“What’s new?”
Most open source developers would answer this question by mentioning new releases, a number of new features or new versions. Rarely would they mention new changes involving the community itself, but in many cases these changes can be the most important of all.
When communities evolve and innovate, the software evolves with them. This is why it’s so important to introduce changes to the community that can help it grow.
With this in mind, here are a few good suggestions that you may want try with your community if you haven’t already:
- Transition from a one-man dependent operation to a team of core contributors
Often what happens with open source projects is that one founder or leader possesses most of the knowledge the project is dependent on. In the event that this leader leaves, the project suffers greatly and may even disappear completely. To avoid this event it’s vital to transition from just one leader to a team of core contributors who handle different parts of the leader’s role. By delegating leadership roles and with proper documentation, support and communication, the leader can secure the future of the project even after he or she leaves. - Starting off with similarities when resolving conflict
Conflict is unavoidable in communities, but there are ways to handle it that can help instead of hinder community growth and cohesion. One of the most effective ways as mentioned during this year’s CLSx at linux.conf.au is exploring similarities before going into points of conflict. By pointing out similarities first the community is reminded of the common goal, is more able to see opportunities for compromise and is less likely to engage into deeper conflict. - Rewarding community members
While every contributor enters a project with his or her own motives, it still helps to motivate them further by rewarding them for their accomplishments. But exactly for what should you reward? This depends on what your specific project goals are and what your priorities are as a community. The reward itself also depends on you. It can be as simple as a special mention on a newsletter to discounts on services or free entrance to conferences. - Increasing diversity
Diversity is one of today’s most sought-after goals and for good reason: it introduces different perspectives into a project that helps it to develop more holistically. But diversity is not something that happens out of thin air. Communities must actively participate in efforts to diversify by reaching out to different groups and lowering barriers to entry. - Holding community events
Community events may seem trivial compared to say, actual coding and work. But it’s through community events that members of all skill levels can come together and interact with each other face-to-face. It’s a great opportunity for members to get to know one another, share ideas and experiences in person, learn from one another and really feel the spirit of being a community.
These are just some ideas that you could try with your community to make it better, but there are sure to be many others. What are some of the ideas that have worked best with your own community? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.