diff --git a/doc/source/opencommunity.rst b/doc/source/opencommunity.rst index 0187cce..a1e548f 100644 --- a/doc/source/opencommunity.rst +++ b/doc/source/opencommunity.rst @@ -86,27 +86,33 @@ that drives away contributors who aren't "tough enough" to handle the it. A base framework for an Open Community governance would balance 4 basic rules: -Contributor-driven bodies It is critical that the people contributing code, -documentation, usage experience, mentoring time or any other form of -contribution to the project are aligned with the leadership of the project. -Without contributor-driven bodies, leadership and contributors gradually drift -apart, to the point where the contributors no longer feel like their leadership -represents them, making the disruptive decision to fork the project under a -new, contributor-aligned governance, generally leaving the old governance body -with a trademark and an empty shell to govern. +Contributor-driven bodies + It is critical that the people contributing code, documentation, + usage experience, mentoring time or any other form of contribution to + the project are aligned with the leadership of the project. -Allowing for replacement Nobody should be appointed for life, as life will -change people. Contributors should regularly be consulted, and the governance -should generally encourage turnover. + Without contributor-driven bodies, leadership and contributors + gradually drift apart, to the point where the contributors no longer + feel like their leadership represents them, making the disruptive + decision to fork the project under a new, contributor-aligned + governance, generally leaving the old governance body with a + trademark and an empty shell to govern. -Distinct groups call for distinct governance bodies If a community is made of -disjoint groups with little to no overlap in membership, and those groups all -need decisions to be made, then they probably need to each have their own -governance body at that level. +Allowing for replacement + Nobody should be appointed for life, as life will change people. + Contributors should regularly be consulted, and the governance should + generally encourage turnover. -Avoid vanity governance bodies There is no point in having a governance body -where there is nothing to govern and no decision needed. Not every group of -people in a community needs a governance body. +Distinct groups call for distinct governance bodies + If a community is made of + disjoint groups with little to no overlap in membership, and those groups all + need decisions to be made, then they probably need to each have their own + governance body at that level. + +Avoid vanity governance bodies + There is no point in having a governance body where there is nothing + to govern and no decision needed. Not every group of people in a + community needs a governance body. There is no one-size-fits-all implementation of those basic rules that would work for any project. The size of the project is a critical difference. @@ -127,21 +133,25 @@ give anyone a tie-breaking specific power. Some of the things that indicate a healthy community are: -Diversity & inclusiveness Nowhere are the three forces (developers, users, -ecosystem) more important than when dealing with diversity and inclusiveness. -Providing an inclusive and safe experience for everyone, regardless of gender, -sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, -nationality or religion is not only critical to the health of the entire open -source community, it's something that must be considered at the beginning of a -project. +Diversity & inclusiveness + Nowhere are the three forces (developers, users, ecosystem) more + important than when dealing with diversity and inclusiveness. -Code of Conduct A code of conduct may not seem necessary as your community is -getting its start. However, creating a path for conflict identification and -resolution at the start can head off issues before they balloon out of control -and alienate valuable contributors and community members. Make the code of -conduct carefully crafted, but also prominent, part of larger strategy to be -inclusive and diverse. The OpenStack Foundation initially adopted the Ubuntu -Code of Conduct when establishing its own. + Providing an inclusive and safe experience for everyone, regardless + of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body + size, race, nationality or religion is not only critical to the + health of the entire open source community, it's something that must + be considered at the beginning of a project. + +Code of Conduct + A code of conduct may not seem necessary as your community is getting + its start. However, creating a path for conflict identification and + resolution at the start can head off issues before they balloon out + of control and alienate valuable contributors and community members. + Make the code of conduct carefully crafted, but also prominent, part + of larger strategy to be inclusive and diverse. The OpenStack + Foundation initially adopted the Ubuntu Code of Conduct when + establishing its own. The first lesson learned is the enforcement policy is equally as important as the code of conduct. We did not put enough thought into how it was @@ -152,13 +162,14 @@ Code of Conduct when establishing its own. a strong message to the community that you have thought through the process and are looking out for their best interest. -Representation? A few years into the project, we worked with the community, -including the Diversity Working Group, to publicly document an enforcement -policy. Again, we looked to another successful open source community, Python -and PyCon, as a basis for our policy. This policy gives anyone who wants to -report an issue a clear call to action and sets expectations for how it will be -handled and gives the Foundation staff a clear process to follow and removes -the emotion from the process. + Representation? A few years into the project, we worked with the + community, including the Diversity Working Group, to publicly + document an enforcement policy. Again, we looked to another + successful open source community, Python and PyCon, as a basis for + our policy. This policy gives anyone who wants to report an issue a + clear call to action and sets expectations for how it will be handled + and gives the Foundation staff a clear process to follow