## Introduction GitLab's Co-Create Program is designed to provide our customers with the necessary support and resources to drive innovation together. This could involve developing new features, enhancing existing ones, or fixing bugs. To learn more about the co-create program, you can review their [handbook page here.](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/developer-relations/cocreate/) ## Purpose & Business Rationale Success in the Co-Create program is when we have a seamless experience for customers to engage with our dev teams and up to date areas of collaboration. This issue aims at updating our areas available for customers to collaborate. Our success will be measured by: - Reducing the average customer onboarding time for co-create initiatives by 15% following Q2 - Ensuring >90% of labeled co-create issues are actively maintained and aligned with engineering capacity For our Co-Create program, [we have projects with the co-create label that are out of date and inaccurate. ](https://cocreate.gitlab.com/?label=co-create). We want to ensure that our co-create labeled initiatives are accurate to minimize confusion internally and ensure we are not extending timelines with customers. This is [not a new ask](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/13611), but needs to be further refined to drive [results for our customers.](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/values/#results) customers and [improve efficiency](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/values/#efficiency). Currently the team is gathering feedback on the current Co-Create program to further iterate on the process to improve transparency and efficiency but updating our Co-Create list is our first step towards moving into additional accuracy. This directly ties back to our core values of [everyone can contribute](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/company/culture/#everyone-can-contribute) and enables our GitLab teams to continue to bring results for customers solving and partnering directly with developers to better understand their experience. Separately, our Co-Create initiatives continue to strengthen our relationship with our customers and have external counterparts improve our current roadmap. Key benefits for our PM teams include: - Reduced engineering load for your team (customer development resources supplement team capacity) - Increase your quarterly customer engagement - Direct customer feedback that can validate or refine your product direction - Development and networking opportunities for GitLab developers Below are the next steps to improve the accuracy of these initiatives: ## Tasks To assist in guiding through updating these materials, I have outlined a proposed tasks to complete with specific deadlines. ### Task 1: REVIEW CURRENT CO-CREATE LABELED EPICS AND ISSUES - Due May 31st Review our current 'co-create'[ labeled issues here](https://cocreate.gitlab.com/?label=co-create). Remove the co-create label from any issue that is no longer applicable or the team wouldn't be able to prioritize. If you have less than 2 items for your stage, please review noted development for upcoming quarter (Q3/Q4) to see what can be partnered in the Co-Create program. Also, co-create initiatives should be aligned with the greater roadmap (doesn't have to be noted in interlock process) to ensure work can be prioritized and aligns with our overall strategy here at GitLab. **If you do not have 2-3 issues identified currently, please review noted development for upcoming quarters in FY26 (Q3 + Q4). There is also an opportunity for issues labeled as Product~27541915 in your specific stage, but keep in mind typically these will be managed by contributor success and in co-create will want to have more complex options. Regardless, diversity of the development work is not discouraged. If your team do not have any issues available for co-create please make a note in the below list** Please update your select your box once you have updated applicable issues. Once this is complete, add the links to the 2-3 issues in the child issue for your specific section. * [x] Dev Create @derekferguson * [x] Dev Plan @gweaver * [x] Sec SSCS @smeadzinger * [x] Sec AST @connorgilbert * [x] Sec Risk Management @dagron1 * [x] CI Verify @DarrenEastman * [x] CI Package @trizzi * [x] AI-Powered @rogerwoo * [x] Foundations @jtucker_gl * [x] Data Access @mjwood * [x] Gitlab Delivery @mbruemmer * [x] GitLab Dedicated @cbalane ### Task 2: ADD CO-CREATE DETAILS AND ALIGN WITH ENGINEERING MANAGER - Due June 30th In your applicable child issue section below, please add the applicable issues labeled with co-create from your individual section. Please evaluate with your applicable engineering manage based on the following criteria: **Scope and complexity of the initiative** - Technical requirements and complexity - Anticipated lead time to engage and capacity plan Label as: - Small (2-4 weeks) - Medium (1-2 months) - Large (quarter or more) **Resource requirements** - Engineer level needed for specific effort (i.e. Junior, Staff, etc.) - Design and UX resources - Testing and quality assurance needs - Documentation requirements Label as: - General (Junior, Intermediate, etc.) - Specialized (Specific skill set needed for developer) - Expert (Principal / Staff engineer needed) **Lead time** - Expectations on the amount of lead time our internal teams would need to make this initiative successful Label as: - Weeks - Month - Quarter - Multi-Quarter Use the format below in the applicable child issue: | Product Area | Scope and Complexity | Resource Requirements | Lead Time | Issue | |-----------------|-----|------|------------|-------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |