PROCESS CHANGE: Enhance Contributor Engagement and Retention

[asr2003]

I wanted to share some thoughts from my recent experience with the Meshery community, hoping it might help us improve contributor engagement here in Knative.

I've noticed that a big challenge for many communities, including ours, is not just attracting new contributors but keeping them around. From engaging with meshey contributor friends and other contributors, I've gathered a few cool ideas that have worked well for Meshery:

• Meshery has this awesome system of badges to recognize contributors. It really motivates people by making their efforts visible and appreciated. I think having something similar in Knative could help keep our contributors engaged and feeling valued.

• They have this program called MeshMates, where experienced contributors help guide newcomers. It makes new folks feel welcome and supported, which is great for getting them to stick around. Maybe we could start a similiar here too, pairing newbies with our seasoned contributors?

• Meshery hosts weekly meetings specifically for newcomers, helping them get welcomed into the community and find their first issues to work on. If we had regular newcomer meetings in Knative, it could give new contributors a chance to ask questions and get involved quickly.

I believe this worked well for the Meshery capturing the new contributors and building large community. Incorporating similar ideas or taking inspiration from this could really boost our community's engagement and retention.

Just these are of my thoughts how we can potentially build our Knative Community. Excited about the potential improvements can make together with community.

Expected benefits. Who gains the benefits? Why will they benefit?

Contributor Recognition System:

• Badges: Award badges for various milestones, such as the number of contributions, duration of active participation and specific achievements.

Benefits:

1. Increased motivation for contributors.
2. Enhanced visibility of individual efforts.
3. A fun and engaging way to encourage continuous contribution.

Mentorship Program:
(Note: It's similar to Meshery Meshmates a mentor-contributor pair-up program with experienced contributors)

• Mentor-Mentee Pairing: Pair new contributors with experienced members of the community.
• Regular Check-Ins: Mentors to have regular check-ins with their mentees to offer guidance and support.
• Mentorship Resources: Create and provide resources to mentors on how to effectively support their mentees.

Benefits:

1. Better onboarding experience for new contributors.
2. Increased retention of new contributors.
3. Stronger sense of community and collaboration.

(WHO KNOWS IT MAYBE CHANCE TO BECOME THAT NEW CONTRIBUTOR AS KNATIVEMATE SOON TO GUIDE NEW CONTRIBUTORS BY GAINING EXPEREIENCE AFTER A WHILE)

Regular Newcomer Meetings:

• Weekly/Monthly Meetings: Schedule regular meetings specifically for newcomers.
• Guidance and Q&A: Discuss and provide guidance on getting started and allow time for Q&A.
• Issue Assignment: Help newcomers find good first issues to work on during these meetings.

Benefits:

1. Faster onboarding for new contributors.
2. Direct interaction with community members.
3. Immediate support and guidance for newcomers.

Expected Outcomes:

• A more engaging and supportive environment for contributors.
• Increased contributor retention and engagement for long term community building.

• Expected costs. Who bears the costs? How heavy are they?

N/A

• Timeframe for implementation / rollout.

I think we can take a small steps towards it and gradually increase efforts towards this goal

• Are you willing to drive the process, or is this a request for help?

YES

cc: @aliok

[asr2003]

cc: @knative/steering-committee , @knative/technical-oversight-committee , @knative/ux-wg-leads , @knative/client-wg-leads, @knative/serving-wg-leads , @knative/eventing-wg-leads , @knative/security-wg-leads

@aliok is curious about your opinion here.

/assign @aliok

[asr2003]

Related message of a contributor just found in cncf-new-contributors Slack channel: