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Finding a Community (Even if You're not a
Developer)
Dru LavigneCommunity Manager, PC-BSD ProjectFSOSS 2010
This presentation will discuss:
Benefits to Contributing
Finding a Best-Fit Community
Getting Started
Overcoming Problems
Reducing Barriers to Contributions
Benefits: Experience
Gain experience you can add to your resume
Learn how to use industry tools in large, collaborative, non-lab environments
Learn hard and soft skills
Learn from others in your spare time
Benefits: Networking
Meet people from all over the world who are interested in your industry
Benefit from the experience of other community members (many who are famous and have written cool stuff)
When it comes to landing a job, it really is about "who you know"
Benefits: Recognition
It is possible to build a name for yourself and become an authority on topic XYZ
One way to break the glass ceiling as you become known for what you do, not what you look like
Savvy employers Google potential hires—will they find you?
Finding the Best-fit
A little research in the beginning may save you wasted time later: create a project short list
Look for opportunites that match your interests
A technical fit is not necessarily the best-fit
Shop around and don't feel the need to stay (or give up entirely) if the fit isn't working out
Best-fit: Development
Does the code base support the language(s) you are interested in?
Is there a bugs database?
Is there a published style guide?
Are there opportunities to be mentored by more senior members? to earn a “commit bit”?
Best-fit: Technical Writing
Does the project have a documentation team? Does it have any documentation?
How steep is the learning curve for the tools used to manage documentation?
How open is the project to publishing or linking to technical blogs, how-tos, interviews, articles, whitepapers, etc.?
Best-fit: Design
Does the project have a UI design team?
Are requests for UI improvements taken seriously or ignored?
Does the website need a design revamp?
Does the project have a logo or recognized “brand”?
Best-fit: Marketing
Every project needs help in this area!
You could create brochures, arrange events and contests, administer research surveys, perform datamining, maintain a news feed or blog roll, create ads for ezines, etc.
Getting Started
Research the Project's communication channels:
Are you comfortable using the available technologies?
Are you comfortable with their tone? Lurk for a while or skim the archives.
Getting Started
Look for opportunity:
Does the Project need assistance in areas that match your goals?
Does it publish a wish or TO DO list?
Is it easy to contribute or are there barriers to overcome?
Getting Started
Weigh your options:
Every Project contains individual personalities (including yours)
Every Project is different in tone, communication channels, available resources, technical skills, etc.
No project is perfect
Getting Started
Jump in and start doing something:
Find and engage in a communication channel
Join a local user group
Attend a conference or local user group
Getting Started
Be smart about it:
Learn the rules of Netiquette
Read the Project's FAQs
Treat others how you want to be treated
Be persistent
Overcoming Problems
If noone responds to your communications?
Don't be impatient and just leave
Check your question
Try another communication channel
Over time, notice patterns
Overcoming Problems
If you start a flame war?
Apologize once, then stay out of it
Don't do whatever it was you did again
Overcoming Problems
If you encounter elitism, sexism, racism, or some other nasty-ism?
Don't pretend it didn't happen
Privately bring it to the attention of a leader in the Project (and note their response)
Reducing Barriers
Publish a “how you can help” list prominently on the Project website
“Groom” people on IRC and forums: help them write a good bug report, encourage them to publish a how-to, blog their experience, tweet what is happening
Address inappropriate behaviour that occurs on communication channels
Reducing Barriers
Use recognized tools and include “getting started” guides to reduce learning curve
Hold regular code/doc/idea-athons
Organize face-to-face events: local user groups, unconferences, participation in global events such as SFD
Reducing Barriers
Acknowledge contributions! e.g. don't let patches rot in a queue
Pair new contributors with community members
Think beyond the codebase!
After all, open source is about community...
