---
title: "Slack: public chats first"
url: https://perrotta.dev/2025/06/slack-public-chats-first/
last_updated: 2026-02-16
---


[Why Public Slack Chats are Better than Direct Messages](https://www.mooreds.com/wordpress/archives/3706) by Dan Moore:

**Bad**™:

> I've noticed that I sometimes use direct messages when I should be asking a
> question in a public channel. Upon examination, direct messages have the
> following attributes:
>
> — Less intrusive. I sometimes worry about an excessive amount of chatter
> bothering other team members.
>
> — Protect my ego. When I ask a question it is admitting that I don't know the
> answer. As a "director of engineering" it can be humbling to admit
> ignorance. But of course I don't know everything! It's just my ego talking.
> However, it still stings a bit sometimes to ask publicly–it's easier to just
> side chat.

**Good**™:

> However, the benefits of posting in a public channel are many. A message in a
> public channel is:
>
> — Viewable. This means that others can chime in (as opposed to just the person
> I DMed). And that others can learn in the present as they read my question
> and the answers.
>
> — Linkable. This means that if I want to reference the conversation (in a PR,
> trello card or elsewhere), I can. Of course, I should extract info into
> documentation (future me will thank past me) but for context around a
> decision, a link to a slack chat can be very helpful.
>
> — Searchable. This means that others in the future who are searching for this
> information can find it. Yes, slack's search leaves something to be desired,
> but if the conversation is private, that's a guarantee that no one else will
> be able to search and find it.
>
> — Vulnerable. I want everyone to feel comfortable asking questions. That leads
> to better outcomes for clients and for team members. How can I expect that
> behavior of others if I don't do it myself?

Surprisingly, I've had many teammates throughout the years that are unaware of
these benefits.

One more for **Bad** (direct messages):

- **No load balancing**. Risk of bothering one person instead of distributing
  question load amongst the team.

One more for **Good** (public messages):

- **Knowledge sharing**. What you ask, you learn. What you learn, your teammates
  also learn. Win-win!