and removes + the emotion from the process. Check the health of your community as you go. Do you have something similar to the following? @@ -185,8 +196,10 @@ geographical and by organization, can help reinforce this participation and will ultimately make for a stronger community. Contributor Recognition & Motivation +------------------------------------ Communication +------------- Is there anything more emblematic of the modern work-force than attempting to solve the problem of day-to-day communication? Open source communities face @@ -222,90 +235,117 @@ messaging. This can include local user groups, regional meet-ups, international/national summits, developer mid-cycles. All can be used to further educate and engage your open source community. -Branding & positioning (example of collaboration across forces, product -definition) including tools and processes Develop with stake-holders, open to -community Some degree of collaboration is useful and necessary, but only to an -extent. This is especially true in regards to visual identity since it can be +Branding & positioning +---------------------- + +Branding and positioning is an example of collaboration across forces +and product definition including tools and processes. + +Develop with stake-holders, open to community Some degree of +collaboration is useful and necessary, but only to an extent. This is +especially true in regards to visual identity since it can be subjective and contentious. Design rationale should be provided to the -community to build consensus, but there should be key decision makers to -prevent the ideation process from continuing to infinity. Lessons learned with -project mascots In an attempt to provide consistency we discovered removed -individuality with some projects Slippery slope - Once the projects got them, -every small group also wanted their own mascot Upside - These are actually -picked up and used regularly by the press and in group events. Critical to -develop brand guidelines, to give community guidelines to extend brand beyond -internal resources Development of consistent UX to be applied to web-sites, -documentation, etc.... This can be tough b/c the needs of the design team -don't always mesh with the needs/methods of developers managing properties like -documentation. Design must be available as an easy plug in (HTML or javascript -snippet) for headers and footers of sites. +community to build consensus, but there should be key decision makers +to prevent the ideation process from continuing to infinity. Lessons +learned with project mascots In an attempt to provide consistency we +discovered removed individuality with some projects Slippery slope - +Once the projects got them, every small group also wanted their own +mascot Upside - These are actually picked up and used regularly by the +press and in group events. Critical to develop brand guidelines, to +give community guidelines to extend brand beyond internal resources +Development of consistent UX to be applied to web-sites, +documentation, etc.... This can be tough b/c the needs of the design +team don't always mesh with the needs/methods of developers managing +properties like documentation. Design must be available as an easy +plug in (HTML or javascript snippet) for headers and footers of sites. -Marketing & Strategy Once the initial branding and positioning has been -finalized, share with all key stake-holders. The challenge is often identifying -the correct channel to ensure everyone is apprised of updates and changes. This -may take time, but trying different options and even a combination of a -few often helps reinforce the messaging and branding for the maximum impact. -Ahead of the start of the year, identify the largest areas of opportunity to -increase brand visibility and favorability to create a strategy. After -identifying programs, events and projects that can support the strategy, -communicate this back to the community, reaching out to the marketing teams at -the ecosystem companies directly to participate and provide feedback. This is -your biggest opportunity for a ripple effect. Stay apprised of market share -and user adoption metrics. Share these metrics openly and broadly, particularly -with the ecosystem companies and elected officials who represent the three -forces. This can be done in joint leadership meetings, both remote and in -person, as well as mailing list newsletters. If the information could be -perceived negatively, come prepared with a solution or action plan to increase -confidence of key stake-holders. It's important to pro-actively share the -negative information when possible to prevent reactionary fear, uncertainty and -doubt. Identify key dates and milestones that celebrate the successes of the -community. Whether it's specific to a force, like a software release or new -case study or specific to the software or community itself, like results in a -market report or participation in a supported event. This helps create momentum -and rewards the positive community efforts that are impacting another force or -even the broader industry. Leverage collaborative opportunities when possible. -If the broader market perceptions indicate a confusion around facts that affect -one of the three forces, collect the people most affected to identify a way to -pro-actively address the problem. An example would be that OpenStack is seen as -only a private cloud solution. A Public Cloud Working Group that -collaborates to create programs and most recently messaging that will help -alleviate the confusion is a response that helps leverage the affected parties -to address the overarching issue. +Marketing & Strategy +-------------------- -Events Support upstream developers with dedicated space and events to -collaborate and get work done. This includes collaboration within a project and -cross-project collaboration. Create a productive event that combines upstream -developers with operators so that production challenges and successes can be -combined with software road-maps and bug tracking. Create an opportunity for -ecosystem companies to interact with operators and developers to educate around -available products, gain insights from the market and participate in road-map -discussions. Identify gaps in both the community and the overall market and -use events as an opportunity to gather content, subject matter