Sorry for coming to this thread rather late. First of all -- terrific idea and a very thorough write up.
One thing I sort of missed though, is whether this is being proposed a formal policy of some kind? Or just a compilation of good practiced that all PMCs can follow? Thanks, Roman. On Thu, Jan 10, 2019 at 12:53 AM Sally Khudairi <s...@apache.org> wrote: > Hello ComDev-ers! I hope you are all well and that your 2019 is looking > bright thus far. > > I wanted to share my proposal for recognizing non-technical contributions > at the ASF. Whilst some of us have spoken about this issue for many years, > this discussion formalized during ApacheCon Montreal (September 2018; > select excerpts at the end of this message) and moved onto the ASF Members > list for review and vetting. > > We have received both signoff from VP ComDev Sharan Foga, as well as > careful consideration and positive feedback from more than a dozen Members. > > Let's proceed! > > Proposed Contribution Process for Non-Technical tasks: > > 1) Contributions must be associated with an existing ASF project or > committee. For example: > > - Creating supporting graphics for ASF Marketing & Publicity > > - Providing marketing support for an Apache TLP > > - Onboarding new contributors to an Apache podling community > > - Developing a new Website for an existing project > > - Participating in Apache Community Development activities --staffing > the ASF booth, coordinating events, etc. > > - Writing project/process documentation > > - Helping with ASF Operations activities --legal/accounting support, etc. > > ...there are more ways folks can contribute. We just need to give them the > ability to do so. > > 2) The TLP/podling/committee involved must have at least one community > member (internal; e.g. PMC) to help provide guidance on the task/activity > involved, and at least three PMC Members who may be able to nominate the > individual for Committership, as per the ASF's established contributor > > committer process http://community.apache.org/contributors/index.html . > > 3) All project/committee participants are encouraged to sign an ASF ICLA > in order to have their contributions recognized. > > 4) Recognition must happen on-list. > > 5) All PMCs and podlings are encouraged to consider non-code contributions > and establish their own sub-processes for determining how to accept, > integrate, and recognize non-technical participation. > > 6) Recommend that a team of advisors for this process operate under > ComDev, and for any serious issues to be escalated to the ASF President and > the individuals identified in the ASF Code of Conduct who act as > ombudspeople for conflict resolution. > > 7) Recommend that all non-ASF-Member-confidential tasks/Requests for > Assistance be posted publicly on https://helpwanted.apache.org/ ...the > form makes it easy to do so! The related details on the tasks themselves > may be published on a project's JIRA, blog post, mailing list, Webpage, > community forum, Slack channel, etc. > > 8) Projects/committees are encouraged to share their initiatives with ASF > Marketing & Publicity <pr...@apache.org> for additional visibility across > ASF communication channels. > > ...as we build the program, I'm sure we'll be able to flesh out more > details and areas of activity. > > And to kick it off, ASF Marketing & Publicity have some graphics/creative > tasks that we will be leading as part of a "Central Services sub-group" > under our committee. We will be posting details on blogs.apache.org and > promoted to the greater community. Those who are creatively inclined and > are able to help are welcome to join us. > > I hope the proposed process will help encourage broader participation. In > my review with Sharan, she wrote: > > > ... this is just the sort of thing I think Comdev could be doing. It is > also something that could focus us a bit better. > > > > So +1 from me. > > > Thank you in advance for taking this under the ComDev umbrella and helping > pave the way for a more inclusive, robust community. Once you're ready to > proceed, I'll be happy to forward/socialize the process to the PMCs if > needed. > > Feel free to let me know if you have any questions or how I can otherwise > be of help. > > Thanks, > Sally (ASF's first non-technical member!) > > - - - > Vice President Marketing & Publicity > Vice President Sponsor Relations > The Apache Software Foundation > > Tel +1 617 921 8656 | s...