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title: Mentoring Repo vs. Contributor.io content

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# Mentoring Repo vs. Contributor.io content

### **Whakaaro** (thoughts/opinion)

There should be a clear, complementary and logical relationship between the Mentoring Repo and the overall Contributor.io website. 

* Provides the foundation for Repo navigation
* Reduce required Repo content (Contributor.io will be the primary/default go-to)
* Will contribute to the overall onboarding environment and user experience

(**This assumes that for many accessing this section, it will be their first-time seeking to understand the nature of Contribution; specifically as part of the CNCF community.**) 

As such, documentation should serve to help step people through the various processes in a way that not only explains the *'how'* of certain functions and concepts relevant; but the *'why'* that provides some purpose and clarity to support individuals' ongoing involvement as future contributors.

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### Proposed Contributor.io categories to support Repo content

*Note: The sequence of these sections should seek to align with diagram(s) that show the broader relationship with each aspect of the community and its projects e.g. the 'ring' style diagram highlighting the connection between Contributors and Community.*

*For example:*

***Concepts for the individual***
1. Introduce the concept of contribution
2. Show how it fits within the wider scope of Open Source

***Concepts among the community***
3. Show how it relates directly to CNCF and its community 
4. Show how to connect/interact with this community

***Chopping wood, carrying water***
5. Highlight projects within the community e.g. Landscape
6. Development opportunties - doing the work
7. Experience/background experience - knowing where to start
8. Technical setup requirements - knowing how to start

***Growth & Development***
9. Pathway progression - building clarity towards the future
10. FAQs - refining understanding 

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## Contributor.io | Proposed Section Deep Dive

### 1. **Contribution**

*It should be worth noting that in most cases, many will be more concerned with their individual priorities than that of the wider community's; at least until they have actively commenced their Contributor journey.*

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Provide a breakdown of contribution and why it's critical to the work and overall growth of the community. 

***Why is it important?***
We should assume people are unfamiliar with the concept altogether, especially as it presents a very different way of working, and for those seeking career paths, will be eager to understand how they might eventually monetise their efforts. 

***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* Making Contributions - may link to GitHub as an example of technical contribution
* How do my efforts become recognised? / How do people assess the value of my efforts?
    * (subtext: How can I have confidence I'll eventually find work by contributing over time?)
* How do I ensure I don't 'break' anything when contributing?


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### 2. **(What is) Free Software/Open OS?**
***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Cover the broader fundamentals of the Open Source environment to introduce the principles, culture and vision for the community and its work. 

***Why is it important?***
Framing the broader environment will help contributors to:
* Build familiarity with key concepts and terminology
* Develop a context for CNCF-specific efforts and their relevance
* (Re)visit the purpose and ideals behind the work to help build values alignment, support accountability and investment (retention) over time 
    * Consider the wider scope of work in the space to support e.g. 'Development Opportunities'

***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* The Four Pillars of Free Software e.g. 'Free' vs. "Free" etc.
* The difference between Open and Closed source 
* Examples of Open Source in the public
* Potential/value to the community and world at large

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### 3. **Navigating the Community** 
(Critical section to precede/frame further information)
(***What is the CNCF community?/ Why is it a 'community'?***)

*The Contributor.io website currently opens the Contributor section with a brief statement on the ecosystem, followed by a list of groups; again with no context or relationship to the individual.* 

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Define the CNCF's concept of community to provide a context for ongoing contribution and interaction, and the expectations that uphold it all.

***Why is it important?***
Many would-be contributors have reported finding it difficult to know how to engage with the community, recently echoed also in the latest survey feedback. 

Comments such as 'unwelcome' or 'unresponsive' (in addition to poor docs overall) highlight further need to clarify and build upon the core dynamics of the community and its culture, and continually ensure people have a strong and positive understanding of how to attain a sense of belonging over time. 


***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* What upholds and defines the CNCF community e.g. values/standards, Code of Conduct, commitments etc. 
* (How) Does the CNCF community differ from the general Open Source one?
* What are the groups/efforts/initiatives that make up the community? e.g. TAG, TOC, Cloud Native Ambassadors, and how would you recommend interacting with each? 
* What are some nuances to expect when communicating?
* How can you suggest/propose improvements to the community culture?


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### 4. **Communication/Engagement Channels**

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Outline the various ways contributors can query, provide feedback, contribute to project efforts in the community. 

***Why is it important?***
In addition to simply listing *what* the channels are (Slack, GitHub etc.); more emphasis can be made to provide tips and awareness on the nature of communicating via these platforms overall. 

For example, people might be invited to join meetings, but without sufficient context and understanding of typical etiquette, may find the experience intimidating and be discouraged from ongoing attendance. 

Even general engagement such as communicating openly in channels are likely to be a new experience for many unfamiliar with such practice; particularly for those concerned about requiring a certain level of experience or competence beforehand.  

Having at least a general *'how'* (to engage effectively) and *'why'* (the community expects a certain manner of interaction, possibly in reference to the CoC); in addition to *'what'* channels are available, should significantly improve frequency and quality of communication for those new to the space. 

***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* How to best utilise specific platforms; what work typically takes place in each (confusion has been identified as to what is recommended for Slack channels, Git issues, email etc.)
* Almost everything is 'open', but what types meetings are recommended for newcomers (and/or what to expect?)
* Tips on adding value in meetings (reference also CoC)
* Communicating in DMs vs. open channels (Slack)
* Why your voice matters. 


