drf_phases_plan.md

Phased Plan

Overview

This is an iterable approach to organizing and managing the many community-driven initiatives important to the DevRel Profession. This process is designed to ensure that the DevRel Foundation isn’t led by the assumptions of the steering committee (SC) as to what the important topics to tackle are but instead charged with the stewardship of collecting input, creating processes to organize that data, and shepherding solutions to real problems. Embedding flexibility and iteration ensures continuous growth and adaptation to meet the community's evolving needs.

Phase 1: Identifying Common Themes (1 Month)

Initial Challenge Theme Identification

Gather key themes that matter to the community through surveys, office hours, Discord, GitHub Discussions, and other community conversations.

Output

• Key list of challenges / themes, along with logical groupings, stored in challenges doc.

Announce Initial Challenges List (~1 week)

Announce this initial list of key themes to the participants and the public via GitHub with the option for the community to add more suggestions.

Output

• Final list of challenges / themes, along with logical groupings, stored in challenges doc.
• Gather additional suggestions from community

Complete Challenges List (~1 week)

Finally, the steering committee will be able to add additional themes to complete the list. (~1 week)

Output

• Compile themes from survey and input channels into challenges doc.
• Determine output channels
• Create announcement with request for suggestions for Discord / Email / LinkedIn / any other required channels.
• Make announcement via required channels.
• Absorb feedback during review feedback, respond to inquiries, and make any required edits to theme documents.

Phase 2: Group Recruitment

Recruitment drive for participants to the group (2 Weeks)

• Steering Committee creates the application form for participants.
• Steering Committee will promote the recruitment process.
• Potential participants are encouraged to promote the recruitment process.

Output

• Create and distribute application forms for membership. Form includes a request supporting material detailing why a manager or participant is interested in the role or roles they have applied for along with any relevant experience.
• Steering committee promotes recruitment efforts (Duration: ongoing during recruitment).

Initial group meetings and orientation (2 Weeks)

An assigned Steering Committee member will hold the initial group meeting / orientation with prospective working group members.

Meeting will include:

• Overview of the process.
• Initial requirements of the group (see phase 3).
• Tooling and support available to group during the process.

Output

• Steering Committee member confirms initial group meeting.
• Steering Committee member holds initial group meeting.

Participant and manager commitment confirmation (1 week)

All group participants provide information and sign commitment forms that outline the expectations for their roles.

Managers:

• Minimum of 2 hours per week commitment.
• Minimum of 6 months commitment.
• Agree to the Code of Conduct.
• Agree to governing document.
• Agree to make their name public.

Working group members:

• Agree to the Code of Conduct.
• Agree to governing document.

Output

Signed documents from all participants

Group Manager Selection (a few days)

Using the final list of key themes from Phase 1, volunteers from the working groups will opt-in to manage the group responsible for a theme.

• Minimum of 2 hours per week commitment.
• Minimum of 6 months commitment.
• Maximum of 3 managers for each group.

Output

• List of community group managers

Add group members to communication tools (a few days)

Add managers and group participants to communication tools (lists, Discord, GitHub)

• Managers will be added to the [group] repo on the DevRel Foundation GitHub.
• Managers will be added to the [group]-managers@lists.dev-rel.org distribution list.
• All participants will be added to the [group]-participants@lists.dev-rel.org distribution list.
• All participants will be added to the #[group] channel on the DevRel Foundation Discord instance.

Output

All group participants added to communication tools and confirmed active.

Phase 3: Group Documentation and Goal Setting (6 weeks)

Group documentation creation. (2 Weeks)

• Define the goals of the final deliverable after the 6 month period.
• Create a timeline with significant milestones.
• Assign roles for participants if needed.
• Submit documentation to the steering committee.

These documents will be made public.

Output

• Steering Committee delivers timeline guidance / templates to group managers.
• Each group delivers the following to the steering committee:
  • Six month goal list.
  • Tracking timeline.
  • Role list for participants (if needed).
• Steering Committee publishes delivered documents.
• Steering Committee notifies community of document publishing via communication channels.

Create Group Charter (2 weeks)

Working groups create and finalize group charters, including mission statement, roles, and resources (Duration: 2 weeks).

• Write a well-defined mission statement for the group for the 6 month period.
• Define the leadership structure for the group.
  • How are decisions made?
  • How will participants be included in decisions?
  • Who is responsible for what tasks?
• Estimate what resources and personnel are needed to accomplish the mission statement.
• How often and when will the group meet?
• All managers must hold a consensus vote to agree on the charter.

Output

• Each group has the following produced:
  • Mission statement.
  • Leadership structure.
  • Resource requirements.
  • Meeting cadence.
• Each group has completed a vote on the above successfully.
• Each group submits charter and above resources to Steering Committee for review.

Charter Approval (2 weeks)

Feedback and approval from the steering committee. (Duration: 1 Week)

• Groups that do not receive approval will be removed and notified.
• This decision can not be appealed.

Output

• Approval status (approved / rejected) for all charters / groups.
• Notifications sent to all group managers.

Publish Group Charter and Participant Lists (a few days)

Each Group’s Charter, the list of managers, the list of participants (optional) will be made public.

Output

• All group charters and manager list published to GitHub.
• Notifications of charters sent to communication channels.

Phase 4: Ongoing Progress and Reporting (6 months)

At least 1 group manager must present their progress at 1 of the DevRel Foundation open meetings every month.

• Progress against their timeline.
• Lessons learned.
• Request additional resources.
• Estimate of work that will be completed before the next check-in period.
• Announce any significant changes to the group charter or deliverable.

Output

• Steering Committee organizes reporting cadence & schedule with group managers. Each group is assigned a SC rep.
• Each group representative produces the following at each reporting cycle:
  • Progress based on timeline.
  • Lessons learned.
  • Resource requests / needs.
  • Estimation of work to be done until next check-in period.
  • Announcement of any significant changes to group charter or deliverables.
• Steering Committee announces group updates via foundation communication channels (recording + slides + notes).

Phase 5: Final Presentation and Future Planning (3 weeks)

At the conclusion of the commitment period, there will be a final presentation at an open meeting. (Within: 1 Month)

• Deliverables published to GitHub.
• Wrap-up summary of lessons learned published to GitHub.
• Recommendations to pass on to the next group published to GitHub.
• Feedback on the overall process published to GitHub.
• Optional recognition of group managers or participants.
• Indication of what managers and participants would continue for another commitment period and in what capacity.

Output

• Steering committee representative schedules final presentations with group managers.
• Each group prepares the following and releases to their group section of the foundation Github repository:
  • Their completed content / research.
  • A wrap-up summary of lessons learned.
  • Recommendations to pass on to the next group.
  • Feedback on the overall process.
• Each group discusses the following during final presentations:
  • The content produced and submitted to Github.
  • Optional recognition of group managers or participants.
  • Indication of what managers and participants would continue for another commitment period and in what capacity.

Conclusion: Continuous Improvement

As we complete all phases, the steering committee will review the entire process. This final step is essential for ongoing growth and adaptability. We may revisit Phase 1 for new ideas and feedback to keep our community dynamic and aligned with its goals.

We value your input on the duration and effectiveness of each phase to balance thoroughness and efficiency. Your feedback will help us refine our approach and ensure impactful, meaningful collaboration.

Together, we can foster a thriving community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.