---
title: How We Communicate
description: Building a global AI platform requires clear, open communication
---

We're a fully-remote team building open superintelligence across continents
and cultures. Clear communication isn't just nice to have—it's how we ship fast,
stay aligned, and build trust with millions of users.

## Core Communication Principles

### Default to Open

- **Build in Public**: Development discussions happen in open GitHub issues
- **Share Progress**: Daily updates in Discord keep everyone informed
- **Document Decisions**: Important choices are recorded for future reference
- **Learn Together**: Share discoveries, failures, and insights with the team

### Async First, Sync When Needed

As a global team, we optimize for asynchronous communication:

- **GitHub**: Technical discussions, code reviews, feature planning
- **Discord**: Quick questions, daily updates, community engagement
- **Documentation**: Long-form thinking, architectural decisions
- **Meetings**: Only when real-time collaboration adds value

### Write for Clarity

With team members from different linguistic backgrounds:

- **Simple English**: Clear over clever, direct over diplomatic
- **Context Included**: Assume readers lack your specific context
- **Examples Help**: Show, don't just tell
- **Visual Aids**: Diagrams, screenshots, and code samples

> Good: "The model fails to load on M1 Macs. Here's the error log and steps to reproduce..."
> Bad: "It's broken on Mac."

## Communication Channels

### Where to Communicate What

| Type | Channel | Examples |
|------|---------|----------|
| **Feature Development** | GitHub Issues | New features, bug reports, technical discussions |
| **Daily Updates** | Discord #daily-updates | What you worked on, blockers, discoveries |
| **Quick Questions** | Discord team channels | "Anyone know why X happens?" |
| **Long-form Thinking** | GitHub Discussions / Docs | Architecture proposals, post-mortems |
| **User Support** | Discord #support | Helping users with Jan |
| **Urgent Issues** | Discord + @mention | Production bugs, security issues |

### Response Time Expectations

- **GitHub Issues**: Within 24-48 hours
- **Discord Questions**: Best effort, timezone dependent
- **User Bug Reports**: Acknowledge within 24 hours
- **Security Issues**: Immediate escalation

## Communication Best Practices

### For Engineers

```
✅ DO:
- Comment your code like someone will read it at 3am
- Update documentation when you change behavior
- Share WIP early for feedback
- Close the loop: report back on solutions

❌ DON'T:
- Assume context that isn't written down
- DM technical discussions (keep them public)
- Wait until perfect to share progress
- Leave PRs without description
```

### For Everyone

**Assume Positive Intent**
- We're all working toward the same goal
- Language barriers can cause misunderstandings
- Ask for clarification before assuming

**Be Specific**
- "The download button doesn't work" → "The download button on Windows returns 404 for model X"
- "It's slow" → "Model loading takes 45 seconds on 8GB RAM"
- "Users want this" → "15 users requested this in issue #123"

**Close Loops**
- Follow up on questions you ask
- Update issues with solutions
- Thank people who help you
- Share outcomes of discussions

## Meetings That Work

We minimize meetings but when we have them:

### Before the Meeting
- Share agenda 24 hours prior
- Include pre-read materials
- State desired outcome clearly
- Invite only necessary people

### During the Meeting
- Start with 5-minute silent reading of materials
- Stick to agenda
- Assign action items with owners
- End 5 minutes early

### After the Meeting
- Post summary in relevant channel
- Create GitHub issues for action items
- Share recording if applicable

## Writing Culture

### Pull Requests

```markdown
## What
Brief description of changes

## Why
Context and motivation

## How
Technical approach

## Testing
How to verify it works

## Screenshots
If UI changes
```

### Daily Updates

Keep them brief but informative:

```
**Yesterday**: Shipped GGUF loader optimization (30% faster)
**Today**: Working on Windows installer bug #456
**Blockers**: Need review on PR #789
**TIL**: Quantization affects different models differently
```

### Documentation

- Write docs as you code
- Include examples users can copy
- Explain the why, not just the how
- Keep it up to date or delete it

## Community Communication

When engaging with our open-source community:

### Be Helpful
- No question is too basic
- Provide context and examples
- Point to relevant documentation
- Follow up on issues

### Be Humble
- We don't have all the answers
- Users often have great ideas
- Mistakes happen, own them
- Thank contributors publicly

### Be Human
- Personality is welcome
- Celebrate wins together
- Share the journey
- Build relationships

## Global Team Considerations

### Time Zones
- Post updates at consistent times
- Record important discussions
- Rotate meeting times fairly
- Respect off hours

### Cultural Awareness
- Direct feedback styles vary by culture
- Silence doesn't mean agreement
- Ask if unsure about interpretation
- Celebrate diverse perspectives

### Language
- English is second language for many
- Avoid idioms and slang
- Use simple, clear language
- Be patient with communication

## Red Flags to Avoid

- **Information Hoarding**: Share knowledge freely
- **Private Discussions**: Keep technical talk public
- **Assuming Context**: Document everything
- **Delayed Responses**: Acknowledge even if you can't solve immediately
- **Unclear Communication**: If confused, ask for clarification

## The Jan Way

Our communication style reflects our values:
- **Open**: Like our code
- **Inclusive**: Like our community
- **Clear**: Like our mission
- **Async**: Like our architecture
- **Global**: Like our vision

Good communication at Jan isn't about perfection—it's about clarity, openness, and building together across any distance.

---

*"The best code is documented code. The best decisions are documented decisions. The best team is one that communicates openly."*