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### 5. **Projects**
*This section should take far less priority than it currently does on the Contributor.io website. By prefacing 'Projects' with the aformentioned sections, future Contributors should have a greater understanding of the environment, to explore Projects more decisively and relevant to their immediate priorities. The current format likely means nothing to the uninitiated.* 

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Assist newcomers to understand the scope and complexity of the community and its numerous projects. 

***Why is it important?***
Outlining the work CNCF coordinates has obvious value for those seeking to familiarise themselves with opportunities to contribute. The Landscape however is a sprawling visual map that may make it difficult for new contributors to understand where/how they can get involved. *(Nate has also mentioned it "gives him hives" in the past haha)*

Suggesting current 'beginner-friendly' or skills-appropriate projects once Contributors have built up some experience might help to narrow likely starting points.

Again, more confusion = less likelihood to engage at all.

*Questions:*
* Would there be scope to add a 'filter' function or something similar to the Landscape?
* How proactive would projects be in highlighting their general need for beginner/experienced or code/non-code contributors in general, especially if a simple system/metric was devised to help track this information?
* Simplify also the *Landscape Guide*; can a function be added that gives a brief description of each category if hovered over for instance e.g. 'Provisioning, Runtime' etc. with the option of accessing more detail if necessary, instead of the 20-odd page scroll that currently exists?

***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* CNCF Landscape
* Project overview (currently on Contributor.io)
* What are 'projects'? - no current decription available
* Is being involved with a specific project the only way you can contribute?
* What are some ways to determine a project's needs?
* I'm a (e.g., student) looking to build support for my project, what are recommended steps? *(someone recently attended a TAG meeting enquiring about this)*

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### 6. **Development Opportunities**
*Note: We've also explored this previously in our 'Mentee' Hack (WIP)*

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Highlight various ways for contributors to upskill, network and explore possible career paths. 

***Why is it important?***
Many will be interested in finding a career within the CNCF project scape, but as they will typically possess a broad, varied range of skills and experience, we can suggest some recommended options according to their aspirations and background. 

This will also help us to identify the personas and behaviours of those accessing this section, and determine where more support/information is needed to improve career navigation. 

*(Clear segue also to Mentoring Repo/Programs)*

***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* How can I start my career in contributing to CNCF projects?
* What training opportunities are available?
* Who can I connect with to learn more about the community/career paths/contribution in general?
* Do I need to involved in a specific project to receive/access mentoring?
* Are having qualifications/certifications essential to contribute?
* Volunteering opportunities, e.g:
    * Victor Lu (Slack) 
  1 day ago
*Example:* *People do not know CNCF has numerous skill enhancing volunteering opportunities. I am on 10+ social apps and I can easily find similar messages [to this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/golang/comments/zht0hd/looking_for_open_source_project_for_newbies_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) on any app.*

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### 7. **Experience/Background Required**
See also: [Entry Level Experience](https://hackmd.io/GJ0thEdTRC-c-jGHUN-19A)

***Code/Non-Code considerations***

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
(Overview only; readers should be referred to 'Development Opportunities' section if specific skills/training etc. is covered e.g. links)


***Why is it important?***
This is another section that commonly highlights *'what'* examples of contribution can be made, but lacks the *'how'* and *'why'*. It's an area of vital interest but commonly raises confusion about purpose, starting points, examples, preferred mediums etc., [or lack thereof](https://www.kubernetes.dev/docs/guide/non-code-contributions/).  


***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* Contributing via GitHub
* Contributing outside of Git - general engagement but also for UI/UX, design work, documentation etc. 
    * How can I catalogue my work until I have built proficiency in GitHub to contribute effectively?

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### 8. **Technical setup requirements**
*We've spent the preceding sections detailing key considerations, so can now focus on supporting those interested in getting involved can do so with minimal friction.* 
See also: [Technical setup & resources](https://hackmd.io/GJ0thEdTRC-c-jGHUN-19A)

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Outline essential tools/skills/resources/equipment necessary to contribute. 

***Why is it important?***
Lack of fundamental tools available will make contribution difficult/impossible. This might also present future opportunities to find other ways to provide/suggest alternative methods of contribution where limited resourcing is unavoidable. 


***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* Hardware and physical resourcing needed; internet/computer access
* Getting started/learning GitHub
* Isolation e.g. certification exams

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### 9. **Pathway Progression** (and/or Career Journey)
*This section will differ from Development Opportunities in that it might also highlight specific contributor journeys and data, or general career advice to help with detailing the diverse and evolving nature of the Open Source environment.*

***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
Provide a high-level understanding of various opportunities available (paid, voluntary) according to individual needs. 

***Why is it important?***
Contributors often enquire about job and career prospects yet commonly lack knowledge and clarity about assessing their options. 

This section can be dedicated to 'making sense' of the growing workscape and how contributors can best position themselves for success by also reviewing examples from others who have achieved various accomplishments. 


***What are some examples of sub-categories/key points for this section?***
* CLOtributor
* Mentoring initiatives (new or repeat mentees)
* Navigating 'levels' e.g. Member > Reviewer > Approver > Maintainer
* Community groups
* Why volunteering is (still) beneficial for your career
* Training and certifications
* Professional development tips e.g. branding and networking


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### 10. **FAQs**
***What is the purpose/relevance of this section?***
* General summary to provide contributor overview.
* Relocate questions from previous sections better suited to this reference.



