19:03:56 #startmeeting fedora ambassadors mentors 2010-09-06 19:03:56 Meeting started Mon Sep 6 19:03:56 2010 UTC. The chair is kital. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot. 19:03:56 Useful Commands: #action #agreed #halp #info #idea #link #topic. 19:04:23 welcome all to our "first" meeting 19:04:31 lets start with 19:04:37 #topic RollCall 19:04:53 .fasinfo jbwillia 19:04:54 Southern_Gentlem: User: jbwillia, Name: Ben Williams, email: vaioof@yahoo.com, Creation: 2006-04-17, IRC Nick: Southern_Gentleman, Timezone: US/Eastern, Locale: en, Extension: 5100572, GPG key ID: 295A4FBC, Status: active 19:04:58 Southern_Gentlem: Approved Groups: cla_fedora cla_done ambassadors gitcourses irc-support-operators freemedia 19:05:02 Joerg Simon 19:05:24 Maria Leandro 19:05:27 * lcafiero is larry cafiero 19:05:31 Mathieu Bridon 19:05:47 Larry Cafiero (sorry) 19:06:25 should we do the fasinfo? 19:06:25 thanks to all of you to show up! 19:06:37 lcafiero: not necessary 19:08:00 as we learned from the mentors survey mostly all of the mentors 19:08:15 would like to meet regularly 19:08:38 the first short 19:09:03 #topic what are the best fedora ambassador meeting times 19:09:06 ? 19:09:30 do you think to meet once every two month is enough 19:09:46 * tatica says once a month 19:10:07 other voices on this? 19:10:30 i can go either way -- once a month is fine, once every two months is ok too. 19:10:45 monthly might make for shorter meetings, though. 19:10:55 I'm waiting on this one to see what we are discussing in those meetings, and thus make an opinion on the frequency ;) 19:11:59 i think of a not sooo much formal meeting - more of a gathering to have a place to meet an discuss freely without much meeting rules 19:12:27 but also to have the opportunity to discuss topics that concerns the mentoring improvement 19:12:58 so let us see what we achieve today and go from there 19:13:09 maybe we can go for once a month, and evolve from there? 19:13:15 i can go either way 19:13:31 or every odd month 19:13:32 bochecha: good lets do that 19:14:29 please have a look at the agenda for today 19:14:31 maybe if we do make more distant meetings will be less confidents and fluently 19:14:34 https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/AmbassadorMentors_agenda 19:16:06 #agreed to start with monthly mentors meetings to learn if this is satisfactory for the quorum 19:16:50 i choosed the 3 most important point - from my pov - for the today´s agenda 19:17:20 any other to add? 19:17:32 none from me. 19:18:26 yn1v: hi Neville 19:18:34 kital, first item please 19:18:52 #topic CLA +1 for new Ambassadors? 19:18:56 sorry, I was held in a work meeting 19:19:13 yn1v: np we just started 19:19:28 we have discussed CLA +1 several times in informal meetings 19:19:44 and we got a lot pro and cons 19:20:12 if we look at the statistic for the current rates 19:20:17 http://git.fedorahosted.org/git/?p=fama.git;a=blob_plain;f=stats/ambassadors.png 19:20:19 kital, -1 from me 19:20:26 * bochecha doesn't view this as a necessary condition, though it's certainly an additional proof of commitment to / knowledge of the project 19:20:51 i see ambassadors as a starting place in the community 19:20:59 kital, nice anomaly in the middle of two very similar growth :) 19:21:34 exactly 19:22:16 in this period with the fast grow we just checked for f-a-l and for a wiki-page because it was to much communication work for one person 19:22:20 i would love to see lists of mentors for the other projects that we could use to forward people to after or during them going thru the ambassadors program 19:22:44 that anomaly was the FAS clear up? wasn't ?? 19:22:56 Southern_Gentlem, there used to be an informal mentoring effort that was more general than the specific one we setup for ambassadors 19:23:10 Southern_Gentlem: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mentors this is a start 19:23:29 yn1v: yes after a clean up of a lot inactive accounts 19:24:11 #idea lists of mentors for the other projects that we could use to forward people to after or during them going thru the ambassadors program 19:24:44 kital, I'm not sure we actually need such lists 19:25:06 bochecha, i think every group should have sometype of a mentoring project 19:25:08 so from a quantity pov a CLA +1 seems not necessary to have healthy growth 19:25:35 we are mentoring people that *most of the time* are from the same area as we are, and there are basically people from every group in every region (yes, I'm oversimplifying) 19:25:51 as such, we all know some people next to us in most of the groups, people we could point newcomers to 19:26:00 without requiring formal lists 19:26:14 Southern_Gentlem, that's not really for ambassadors/mentors to decide, though 19:27:10 bochecha, but it would help get and help retain more contributors in the long run 19:27:46 Southern_Gentlem: you mean it to have better interfaces/liasons ? 