@apache.org > > = = = > > [BACKGROUND/CONTEXT; excepted from my emails to ASF Members] > > <snip> > > During ApacheCon, there were many discussions about two things: > > 1) "diversity". A pattern was clearly emerging: > a) diversity of humanity --one's DNA/gender/ethnicity/background/life > choices, etc. > b) diversity of contribution --promotion, community building, > onboarding, outreach, etc. > > 2) "(more efficient) ways to get non-code stuff done": > a) semi-one-off instances --graphics/logos, marketing/media assistance, > etc. > b) longer-term items --technical writing, documentation, case studies, > etc. > c) ongoing support --community building, onboarding/guidance, events > coordination, etc. > > > As a firm believer in our process/principles of meritocracy, our often > don't knowing who you are is a good thing: if you make decent > contributions, there’s a chance that you will be able to establish yourself > in the Apache community. Your work should speak for itself. However, it can > be difficult for some folks to participate if there’s no clear entry path > for them to do so. > > Much of the history behind what's being discussed goes as far back as my > initial participation in the ASF (1999), but the issue became pronounced in > 2004. Here's what happened: > > A certain Web Services-oriented company was heavily involved with a few > Apache projects. Not only had they submitted a project to the Incubator, > they had a handful of very active committers on their payroll. Their > products were Apache-dependent and they worked very hard to bring > visibility to their team, their contributions, and, of course, their > products (driving sales, and all). Their marketing director wanted to get > involved with promoting the project itself, but the PMC said "no, go away". > Although their hands were tied, they kept trying different approaches, but > were continually rebuffed. Eventually that person left and the company > tried again, this time using their community manager. There was a little > progress (remnants of "after all, can't trust a marketing person"-itis), > but there was still considerable frustration. > > Through the years, I've regularly received requests to help projects with > their marketing and promotions beyond the "Foundation"-level support > already provided.The request often comes from a corporate that's heavily > invested in the project. And, of course, my answer is "sorry, no", aside > from the experiment where I joined a podling that had considerable > marketing resources prior to coming to the Incubator, and they had assigned > an individual specifically to oversee that project's marketing. I joined > the pPMC's new (private) press and (public) marketing lists, and was > engaged somewhat passively, and was definitely not driving the effort. A > year later, the dedicated marketer jumped ship to their competitor and the > project has been struggling to manage this > on their own. I eventually unsubscribed from their lists after some years. > > The reality is that this is not a unique situation. Many projects have > active users with their own marketing and PR teams who get assigned to help > out in any way possible, and more often than not, the end result gives off > the impression that CompanyX "owns" or appears to be inappropriately > influencing the project, which, in turn, causes Brand Management, Marketing > & Publicity, and at times even the ASF Board to intervene. Those who have > been on the receiving end know that you don't want me to come after you <g>. > > PMCs often want to focus on code and community-builing, and rightfully so, > considering that they are the two areas that we actively target/hone our > resources. Yet our projects often also need additional support in the form > of documentation, graphics/Website development, community events > management, marketing/PR/AR, and more. This may not be a full-time role > within the project, yet is valuable and necessary to be coordinating with > several ASF groups (Brand Management, M&P, ComDev, > etc.). Plus, very few technologists/developers/software engineer-types are > interested/skilled in these areas. > > <...> > > *Recognizing Contributors and Contributions.*** > > Let's get more people to help with the heavy lifting. Reduce resentment > due to lack of recognition. Reduce volunteer fatigue and burnout. > > We need to establish participation guidelines/requirements. Allow others > to offer assistance --even if it’s only for a single project to start. To > ensure parity and promote collaboration, any contributor interested in > supporting any Apache project will need to participate on the respective > Central Services’ list(s). > > Contributors will be encouraged to help each other out and work through > issues together. A "no silo-ing" policy will be enforced. > > Get on the list, prove yourself, get your wings. > > <...> > > I wish others could help drive some of these activities because, > #LoveApache. > > </snip> > > # # # > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@community.apache.org > For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@community.apache.org > >
