Using This Handbook

About This Handbook

This handbook is the central source of truth for how we work at Selora Homes. It’s a living document that evolves as our company grows and our processes improve.

Handbook-First Culture

We operate with a “handbook-first” approach:

Document First: When making decisions, update the handbook first

Single Source of Truth: The handbook is the authoritative reference

Async Communication: The handbook enables asynchronous work across time zones

Onboarding Resource: New team members can learn by reading the handbook

Using the Handbook

Finding Information

Search: Use the search function to quickly find specific topics

Navigation: Browse by department or topic area

Table of Contents: Each page has a TOC for easy navigation

When to Use the Handbook

Starting a New Project: Check handbook for relevant processes

Onboarding: New hires should read relevant sections in their first week

Making Decisions: Reference handbook for decision-making frameworks

Answering Questions: Link to handbook instead of re-explaining

Contributing to the Handbook

Everyone at Selora Homes can and should contribute to the handbook.

What to Document

Processes: How we do recurring work

Decisions: Why we made important choices

Policies: Company-wide rules and guidelines

Best Practices: What we’ve learned that works well

How to Update the Handbook

1. Create a new branch, or fork the repository if you’re external to Selora Homes
2. Make your changes in the appropriate markdown file
3. Submit a merge request with a clear description
4. Tag relevant reviewers (usually your manager or department head)
5. Merge once approved

Writing Guidelines

Be Clear: Write for someone unfamiliar with the topic

Be Concise: Respect readers’ time

Use Examples: Concrete examples are more helpful than abstract descriptions

Link Generously: Link to related handbook pages and external resources

Use relref for Internal Links: Use Hugo’s relref shortcode for internal handbook links (e.g., {{< relref "handbook/company/culture/values" >}}) instead of relative paths. This ensures Hugo validates links at build time and prevents broken links if content is reorganized.

Keep It Current: Update pages when processes change

Handbook Maintenance

Regular Reviews

Each department owns specific handbook sections and reviews them quarterly.

Deprecation Process

When a process changes:

1. Update the handbook with the new process
2. Add a note about what changed and when
3. Archive outdated information if needed for historical reference

Version Control

All changes are tracked in Git, so we can see the evolution of our processes over time.

Questions and Feedback

Found Something Unclear? Create an issue or MR to improve it

Can’t Find What You Need? Ask in Slack and then document the answer

Disagree with a Process? Start a discussion and propose changes