> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://engineering.umh.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://engineering.umh.app/culture/how-we-communicate.md). # How we communicate **We are synchronous and in person by default.** That means pair programming, walking each other through problems, and working sessions when we need them. **Async-first is a legitimate model, just not how we work.** We share [the office](/company/the-office.md) with [go-to-market](/culture/working-with-the-rest-of-umh.md) because we need to hear what they hear from the market. They also work synchronously and in person. We find decisions land faster when everyone is prepared and in the same room. * Before the [daily check-in](/culture/our-week.md#daily-check-in), everyone has posted their [written standup](/culture/our-week.md#the-written-standup). * Before the [product meeting](/culture/our-week.md#product-meeting), you align your [pitch](/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build.md#rollout-tickets) with the people it affects. You tell the [Product Manager](/product/product-manager.md) about it by Monday. * Before the [engineering weekly](/culture/our-week.md#engineering-weekly), you can post your topic in #dev-1-engineering for others to comment on. Because this preparation happens beforehand, we use the meeting itself to ask questions and decide. ## Coming to the office **We are office-first.** We don't work fully remote. Remote works when tasks are well defined. When you are working out which patterns should exist, you need real-time pushback from people who see what you are missing. A ten-minute conversation over coffee can prevent three days in the wrong direction. So the office is for working together rather than for sitting alone at a desk. We accept that being office-first limits who we can hire. Most people come to the office regularly because they live in or near Cologne, for example in Aachen, Bonn or the towns in between. For people a few hours away, such as in Berlin or Frankfurt, we agree on a rhythm together. People who live further away usually come for one or two weeks every one to two months. We don't set a number of office days because most of us want to be in the office every day. When distance, family or health keeps you away, we find a working mode together. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://engineering.umh.app/culture/how-we-communicate.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.