This Human User Guide and some of the concepts within it were directly inspired by some of the content shared in this GitHub blog post titled How to communicate like a GitHub engineer, and the accompanying GitHub repository.

• I work to live, not live to work, even though many of my hobbies and interests overlap with my career.
• A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

• Inconsistency.
• Repeating myself.
• Breaking established processes which reduces efficiency and increases errors.

• I tend to over-explain when I am passionate about a topic.
• I am a proud nerd. My passion for learning and playing with open-source software technologies not only provides personal satisfaction but often translates to work. Ask me about my hobbies and interests, and feel free to share yours.
• Instant messaging should not be a source of escalation or referenceable decisions.

• My lack of reaction should not be taken as a lack of care.

• Be reliable, consistent, and predictable.
• Respect the time of my team and I.
• Be honest and candid.

• No hello. Treat instant messaging as asynchronous communication — state your needs or information directly without expecting an immediate response.
• Avoid asking for unplanned, "under-the-table" work due to poor planning — it's disruptive.

• Ask questions to learn why we operate the way that we do.
• Be bold and be willing to take calculated risks.

• Be curious, and dedicate time to learning.
• Share educational resources, deals, and encourage reading often.
• Take pride in your work.

• Written communication first, followed by scheduling a brief video or phone call to clarify any unclear points if necessary.

• Show me data, examples, or write up a use case, pointing out the best, likely, and worst cases. Wanting something done because you "just want it that way" is not a sufficient justification to divert time away from more pressing tasks.

• I give feedback promptly after observation.
• Include an example that supports the feedback being given.

• Early and often.
• From anyone affected by my performance or behavior.