The Most Underrated Async Tool: A 5-Minute Video

You know that awkward middle ground between a quick Slack message and a full-blown meeting? That’s where short videos live. And they're amazing. My team uses them constantly, and I can’t believe more people don’t.

We’re a truly global team... so global that there’s no single time when everyone’s awake. To keep people informed, we host two duplicate meetings at different times of day so both halves of the world can join live. It works well for substantive, all-team updates that warrant that level of investment, but for everything else, short videos have become our secret weapon.

A few years ago, we started recording quick screen shares (five minutes or less) to explain ideas, walk through design concepts, or show early prototypes in action. They weren’t polished or produced, just quick recordings with a bit of context and a voice. But they truly enhanced how we collaborate in a fully remote workplace.

Suddenly, more people could engage. The videos helped us convey nuance, intent, and tone in ways text never could. People could watch at 2x speed, pause to take notes, or leave comments in Slack. We realized how much friction they removed and how much clarity they added.

We liked them so much that we created two public Slack channels to keep the sharing going. One is for design walkthroughs: short clips showing early explorations, problem framing, and polished work alike. The other is for research: session snippets, recap videos, key findings, and even open questions. Both channels have become highly trafficked spaces for visibility, feedback, and cross-pollination across teams and time zones.

I joke with my team that I queue up these videos at the end of my day — my little work-related "Netflix binge." But it’s true. It’s become a small ritual: catching up on what people are exploring, seeing all that creative thinking in motion, and ending the day inspired by what’s next.

What’s most surprising is that, even after seeing how effective these videos are, most other teams don't do them. Maybe people assume they take too much time or require fancy editing (they don’t). Or maybe they simply forget that async communication can still be personal.

If you want to try it, here’s when a short video really shines:

• When tone or nuance matters — a text update might sound too blunt

• When visuals are key — you need to show, not just tell

• When the context is complex — a quick walkthrough beats a long Slack thread

And a few times when text still wins:

• When you need a record of decisions or next steps

• When the update is simple or factual

• When accessibility or bandwidth is a concern

Short videos aren’t a replacement for conversation (duh!), but they bridge the gaps that written messages leave behind. They make async work feel more human, and that’s worth five minutes any day.