Appearance

Progress Updates on Slack ​

At Avkalan Labs, we strongly believe in sharing and collaborating openly. Slack is our primary mode of communication — a space where ideas, updates, and discussions flow seamlessly across teams and projects.

Channels and Discussions ​

Each project or topic has its own dedicated Slack channel. Keeping conversations within their respective channels ensures that discussions remain organized and easy to follow later.

We highly recommend avoiding direct messages (DMs) for work-related queries or updates. When you post in a channel, everyone benefits from the shared context, and your solution can help others facing similar challenges.

Sharing Updates Effectively ​

Whenever you share a progress update:

  • Include a clear description of what the update is about.
  • Add relevant screenshots or short videos to visually explain your point.
  • Provide context, such as what was done, what changed, or what feedback you’re looking for.

The goal is to make your update understandable for anyone reading it — even if they weren’t directly involved in the task.

Example ​

Here’s how a good progress update might look:

Update: Completed meshing of the antenna model with refined boundary regions.

Used local refinement on the feed zone (element size = 1 mm) to improve accuracy. Mesh statistics look stable, and the exported .med file has correct physical markers.

Attaching a screenshot of the mesh visualization and region markers below.

Next step: importing into FEniCS for initial validation.

This kind of message gives the right amount of context, shows visual proof, and makes it easy for others to understand and respond.

Using Threads ​

When replying to a message, always use threads instead of posting directly in the channel. This keeps the main chat clean and helps group related discussions in one place.

Time-Logging Workflow ​

Within our Slack workspace, we use Slack workflows for time logging, especially for critical client projects or high-paced internal tasks. This helps track progress consistently and maintain transparency across the team.

Daily Task Setup ​

At the start of your workday, define the major action items you plan to work on and share them as a numbered list in the morning. This helps your project lead and team understand your priorities for the day.

Midday Updates ​

After each 2-hour work block, share an update summarizing the work you completed during that period. Use the time-logging workflow in Slack to record this.

You can access the workflow by typing:

/time-logging

or

/task-update

(depending on your workspace or project channel).

Workflow Form Details ​

When the form opens, fill in the following fields carefully:

  • FRD reference: Add reference ID if applicable (or NA if not defined).
  • SRD reference: Add reference ID if applicable (or NA if not defined).
  • Task description: Briefly mention the task that you planned to do. You can copy-paste from your morning list or task tracker.
  • Work done: Explain what was accomplished in this block.
  • Remark: Add any blockers or notes (or NA if none).
  • Time-slot (in hours): Mention how long you worked on this block.
  • % task completion: Specify how much of the task was completed.
  • Upload document: Attach relevant screenshots, code snippets, or files showing your progress.

This workflow ensures consistent and transparent progress tracking throughout the day.

You can also refer to the demonstration video below for a quick walkthrough of how to use the time-logging form effectively.