19:27:50 I never said the contrary 19:28:18 all of the above 19:29:19 if i look at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mentors this is not very good maintained 19:29:55 and we have also different joining processes for the certain groups 19:29:59 bochecha, I think our jobs as mentors is to help our candidates through the ambassador process and hopeful during that time frame find out what else they may be interested in and start sending them on to the next group as well 19:30:24 Southern_Gentlem, I completely agree 19:31:09 I've mostly mentored french people, and I have contacts with people from l18n/packaging/... in France, to point newcomers to 19:31:11 be it docs or they just want to help in #fedora 19:31:38 as i understand bochecha - he is more to use informal regional connections instead formal official lists - to build better relationships 19:32:13 kital, I'm not *more* in favor of this, I just said official lists are not *needed* 19:32:22 understood ;) 19:32:27 of course lists would be useful, we can't know everyone from everywhere :) 19:32:56 are we happy with http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mentors <-- as said not the newest one 19:33:02 ? 19:33:20 any other solution or action that we have to take ? 19:33:28 if the page is accurate, sure 19:34:01 if the page is up to date it is really usefull 19:34:14 although if I understood correctly, the design team is currently working on the redesign of the fp.o website, and one of the page will include informations on how to contribute to Fedora 19:34:29 i dont see groups like bugzappers on it 19:34:30 maybe that would be a better place to build a list of contacts for each group? 19:34:43 biab 19:35:13 maybe bring this page to their attention, so they can include some of the info or link to this page. 19:35:24 #idea redesigned fp.o website should include informations on how to contribute to Fedora 19:36:01 any volunteer to bring this to the website teams attention? 19:36:38 kital, redesigned fp.o *will* include informations on how to contribute to Fedora 19:36:58 bochecha: still better! 19:37:15 http://fedoraproject.org/w/uploads/9/95/Wwwfpo-redesign-2010_7-community.png 19:37:19 lets remember the topic - Southern_Gentlem already voted -1 on CLA +1 19:37:46 adding contacts informations for mentors of each group over the might make sense 19:37:56 * bochecha is 0 on the topic 19:38:02 i think lets vote on it to have a impression 19:38:17 -1 from a growth pov from me 19:38:38 +1 19:38:50 * inode0 is inclined to vote +1 19:38:54 Southern_Gentlem, weren't you -1 a few minutes ago? oO 19:39:12 +1 19:39:14 -1 on cla +1 19:39:21 bochecha: i think it is a +1 to his already voted -1 19:39:28 although CLA+1 doesn't really capture what I think is needed 19:39:48 some serious involvement in the project somewhere else first 19:40:03 so maybe lets move to the next topic which is maybe a better alternative? 19:40:34 #topic using the invitation Flag for Ambassador Group(Invite Only)? 19:40:37 inode0, so you dont want ambassadors to be the starting point in the community? 19:40:48 no 19:41:35 just go ahead with discussion on - entry "barriers" 19:41:55 I think CLA ensure contributions remains on the project for most things people share 19:43:18 as most of you know we have the possibility to use a group invitation since two weeks 19:43:23 one can't effectively represent a project one has just joined 19:43:49 so people who want to join have to got through mentoring before they apply to the Ambassador Group 19:43:58 s/apply/get invited 19:44:30 the mentoring as we have it now has changed my mind about beginning with the ambassador group 19:44:38 kital so how would this really change what is happening now 19:44:44 ambassadors have a double role... as event makers you don't really need to know much about the project. But the role a contact point to redirect people to the team that best suit the need or awser the questions at hand... is a long term learning process 19:45:50 Southern_Gentlem: the main problem mentors seems to have, that they get emails from people who want a mentor but stop communicate after the first email - right? 