Reflecting On Our Membership Proceedures

[Jono Bacon]

Copying in ubuntu-membership-boards at lists.ubuntu.com.

     Jono

On 08/03/2011 01:45 PM, Jono Bacon wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Recently there has been some controversy surrounding some elements of 
> how we are reviewing and assessing contributors for Ubuntu Membership 
> and approval as an Ubuntu Developer. I kicked off some discussion a 
> few weeks about this, and my apologies for not being more actively in 
> touch; it was idiotic of me to kick of a thread and then be on the 
> road with conference travel.
>
> From some of the conversations back then, I came to a few key 
> conclusions:
>
>  * We need more data from the people who have experienced these
>    processes - the applicants. While I have had some folks share their
>    experiences with me both publicly and in private, I don't feel we
>    have a sufficient take on the quality of the experience that folks
>    who apply to be either a member or  an approved developer have. I
>    believe more data will provide a more representative view of what
>    works well and what works less well.
>  * I can't solve this problem: I believe I can assist in gathering more
>    data and helping to move the conversation along, but if additional
>    data identifies there are problems, we need the CC and TB to help
>    drive forward solutions in tandem with the membership boards and the
>    DMB.
>
> To be clear, every one of our governance boards has good intentions in 
> carrying out their work. These issues are not about pointing fingers, 
> but improving the Ubuntu experience for everyone involved.
>
> As such, I am working on a survey to gather more data. This survey 
> will be sent to everyone who has applied to be a member or a developer 
> in the last two years. The survey will ask for feedback on the quality 
> of the experience, and specifically around the structure of the 
> process, the quality of our supporting documentation and mentoring, 
> the way the meeting was handled, and how welcome and empowered the 
> applicant feels. To be clear, the survey will ask for what works well 
> and what works less well.
>
> I believe this data will provide a better view on what challenges, if 
> any, we face, and I think now is a good time to get this visibility - 
> our governance boards have been working well, and getting some better 
> insight into these experiences will continue to help us deliver a fun, 
> productive, and accessible community.
>
> My goal is to have the survey completed over the next few months so we 
> can discuss these outcomes at UDS and make any appropriate changes in 
> that setting which is optimized for these kinds of discussions.
>
>     Jono
>


-- 
Jono Bacon
Ubuntu Community Manager
www.ubuntu.com / www.jonobacon.org
www.identi.ca/jonobacon www.twitter.com/jonobacon