas or notes are stored.
  • How important decisions move from chats or meetings into permanent records in the repository.

How should you document it?

  1. Choose a small set of official channels and state the purpose of each one clearly.
  2. Keep communication routes visible in README.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, and SECURITY.md.
  3. Store meeting notes, decision logs, and action items in project-management/ so they remain versioned and linkable.
  4. Use plain language, define acronyms, and write with readers outside the immediate team in mind.
  5. Link decisions back to issues, pull requests, reports, or releases so the record stays traceable.

Relevant Turing Way chapters: Guide for Communication, Communications in Open Source Projects, and Contributors and Communication Pathways.

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