Back to: Learn the Basics of Slack
Slack has a plethora of features to help you manage communication. Features like @mentions, Threads and Notification settings can help reduce the likelihood of being overwhelmed.
Just getting started with Slack? It’s helpful to know the very basics. This section will review key features that should get you through your first few messages.
What does this look like in practice?
Example Scenario
Let’s check-in with our friend Alex, Project Manager for Project Bluebird, as they communicate important updates to the entire company. Here are a few ways that Slack can be used to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Using '@' Mentions
You can use the “@” symbol in front of a person’s username to tag them specifically. This is handy when you’re talking in a large channel, or a channel where a lot of content is being shared. If you want to ask a question that could benefit from being asked in a public channel, this is one way that you can utilize @mentions.
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Sam, Stakeholder: Hey @Alex, Project Manager, I wanted to make sure I’m looking at the right timeline. Is it the one listed on the project plan or that one that Shawn shared earlier? |
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Alex, Project Manager: @Sam, Stakeholder, Great question! Here’s the link to the document we should all be working off of. I’ll make sure the other version gets retired. |
Using Threads
When Slack channels have a lot of people, it’s easy for conversations to become overwhelming. To help keep messages together and on topic, Slack has the option to reply in thread. This means that you will respond directly to a message and create a smaller chat to the side. Everyone in the channel will be able to see what’s in that thread, should the chose to expand it.
Here’s what you’ll see in the thread view and the channel view
Using Notifications
By default, Slack notifies you about everything. Many, if not all, of those notifications come with a default “knock knock” notification sound. Together, this can feel like sensory overload. That’s why it’s good to know that offers the ability to snooze notifications outside of your working hours, change the sound and change how often you receive them.
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Sam, Stakeholder: Hi @Alex, Project Manager I’m new to slack and the millions of notifications are taking over my life. Please help! Are there any recommendations for managing all of this? |
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Alex, Project Manager: Hi @Sam, Stakeholder Great question and I completely understand. Here are some things I’ve done:
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