Titansoft Introduces ORID Discussion Method and SNT Language to Improve Team Interaction
At Titansoft, we value “Low Tech, High Touch” – using simple tools that foster meaningful human connection. By adopting the ORID focused conversation method and SNT language, our team discussions have become even more engaging and effective.
Source: 2020 June Issue – Chaobang Dialogue Summer Newsletter
Interview / Edited by: Chaobang Cultural and Educational Foundation
Agile Development: Building a Candid and Flexible Work Environment
“Working from home amplifies a lot of noise!”
According to Tomas Li, General Manager of Titansoft (a Singapore-based software development company), remote and cross-border meetings have long been part of the company’s routine. Titansoft practices Agile Software Development and has infused an Agile Mindset into its company culture, enabling teams to quickly and flexibly respond to changing customer and market needs.
When the pandemic hit, the challenges multiplied. Different teams were impacted in different ways—some faced reduced hours, others had to work overtime. In some locations, employees worked from home, while in others, they had flexible office arrangements.
So how did Titansoft stay agile in such uncertain times? How did they manage effective online meetings?
A key part of Titansoft’s culture is transparency. In meetings, people don’t just agree with the highest-ranking person, and there’s no belief in “rank equals knowledge.” Employees are encouraged to share their ideas—even challenge authority. To promote diverse perspectives, senior team members often hold back from speaking first to avoid creating an anchor effect, which might unintentionally bias others.
ORID Discussion Method: Clear Expression and Meaningful Conversations
Worried that speaking up might come back to haunt you? At Titansoft, that’s not the issue. What matters more is how you express your opinion. If you don’t follow the ORID discussion method, you might get called out by your teammates.
This method keeps conversations flowing smoothly during meetings. When someone says, “Let’s start with O,” everyone knows it means Objective—start with the facts. Prepare any necessary data ahead of time.
- R – Reflective: Share feelings or reactions. In a software development environment full of strong opinions, this helps surface emotions without derailing the discussion.
- I – Interpretive: Explore meanings, values, and experiences. Everyone sees things differently, and these interpretations often point to the company’s next source of competitive advantage.
- D – Decisional: Decide on actions and next steps. Open-minded discussions and different interpretations pave the way to effective decisions.
This simple yet practical framework has become a shared language across Titansoft—used in both physical and virtual meetings.
Using “SNT Language” to Improve Online Meeting Efficiency
Online meetings come with interesting dynamics. Everyone is usually on time, and even when people are busy messaging others, they know to quickly wrap up when a meeting starts.
To improve communication, Titansoft developed its own SNT language—which stands for:
- Specific
- Number-based (Quantifiable)
- Time-bound
Whether you’re a team member or a manager giving instructions, everything should follow SNT principles. If it doesn’t, people will treat it as idle chatter—it won’t get scheduled or prioritized.
Lee also pointed out another challenge in online meetings: when three or more people speak at once, no one is really heard. That’s why the role of the facilitator is so important. They manage breakout groups, control who can speak, and make sure everyone’s on mute when needed.
Before the meeting, the facilitator shares the agenda and asks participants to prepare in advance. At the start, they review progress on action items from the last meeting to get everyone aligned. After the meeting, the action owner documents the key points and next steps using SNT language—this ensures follow-through and real productivity.
Forward Planning and Open Communication: Titansoft’s Pandemic Response
When the pandemic struck, many critical decisions had to be made and communicated through online meetings. Teams also had to collaborate remotely on ongoing software projects while dealing with a wide range of personal and work-related challenges. To adapt, Titansoft adopted two key strategies: forward planning and open communication.
Support for Remote Work
Employees could request to bring home any equipment that would help them work more comfortably from home. The company also purchased additional corporate accounts for video conferencing tools to support both large and small virtual meetings.
Addressing Cultural Gaps for New Hires
To help new employees avoid cultural shock, Titansoft temporarily paused recruitment. Instead, the company held two monthly all-hands meetings: one for the Taiwan team and one for international teams, especially for the Singapore headquarters. Because each location faced different pandemic policies, meetings were held separately but aligned in content to ensure all staff were informed. These meetings addressed sensitive topics like:
- Potential reduction of holiday bonuses during the Dragon Boat Festival
- Unpaid leave for some teams
- Employees choosing to leave the company during this period
Titansoft took a fully transparent approach, sharing information openly and encouraging equal dialogue between management and staff. Decisions were made together, aiming for the best outcome for both the company and individuals.
High Employee Satisfaction
Internal surveys reflected this approach:
- Score for timely communication and responsiveness: 4.48/5
- Score for transparent decision-making: 4.38/5
Warmth in Remote Interaction: Closer Connections Online
Even while working from home, Titansoft employees stayed connected and continued to learn through online interaction.
Jiang Zhi-Ping, head of product development, emphasized that clear visual communication became more important than ever. Before brainstorming together, teammates wrote down their ideas in advance, leading to more creative sparks. In text-based conversations, engineers had more time to review and spot incomplete parts of their code.
Interestingly, small glimpses into colleagues’ personal lives—like a child or pet appearing on camera—helped foster a sense of familiarity and made team relationships stronger.
Bringing Humanity into Tech
PR Manager Cindy Lin shared how employees used Discord to recreate the feeling of working together. They would log on, share background sounds of work, and even video chat while enjoying the same snacks and drinks, creating shared sensory experiences—even taste! These creative efforts helped maintain team spirit and work rhythm during difficult times.
Staying Present: Practicing Mindfulness in Uncertainty
General Manager Tomas Li reflected that working from home amplified distractions:
“If you already had poor habits, remote work made them worse. If your meetings were inefficient before, online meetings won’t fix that!”
While face-to-face meetings still offer the richest interaction, Titansoft stays true to its belief in “Low Tech, High Touch.” They often rely on simple tools like pen and paper. Office walls are lined with sticky notes and index cards that display feature requests and development progress. If a note disappears? It’s probably not that important—because truly important things are always looked after.
Adaptability Through Mindfulness
The pandemic disrupted norms across industries, and many more unpredictable challenges lie ahead.
Instead of worrying about what might go wrong, Lee encourages practicing mindfulness—focusing on what can be done right now. Worrying doesn’t help. In this mission-driven age of IoT, the lines between physical and virtual, office and home, weekdays and weekends are blurred.
What matters is being clear about what needs to be done and getting it done.
At Titansoft, building a culture of equal dialogue is a top priority.
Whether working from home or meeting online, the team continues to achieve outstanding results.
T.8ytes by Titansoft 