19:46:01 not really 19:46:09 kital, then they arent that interested 19:46:23 at times i use that a a test 19:46:26 that happens a lot but the bigger problem is they are contacted by new people who know very little about Fedora 19:47:22 ok so using "invition only" for the group would not solve this problem 19:47:27 i see this 19:47:32 this is like a receptionist on a front desk ... you don't need to know the answers, but know which department handle that kind of questions. How do you do training to receptionist? 19:47:33 it would help immensely I think 19:47:37 kital imho no 19:47:57 if Southern_Gentlem invited someone I am confident they are well suited 19:48:02 kital I don't think invitation only will help 19:48:09 yn1v: i see it more like a real Ambassador from a country 19:48:14 by random self-application (like we have now) very few are well suited 19:48:27 how about the following: a candidate ambassador has to first hang out in events with local ambassadors, giving a hand, getting to know people in #fedora-ambassadors 19:48:28 if you are not a citizen how can you be a Ambassador for that country 19:48:45 after a while, an already ambassadors would remark the candidate, and invite him in the group, thus starting the mentoring process 19:48:48 bochecha, -1 on having to have event time 19:49:04 * inode0 once suggested CLA+6 months ... which gives time to get to know people and how things work 19:49:06 the process would even be much simplified, given that the candidate would already have showed some work 19:49:17 Southern_Gentlem, that was an example 19:49:24 inode0, now that i agree with 19:49:34 bochecha: this is possible in Europe but we have countries or regions where they just start or are very poor and can only contribute on very small level 19:49:54 inode0: wow ;) 19:50:02 inode0, 6 months means they signed the cla 6 months ago, not that they have been active during those 6 months 19:50:24 inode0, or even +3 months would be helpful 19:50:26 kital, and? hanging around in #fedora-ambassadors, discussing with people, showing knowledge of the project and maturity, building trust,... 19:50:39 that's all possible even if you are the first in your country 19:50:49 bochecha: regarding event time with a local Ambassador 19:50:59 kital, again, that was an example 19:51:10 I can take some one in my country under my wing for 6 month to help him/her to be confident for becoming ambassdor, but that will not help for countries where there ir no ambassadors 19:51:20 I'm more interesting in the proposed process than the actual requirements 19:52:09 bochecha, i see nothing wrong with the process we have now 19:52:33 they apply then go through ambassadors mentoring 19:52:48 lets remember the "higher level" of the discussion - it is about maintaining the rate of growth we already have by pre-filter the candidates without demotivating them and route the "motived" to the Mentors 19:53:00 Southern_Gentlem, that doesn't mean it can't be improved, and some people must see something wrong with it, or else why are we even discussing it? :) 19:53:09 though like inode i think they really could use more time so cla + sometime limit 19:53:16 do we need a entry level like apprentice? and mentorship is more like a companionship for some longer term ? 19:54:21 yn1v, as mentor as soon as they become a ambassador they are on the same playing field as we are, just they know they have someone they can come discuss things with 19:55:01 * kital is really about rethinking the CLA +1 as a alternative, which ensures the candidate is knowing the Fedora Project :S 19:55:12 bochecha: you are right but the vast majority of failures are people who sign the CLA and join ambassador the same day or the next 19:55:13 yes, but not all come back witk questions... most of them do! 19:55:29 kital, it ensures the candidate knows one specific group 19:55:51 kital and what happens when every group does cla +1 19:55:58 the problem with the time delay is that it can dampen enthusiasm 19:56:02 how does a new person get involved 19:56:09 Southern_Gentlem: +1 19:56:14 inode0, exactly 19:56:44 i agree that cla +some time limit would be the best 19:56:48 bochecha: that is something I can live with if their enthusiasm often only lasts two weeks anyway :( 19:57:16 but having the candidate feel a part of the group (by participating in #fedora-ambassadors, spending time with local ambassadors, etc...) could actually build their enthusiasm? 