Updating list of active Vectors' team members on the website
This is a summary of our work on the membership renewal process we have been intending to implement.
Current status
- https://inkscape.org/*inkscape-vectors holds a list of Vectors' team members
- the list currently has 21 members
- of those 21, roughly 8 have been regularly contributing / showing up in meetings / displaying interest in contributing in the last year
- some have badges, but they are outdated and inconsistent
- at the bottom, there is a list of previous contributors
- team administrator (for lack of official head of the team, @Moini who has website admin access, can take on the administrative responsibility for now) is able to send out a message to all team members via the website's functionality
- we have been planning to update the list for 2 years now, but it got neglected, as Tim needed to tend to real life issues (#200 (closed))
- new / renewed memberships require 2 confirmations by existing members
Problems & Chances
- to outsiders considering to help out, it looks as if we have enough regular contributors, while we do not (as each of those 8 can't contribute many hours each month, and engagement has dropped, due to real life), so they might not see a necessity to join an already large team
- for non-members, it is difficult to see whom to talk to about Vectors' things, they might be trying to talk to the wrong persons who are unavailable
- if we ask for people to renew their membership, it might give them a push to engage again with the work that needs to be done
- keeping the list updated and actively maintained prevents it from looking 'dead'
- in the process, we could add badges to each image (like the ones for Lazur and Martin - outdated, btw.) and update them, to show publicly who is responsible in which area, and to foster a deeper commitment
Suggested actions
(summary of #200 (closed))
-
Set annual, renewable Contributor status -
Add information about this to Vectors' team description on the website -
Send out message about renewal to current members (see below) -
Respond to replies, confirm membership if applicable (2 votes from existing members needed) and update badges -
After Feb 29, retire members who have not responded -
Set reminder to send this email again next year around the same time -
Check for contribution categories in Vectors that are currently not covered / could use more help -
Invite new members (chat, mailing lists, social) with those categories in mind -
Onboard new aspiring members -
Check for new applications once a month during Vectors' meeting -
Accept new members' applications for the team after they have made a significant contribution and have been active in any of the team's channels at least monthly for 3 consecutive months (member tells us about it in their membership application) -
Repeat the renewal process annually
Message text
Subject: Membership renewal: response required until Feb 29 2024!
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Hello Vectors Team Member!
We're updating the Vectors Team membership list and wish to confirm your continued interest in remaining a contributor.
This is part of an overall Inkscape Community initiative to build a list of current members, so we know who will take on which type of official responsibility in the current year, and who will be allowed to vote as an official Vectors team member.
Requirements for gaining voting rights and being listed as an active member are:
* understanding the team's mission,
* working collaboratively with the team,
* having made a contribution furthering the team's mission in the past year,
* making a commitment to contribute in the current year,
* regularly being in contact with the team through the team's communication channels (GitLab, chat channel, mailing list),
* being registered on Rocket.Chat and having email notifications for the Vectors chat channel turned on,
* being subscribed to the Inkscape Vectors email list, so that we can ensure you receive all essential information about meetings, activities and important community news,
* as well as being registered on the inkscape.org website to be able to be / become an official team member.
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Please let us know your responses to these two questions:
* Can you share with us how you've been involved with the team during the past year?
* How would you like to be involved in the coming year? In what way would you like to take on responsibility?
If you've not yet joined us on Rocket.Chat, visit https://chat.inkscape.org/channel/team_vectors, or if you have not received the newsletter, sign up for it at https://lists.inkscape.org/postorius/lists/inkscape-vectors.lists.inkscape.org/ (no account necessary), to leave a reply in either channel.
DO NOT reply to this email directly.
Please do so by February 29 (or earlier), so we can review your request in the next Vectors' meeting.
We're looking forward to collaborating with you again this year!
If you do not respond by that date, we will understand that you are no longer interested in remaining on our list of active Vectors contributors. Your membership status in the Vectors team will then be set to 'retired'. We thank you for your contribution!
Have a great day!
The Vectors Team
Edited by Maren Hachmann