Streams: The Basics
Think of streams like you think of channels. Yes, most platforms use the word channel to refer to each team or group conversation, but we like to call our conversations streams. And they work in essentially the same way: Streams provide a simple, open area for your discussions, files, and threads.
The whole team can participate in a stream if you want! They’re great for brainstorming, managing specific team discussions, and more. For solo users, they work great as an ideation board. When you think of a stream, picture a big (or small) group chat.
Buzz: The Basics
Buzz is a little bit like an office memo board, but way less boring. And a lot more powerful.
Anyone can post to Buzz, from the CEO all the way to the new hire. But you decide which users have permission to post, and which users will see it. And we typically recommend keeping permissions just for leaders and management, since users can still send a message to a buzz they’ve received. From office notices to surveys and polls, Buzz works great as a tool to keep the whole team aligned.
And when you post a buzz, you can ask each user to confirm they’ve read it. It’s an actionable way of keeping the whole team accountable and aligned. And it saves you a whole lot of steps walking around and asking twenty people, “Hey, did you read the memo?”
What Should I Post? And Where?
With Ledger, you can tailor your team communications how you see fit. Maybe you’d rather open up posting permissions in Buzz to all of your team, or maybe you think some office-related posts just work better in a stream.
But to illustrate how you can get the most out of Ledger, we’ve thrown together a couple of posts and topic ideas—and where we think they make a nice fit in Streams or Buzz.
Organizing Team Sprints
There’s nothing quite like a team sprint to keep people motivated, on their toes, and engaged during the workday. If that’s a part of your team’s work style, Streams is a perfect place to organize it. Start a stream dedicated to team sprints. Or add in productivity hacks, workflow tips, and motivational quotes and give any small or large team a place to get inspired and get stuff done.
Office Event Planning
Planning a team happy hour, or considering a company food drive or volunteering event? Throw this into a stream so people have the date and time, or so they can shout out their favorite local charity. Or post your company holiday party as a buzz with a potluck signup form to ensure everyone sees it and can decide how they’d like to pitch in.
Return to Work Survey
As companies around the world start slowly but surely transitioning back into in-person work, leadership and HR are trying to map out timelines and institute new, hybrid remote work models. Sending out a survey to gauge workers’ preferences is perfect for Buzz. Post a link to the survey with basic instructions and request everyone confirm.
Reading Lists
We all come across interesting articles, videos, and podcasts now and then during the workday—but reading or watching now is just not a good habit for productivity. Try using your own stream to drop these links when you come across them. Or if you just remembered you need to pick up dry cleaning after work, jot down your errands here and return to them at the end of the day.
Shouting Out Team and Company Wins
There are plenty of other ways to view info around team performance and goal progress. But a stream for the sales team is the perfect place to shout out individual sales wins. For big wins, say, securing series B financing—post it as a buzz and let everyone celebrate the moment.
Brainstorming
From design ideas to copy and slogan ideas, plenty of brainstorming happens via chat, which is why a stream makes the perfect home for it. The best brainstorming takes place in streams, where users can post files and attachments, react and reply, and view them all later by clicking the little tab on the right side.
Streams vs. Buzz: You Can’t Go Wrong
In Ledger, there’s no wrong way to communicate. However you utilize Streams and Buzz, you’ll be helping your team grow closer, more efficient, and more aligned. With that, there’s just no downside.