19:57:27 (as I was proposing above) 19:57:27 I think any of these three choices would be an improvement 19:57:52 CLA+1, invitation, CLA+"some time delay" 19:57:58 but this is something we do not need to enforce - this is a freedom that any mentor has anyway 19:58:38 right, and I do the invitation method with most existing contributors now really 19:58:40 bochecha, in your area that may work, i have people they are the only ambassador in their state 19:59:06 most of them are also CLA+1 and CLA+delay already too though 19:59:11 bochecha, our states are larger than some other ocuntries 19:59:13 Southern_Gentlem, again, that doesn't prevent them to get to know people (and let themselves known!) in #fedora-ambassadors 19:59:29 * yn1v really hates to leave, but has a work meeting :( 19:59:40 yn1v: thanks for 19:59:46 ok he is gone 19:59:49 just by being there and chatting, they could show how well they know the project, build some relationships, or even have others build trust in them 19:59:57 bochecha, certain times of the year it could 20:00:19 well, that's at least something :) 20:00:31 bochecha: right but do we need to write this down as a "rule"? or is it enough to give that freedom to the mentor? 20:00:53 CLA+delay really just means candidates have to sign the CLA a while before they contact a mentor 20:01:06 I'd rather not see mentor shopping based on this within a region 20:01:30 inode0: shopping means contact multiple mentors? 20:01:35 CLA+delay means they didn't get bored in a week and leave 20:01:39 kital, if we are free to do as we please, then we continue the status quo. That's perfectly fine for me, but then we probably don't need to go on discussing this ;) 20:01:59 kital, no, it means you'd contact the laxer mentor ;) 20:02:02 bochecha, exactly so they want to be part of the community and they want to make that first step the ambassadors they have had time to think aobut it first 20:02:20 bochecha: we are discuss if a common pre-filter is needed to save mentors time 20:02:29 if one mentor in NA required CLA+1 and another didn't which would you choose if you were CLA? 20:02:41 Southern_Gentlem, or... open an account, set a reminder 6 months later, stop thinking about it until the BIP 20:03:08 bochecha, most will not apply at that point 20:03:31 I can imagine the problems we see are a bit different and maybe CLA+delay would work well in NA but not be necessary somewhere else 20:03:38 Southern_Gentlem, I really have no definitive idea on that, but 've been doing this for much less that you all 20:04:04 inode0: already pointed 3 choices 21:57 < inode0> CLA+1, invitation, CLA+"some time delay" 20:04:07 inode0, sometimes you'd even want to make it as fast as possible 20:04:40 bochecha, what is fun is when you are contacted and they have not even applied to the ambassadors group 20:04:46 I can't imagine fast as possible is ever wanted when the applicant signed the CLA today 20:04:56 let me rephrase that: sometimes the delay would be just an unnecessary pain for both the mentor and the candidate 20:04:58 is one of them helpfull as a common pre-filter to the mentorship process or does it make more harm than good? 20:05:14 (as fast as possible doesn't make sense, not native english, ...) 20:05:38 how about one of the three? any one of them makes you ok? 20:06:15 invitation makes more sense to me, especially if all ambassadors can invite rather than only mentors 20:06:15 i m -1 on cla +1 but i am +1 cla + some time 20:06:40 would either of those be ok with you? 20:06:43 and i am negable on the time 20:06:44 that means the initial filtering is distributed among all ambassadors, rather than having mentors be the first few swamped 20:07:19 bochecha, its not about us getting swamped but us getting good ambassador in the end 20:07:45 * kital tents to recommend that from case to case the mentor should choose CLA+1, invitation, CLA+"some time delay" 20:07:52 Southern_Gentlem, yes, but leave the filtering to the ambassadors, and you can spend your time helping candidates become better ambassadors 20:07:55 so at the point of application FAMA checks if the applicant is (a) CLA+1 OR (b) invited OR (c) signed the CLA at least X days ago? 20:08:46 if that would help you - yes FAMA would check this for the mentors 20:09:07 inode0, oh, I didn't see you proposed « OR » 20:09:26 inode0, that might be worth a try, yes 20:09:28 (b) could move anything through the process ASAP 20:09:38 move anyone I mean 20:09:46 a or b would 20:10:06 yeah, if they even knew enough to join a group with no requirements 20:10:37 #idea FAMA checks if the applicant is (a) CLA+1 OR (b) invited OR (c) signed the CLA at least X days ago 20:10:37 X>30? 