Orchestrating the Modern Workday with Slack

On the Research and Analytics team here at Slack, we are fascinated by how people work. One constant source of inspiration for us is something that many people take for granted: it is, quite simply, the ease with which modern knowledge workers weave together so many different tools in order to get things done.

Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Imagine a typical day of work. When you wake up, you begin by checking your calendar to figure out what your first meeting is. You check Slack for any urgent updates that came in overnight, then make your way to the office. When you arrive, you trade your phone for a larger screen, moving quickly among multiple sources of information: a calendar, an email inbox, Slack, Google Docs, Dropbox, Jira, Messenger, and more. Throughout the day your pace changes — rushing to meet a deadline, or slowing down as you hit that post-lunch slump. You work closely with other people for a while, then retreat to your desk for some solo time.

At Slack, our team has visited hundreds of companies and talked to thousands of workers about how they get their jobs done. Over time, we begin to see patterns and variations. Every company is similar in some ways, but each also has their own style. Some companies are fast-paced, careening from one project to another. Others are more methodical, keeping a steady, unwavering rhythm and using tried-and-true methods. This also goes for individuals. Some workers value technical brilliance — getting things precisely right in the most efficient way. Others put in a lot of emotion and feeling into their work, and see work as intimate and personal.

When seen this way, the way that people work is manifestly reminiscent of the way that music is created: It’s always the same notes, but the way they’re played results in endless possibilities for expression.

So, when we think about designing Slack, we sometimes use a musical analogy to get across the way that modern work happens. Think of it this way:

Work tools are like musical instruments:

• Some are easy to play, while others are more challenging.
• Some are lightweight (a kazoo) while others are behemoths (a harp).
• The longer you play, the better you get, but you usually need to practice.
• You can transfer some skills from one instrument to another. If you’re used to the guitar, playing a ukulele for the first time will be easier.
• Instruments have different ranges. If you need to hit a particular note, you need to choose the right instrument.

Since we have many work tools at our disposal, it’s like we’ve got an entire orchestra in front of us. But every good orchestra needs a conductor — someone to turn separate instrumental lines into a cohesive musical experience. In this case:

Knowledge workers are like conductors.

• They oversee and coordinate all the instruments to achieve a desired effect.
• They determine which instruments are in the orchestra, and which are not. This is based on a few things: how well-suited the instrument is to the song being performed, how well the instruments have performed in the past, and how useful they imagine the instrument will be in the future.
• Conductors will audition new instruments from time to time, but it’s rare that they’ll bring in something completely new. When they do bring in something new, it had better deliver and bring their performance to a whole new level. Some conductors are more experimental than others, and will try new instruments more often.

So, a knowledge worker is sitting in front of their computer with dozens of different apps, poised to be the conductor of their work orchestra. But no work gets done, and no music is made, unless we start using all of the rich instruments we’ve assembled. The whole point is to get a piece of work accomplished.

Work tasks or goals are like songs. (Imagine a song called “Writing a quarterly departmental update.” Or don’t. That might be better.)

• To play a song beautifully, you will probably need more than one instrument. But you don’t need every single instrument in your orchestra for every single song.
• Great conductors know which instruments they need for a song, and how to make them sound great together.
• Handing off a melody between instruments is usually the trickiest part. Ask anyone who has ever tried to import a CSV file into Excel.
• Every conductor will conduct their orchestra slightly differently, and that’s OK. What matters at the end of the performance is that the audience felt the impact of the song.
• Songs have different tempos. Great conductors know how to adjust their instruments to make sure they’re in rhythm.

Historically, orchestras have contained the same few sets of instruments. Over time, though, conductors realized that they needed a way to coordinate all of the other instruments in order to arrive at their desired arrangements. It isn’t always possible, or desirable, to have 50 people waiting for musical direction while you’re trying to compose a song. A conductor needs an instrument that is versatile enough to get the arrangement right on their own time, but which remains true to the way the orchestra can play. In fact, if you have attended a Broadway-style musical production you may have noticed that the conductor will often play an instrument themselves. Designed in many ways to be a representation of the orchestra, the piano is a conductor’s best friend. That’s where Slack comes in.

When we think about Slack, how it’s designed, and what it can mean to a modern knowledge worker, we can think about the piano as a helpful parallel. Slack isn’t meant to replace specialized tools (hitting the high notes of a piccolo), or to do everything you could possibly need (like a full-blown synthesizer suite). Rather, we want to offer an approachable, understandable, go-to tool where you can arrange your work goals with your colleagues and tools. Here are some examples of ways we try to do that.

• Pianos are great because you can walk up to them, press a key, and get a sound out right away. You don’t need to learn special breathing techniques or hand grips in order to understand how this instrument will work. Likewise, Slack at its most basic is a place you can type messages to other people — and you can use it successfully right away.
• Although pianos are approachable, advanced players can use techniques to make their songs richer, more vibrant, and more effective. Slack is the same way: Apps, integrations, and customizations can elevate a channel from simple conversation to a sophisticated workflow.
• Pianos work well with anything. Accompanying a solo vocalist? Check. Introducing an orchestra? Check. It can duet with anything from a tuba to a xylophone, and help tie together the strings and the woodwinds. No matter what tools you use at work, or how big your team is, Slack can help make the work you’re already doing simpler.
• Pianos are adaptable. Whether you want to play a serious classical concerto or a high-energy pop song, a piano is great accompaniment. Likewise, Slack can adjust to the pace, goals, and culture of your company or organization. From custom status updates to granular channel-level notification settings, you can set the pace you want to work at.
• If you want to improve your piano skills, there are plenty of resources online and teachers available to help you practice. Similarly, Slack’s Help Center provides tons of resources for learning about advanced features. If you need a more human touch, our customer support team can help guide you to the resources you need.

Ultimately, the most important thing to us as designers and researchers is that Slack is helping to make your work life simpler, happier, and more productive. And hey, if that leads to you receiving a standing ovation with calls of “Encore!” at your next performance review, then be sure to take a bow!

Interested in joining the team at Slack? We’re hiring!