experts and -adjacent communities to share knowledge and solve problems. OpenStack Days -Industry events +Once the initial branding and positioning has been finalized, share +with all key stake-holders. The challenge is often identifying the +correct channel to ensure everyone is apprised of updates and changes. +This may take time, but trying different options and even a +combination of a few often helps reinforce the messaging and branding +for the maximum impact. Ahead of the start of the year, identify the +largest areas of opportunity to increase brand visibility and +favorability to create a strategy. After identifying programs, events +and projects that can support the strategy, communicate this back to +the community, reaching out to the marketing teams at the ecosystem +companies directly to participate and provide feedback. This is your +biggest opportunity for a ripple effect. Stay apprised of market share +and user adoption metrics. Share these metrics openly and broadly, +particularly with the ecosystem companies and elected officials who +represent the three forces. This can be done in joint leadership +meetings, both remote and in person, as well as mailing list +newsletters. If the information could be perceived negatively, come +prepared with a solution or action plan to increase confidence of key +stake-holders. It's important to pro-actively share the negative +information when possible to prevent reactionary fear, uncertainty and +doubt. Identify key dates and milestones that celebrate the successes +of the community. Whether it's specific to a force, like a software +release or new case study or specific to the software or community +itself, like results in a market report or participation in a +supported event. This helps create momentum and rewards the positive +community efforts that are impacting another force or even the broader +industry. Leverage collaborative opportunities when possible. If the +broader market perceptions indicate a confusion around facts that +affect one of the three forces, collect the people most affected to +identify a way to pro-actively address the problem. An example would +be that OpenStack is seen as only a private cloud solution. A Public +Cloud Working Group that collaborates to create programs and most +recently messaging that will help alleviate the confusion is a +response that helps leverage the affected parties to address the +overarching issue. -Education & On-boarding Goal to make the barrier to entry as low as possible. -Clear, discoverable and digestible documentation Recorded and real time -on-boarding sessions - webinars, f2f sessions at events Suggest training the -trainer - creating a toolbox and guidelines to provide to regional community -members so they can lead their own on-boarding sessions Documented ways to -communicate with seasoned experts / join meetings to accelerate on-boarding. -Mentorship programs +Events +------ -Ambassadors & Meet-ups Supporting global communities through user groups, -ambassador program, Providing resources & content for events and meet-ups, and -setting precedents for those events (branding, content, etc.), while still -giving them creative freedom building the relationships first; find leaders -outside of the Foundation to foster new user groups leaders; collab sessions at -Summits using tools available to all regions community of 90,000; team of 23 -(XX ambassadors, 100+ user groups) Collaborating with local leaders to better -understand regional differences in the technology choices, use cases and -community involvement. Create a way to co-own user group contacts to ease the -transfer of ownership if people leave the community or if there are any bad -actors. +Support upstream developers with dedicated space and events to +collaborate and get work done. This includes collaboration within a +project and cross-project collaboration. Create a productive event +that combines upstream developers with operators so that production +challenges and successes can be combined with software road-maps and +bug tracking. Create an opportunity for ecosystem companies to +interact with operators and developers to educate around available +products, gain insights from the market and participate in road-map +discussions. Identify gaps in both the community and the overall +market and use events as an opportunity to gather content, subject +matter experts and adjacent communities to share knowledge and solve +problems. OpenStack Days Industry events -Cross-community collaboration (NIH) From the very beginning invite other -communities and projects to collaborate and participate. In turn actively reach -out to engage and participate in other communities to enhance integration -efforts. Need examples here +Education & On-boarding +----------------------- + +Goal to make the barrier to entry as low as possible. Clear, +discoverable and digestible documentation Recorded and real time +on-boarding sessions - webinars, f2f sessions at events Suggest +training the trainer - creating a toolbox and guidelines to provide +to regional community members so they can lead their own on-boarding +sessions Documented ways to communicate with seasoned experts / join +meetings to accelerate on-boarding. Mentorship programs + +Ambassadors & Meet-ups +---------------------- + +Supporting global communities through user groups, ambassador +program, Providing resources & content for events and meet-ups, and +setting precedents for those events (branding, content, etc.), while +still giving them creative freedom building the relationships first; +find leaders outside of the Foundation to foster new user groups +leaders; collab sessions at Summits using tools available to all +regions community of 90,000; team of 23 (XX ambassadors, 100+ user +groups) Collaborating with local leaders to better understand +regional differences in the technology choices, use cases and +community involvement. Create a way to co-own user group contacts to +ease the transfer of ownership if people leave the community or if +there are any bad actors. + +Cross-community collaboration (NIH) +----------------------------------- + +From the very beginning invite other communities and projects to +collaborate and participate. In turn actively reach out to engage and +participate in other communities to enhance integration efforts. Need +examples here