20:10:39 rather than simple invitation, I'd like to see a short recommandation 20:10:40 even that suggests to me they know something about how Fedora works 20:10:55 and I'm +1 on the (a) OR (b) OR (c) 20:11:08 #undo 20:11:08 Removing item from minutes: 20:11:26 #idea FAMA checks if the applicant is (a) CLA+1 OR (b) invited/recommended OR (c) signed the CLA at least X>30 days ago 20:12:08 does FAS make it easy to know *who* invited someone in a group? if so, invitation is enough and mentor can contact the invitor (is that the correct word?) if he has some doubts... 20:12:40 bochecha: you can see applied and approved dates 20:12:43 and who approved them 20:12:55 jds2001, does invitation mean approval? 20:13:03 #action kital rework the welcome message and the join process till 2010-09-10 20:13:05 this is a new thing 20:13:21 bochecha: not really, it's who clicked the "sponsor" button 20:13:35 which in theory should be the same person that invited them, I'd hope :) 20:13:47 * inode0 likes calling it recommendation or nomination rather than invitation maybe 20:14:02 jds2001, but if I invite someone on a group, is he automatically approved? or will it simply make him a candidate to the group that someone must then approve? 20:14:03 either way, the concept is the same :) 20:14:11 bochecha: let us do it this way the person who invites just add the person to the group 20:14:14 existing ambassador is endorsing the candidate from personal knowledge 20:14:22 bochecha: or sends a short message to fama 20:14:32 bochecha: you have to be a sponsor to invite someone (i.e. add a member other than yourself to a group) 20:14:35 bochecha, your recommendation sends them through the mentor process 20:14:44 but you still need to click the sponsor button 20:14:56 ok, so we're not talking about the fas « invitation » mechanism 20:14:59 thanks jds2001 20:15:12 bochecha: i think it's the same way with invite-only groups 20:15:27 i've not yet sponsored someone in one of those 20:16:12 22:14 < Southern_Gentlem> bochecha, your recommendation sends them through the mentor process 20:16:31 so we have to point this out somewhere 20:16:51 kital, « recommandation » and « mentoring process » are concepts related to the mentoring, I was asking about the technical implementation in FAS, which seems to be different 20:17:33 bochecha, i think this would be in the trac instance not fas 20:17:48 Southern_Gentlem, after jds2001's explanation, that's what I'm thinking as well 20:18:10 i think a invitation in the fama track instance would be the way to go then 20:18:17 instead of kital opening a ticket after a candidate apply, someone would open a ticket recommending a candiate 20:18:23 bochecha: +1 20:18:41 in the case of (b) above, kital would still open tickets for (a) and (c) 20:18:52 +1 20:18:55 yes 20:18:56 seems like we're finally agreeing on something ^^' 20:19:14 bochecha: ;) 20:19:30 kital or someone yes 20:19:56 kital might say i am tired and burned out say tag your it 20:20:05 say tag your it 20:20:12 ? no idea ;) 20:20:19 but yeah we are 20 minutes over time 20:20:47 kital, then let's keep the last item for next meeting, maybe? 20:20:50 so let me work it out like i wrote in the action item - i will inform the other famsco members and mentors as well 20:21:08 bochecha: yes we make it next time 20:21:25 thanks to you all for sharing your valuable time with us 20:21:52 in last item ? 20:21:58 if not we end 20:22:00 i propose next meeting on october 9 th 20:22:17 this is a Saturday? 20:22:18 on a saturday? 20:22:24 tuesday 20:22:38 ops 20:22:47 october 12th 20:22:48 10/12 20:23:02 monday meeting sux 20:23:05 that's fine for me 20:23:16 monday is already the meeting day for Fedora-Fr 20:23:52 i propose our meeting be the second tuesday of every month 20:24:01 #agreed mentors meeting once a month the first tuesday - next meeting october 12th 20:24:12 #undo 20:24:12 Removing item from minutes: 20:24:16 kital, 12th is not the first tuesday :) 20:24:22 #agreed mentors meeting once a month the second tuesday - next meeting october 12th 20:24:46 +1 20:24:53 cool 20:24:58 big thanks to you all 20:25:08 lets end? 20:25:25 yup, gotta go anyway 20:25:31 #endmeeting