Onboarding Reading List Template
A structured way to ramp up on a new team or role.
Why a Reading List?
When joining a team, you're drinking from a firehose. A curated reading list helps you:
- Prioritize what matters most
- Track progress so things don't fall through cracks
- Have better conversations because you've done the homework
- Show initiative to your new team
Template
| Category | Document Title | Author | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Strategy | | | Not started / In progress / Complete | |
| Architecture | | | | |
| Process | | | | |
| Culture | | | | |
| History | | | | |
Suggested Categories
Strategy
- Annual plans, OKRs, roadmaps
- PRFAQs for major initiatives
- Leadership review docs
Architecture
- System design docs
- API documentation
- Data models
Process
- How we work docs
- On-call runbooks
- Release processes
Culture
- Team norms, values docs
- Meeting culture guidelines
- Communication preferences
History
- Post-mortems / retrospectives
- Major decisions and rationale
- "Why we do it this way" explanations
How to Use This
Week 1: Get the List
- Ask your manager and teammates: "What should I read to ramp up?"
- Add everything to the list (you'll prioritize later)
- Ask: "Which 3-5 are most important?"
Weeks 1-2: Read with Intent
- Start with the "must read" items
- Take notes on questions
- Schedule follow-up conversations
Ongoing: Keep It Updated
- Add new docs as you discover them
- Mark things complete
- Share with the next new hire
Tips
- Read actively - take notes, write questions
- Don't just read - schedule 30 min with the author to discuss
- Prioritize ruthlessly - you won't read everything; focus on what matters
- Share your list - helps your manager see your progress and fill gaps
The goal isn't to read. It's to understand. Conversations complete what documents start.