Kuo Lab Wiki

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====== Group Chat ======

===== Intro =====
  * Group chat tools (e.g., Slack, Discord, Mattermost) can be highly effective for team communication
    * Concept: a platform for work-related communication; no notification outside of working hours.
    * Email: for external and formal communication
    * Real-time message (e.g., LINE, phone): reserved for emergency and messages that require real-time response. Limit the usage.
  * Mattermost is an open source option that can be self-hosted. This is attractive in terms of information security/privacy and cost.
    * App (Android/iOS/Linux/macOS/Windows): [[https://mattermost.com/apps/]]
    * Documentation: [[https://docs.mattermost.com/index.html]]
  * **<color #008000>For IPMB Users</color>**:
    * The email module is not enabled, so "Forgot your password?" is not functional. Ask your lab PI or the IPMB IT office to reset your password if needed.
    * The storage space is limited. While it is possible to upload files to facilitate communication, please be careful with large files; sharing via external links or delete the files after discussion is recommended. Remember, this system is designed as a messaging platform, not a file-sharing service.

===== Mattermost Usage =====
  * Security: click on the profile (top-right), "Profile", "Security", enable "Multi-factor Authentication"
  * Channels
    * System Default
      * Town Square (can be renamed as "General"): all members are added automatically, can be used for general discussion
      * Off-Topic (can be renamed as "Chat"): for non-work-related conversations
    * Public (to be created; useful for research labs) 
      * Announcement: for important announcements
      * Lab meeting: for regular meetings; use threads to keep meeting minutes
      * Journal club: for sharing papers/comments
    * Project-based channels, one per project. May be Public or Private, depending on the nature of the project or the team culture
    * Managers: Add appropriate users after creating channels
    * Users: click on "Add channels", select "Browse channels", then join those public ones that you find relevant
  * Direct messages
    * For direct communication between two individuals or among a small group
  * Messages
    * Can be deleted/edited (pros/cons)
    * Can tag people (use ''@'')
    * Use the "Message Priority" function ("!" icon) to set as Important or Urgent as needed.
    * Can be marked as "unread"
    * A reminder can be set at a specific time
    * Reply to a message to start a thread
      * Useful to keep messages organized
      * For example, in the "Lab meeting" channel, start a message with the date of the meeting, then everyone reply to that first message as a way of keeping minutes
  * Additional functionalities
    * Poll plugin: for creating poll; type ''/poll'' to use
  * Playbooks
    * Predefined templates for to-do lists
    * Useful for tracking recurring tasks
      * Batches of the same experiment
      * To-do for new lab members
      * To-do for lab members who are leaving