Dwarves are a group of software engineers, designers, and innovation advocates. We serve a single purpose: To empower innovations and co-create the next big things.
Welcome to our handbook
This handbook offers a quick glance into who we are, how we work, and what we believe. It's for new Dwarves finding their footing, veterans looking to revisit our foundations, and the curious exploring our culture.
When we grew beyond 40 people, we recognized that our "figure it out as you go" approach wasn't serving us well. New team members felt adrift, and institutional knowledge remained locked in conversations rather than documentation.
So we created this handbook to share what matters. It covers everything from our values and working practices to vacation policies and office locations. It's both a practical guide and a statement of who we are.
We believe in making the company our best product, which means articulating and refining how we operate. Whatever version you're reading now, it won't be the last. We're committed to keeping it honest, reflecting who we really are, not just who we wish to be.
If you've just joined us, you're in a unique position. You can see things we've become blind to. Question what doesn't make sense. Help us see ourselves more clearly.
Introduction & onboarding
- Getting started - First steps for new team members
- You are Dwarves foundation - Understanding your role as our voice
- Who does what - Our team structure and responsibilities
- FAQ - Common questions about working at Dwarves
Company philosophy & culture
- Our purpose - Why we exist and what drives us
- What we stand for - Our mission and values
- What we value - The principles that guide our work
- Ethical & compliance - Our commitment to ethical standards
How we work
- How we work - Our approach to delivering quality software
- Work routine - Our daily, weekly, and cycle-based workflows
- Where we work - Office, remote, and hybrid options
- Hybrid working - Balancing remote and office work
- Places to work - Finding productive environments
- How we hire - Our approach to finding the right people
- How we spend money - Our financial principles
- Security rules - Keeping data and devices secure
- Navigate changes - How we adapt to tech changes
Career & professional growth
- Making a career - Long-term growth at Dwarves
- MMA - Our Mastery, Meaning, Autonomy framework
- Moonlighting - Policy on outside work
Community & learning
- As a community - How we operate as an open network
- Knowledge base - Our "second brain" shared resources
- ICY as community token - Understanding our token system
- ICY worth - How ICY's value is determined
- ICY swap - Converting ICY to other currencies
- Discord - Our community hub and how it works
- Memo - Our knowledge sharing platform
- Tech radar - How we assess new technologies
- Earn extra - Bounties and additional earning opportunities
- Sharing knowledge - Our culture of learning and teaching
- Showcase - Our weekly demo events
Benefits & policies
- Benefits & perks - What we offer our team
- Stock option plan - Employee ownership opportunities
- NDA - Understanding your confidentiality agreements
- Ventures - How we invest in and build startups
Practical guides
- Check-in at the office - Office check-in procedures
- Conduct a meeting - Meeting best practices
- Effective meeting - Making meetings productive
- 1-on-1 meeting - Manager-report discussions
- Email config - Setting up your work email
- Email communication - Email guidelines
- Password sharing - Secure credential management
- Leave request - How to request time off
- Asset request - Borrowing or requesting company equipment
- Reimbursement - Getting reimbursed for expenses
- Continuing education allowance - Learning budget
Tools & resources
- Tools and systems - Software and platforms we use
- Marketing assets - Brand resources and information
Contributing
We welcome your input. If you have suggestions for additions or changes, please open a pull request. We keep PRs open for at least a week to gather feedback from everyone.
Credits
Our handbook was inspired by Basecamp and customized by the Dwarves team.
License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) @ Dwarves Foundation
