Session Two - Questions for Candidates

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kattekrab's picture

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2nd Meet the Candidates Session.

This time we had the following candidates on the call.
* Narayan Newton
* Chris Ward
* Mortendk
* Bert Boerland
* Jeremy Thorson

To view all nominees, link to their profiles, pitches, and free range Q&A please see https://association.drupal.org/nominations

DA Staff Member Stephanie El Hajj graciously agreed to be our scribe. The full IRC log is attached as a text file.

A full recording is available to download here:
http://rs2342.freeconferencecall.com:80/fcci/cgi-bin/play.mp3/15302363-1...

Here are the questions to candidates. Note: 2 questions from the first session were repeated - so make sure to check back there for answers.

All Candidates: Please answer these questions in a comment below.

(06:13:15) highermath: @nnewton: Should the Infra team be represented on the (governance) board or the advisory board. Or both?
(but anyone can answer if they have a view)

(06:15:43) highermath: What should be the number one goal of the Board?

(06:24:44) highermath: What should be the relationship between the Board, the ED and the staff.

(06:26:10) KatteKrab: In 2012 the DA was trying to achieve 6 goals as outlined here http://groups.drupal.org/node/197558 Which one in particular would you champion?

(06:31:46) jthorson: What specific initiatives would you suggest as a DA board member, to help drive growth of the Drupal community in new regions and communities which may not currently be represented?

(06:32:13) ChrisChinchilla: How would you engage new users who are passionate about Drupal but aren't developers?

(06:32:32) mortendk: Who would you vote on - if you had to choose 2 of the others?

(06:32:47) nnewton: How do you feel volunteer positions fit into the vision of an ED/board/staff split in the DA? What happens when volunteers overlap with staff positions?

(06:32:51) bertboerland: What makes the Drupal Association succesful?

AttachmentSize
Full IRC Log - Scribe: Stephanie El Hajj32.27 KB

Comments

jam's answers to the session two questions

horncologne's picture

Edit: I've made these answers as short and sweet as I can to reduce the amount of reading you all have to do in this campaign :-)

  1. highermath: QUESTION: Should the Infra team be represented on the (governance) board or the advisory board. Or both?
    • My gut feeling is that an infrastructure specialist should be added to the advisory board. This leads me to ask what the balance of other "specialist" roles should be. In any case, something as valuable as the underpinnings of our project's home should not be subject to the community election process.
  2. highermath: QUESTION: What should be the number one goal of the Board?
    • The number one goal of the Drupal Association Board should be to find the path to helping the Drupal Project be sustainably successful around the world.
  3. highermath: QUESTION: What should be the relationship between the Board, the ED and the staff.
    • The board should be exploring ways to help the Drupal project grow globally and succeed sustainably in the long term. It should define a future vision of the project and set policy in light of that vision. In cooperation with the Executive Director, specific goals, targets, metric and milestones can be agreed upon. It is then up to the ED to create and implement action plans with the DA staff to realize those goals.
  4. KatteKrab: QUESTION: In 2012 the DA was trying to achieve 6 goals as outlined here http://groups.drupal.org/node/197558 Which one in particular would you champion?
    • Given the number of Drupal Community events I have attended, volunteered, and presented at, number 5, "Regional events targeted at developers organized by DA staff" (http://groups.drupal.org/node/198723) is a natural for me. There is no substitute for in person gatherings to get excited about Drupal and kick off great contributions.
  5. jthorson: QUESTION: What specific initiatives would you suggest as a DA board member, to help drive growth of the Drupal community in new regions and communities which may not currently be represented?
    • "Regional events targeted at developers organized by DA staff" (http://groups.drupal.org/node/198723) sounds like a good start to me!

      Realistically, there are two sides to this that I have already mentioned in my answers to the session 1 questions. It will take more than DA policies or initiatives to make it happen:

      1) "We cannot make a difference with grand gestures only. It is not a matter of "if you build it, they will come" and a big event or two. This also makes it a hard problem for the DA to address. Wherever the motivation and action come from, the community will need to go to new places, new potential users, and show them Drupal; show them Drupal can make a difference to people's lives; empower them to earn money, do business, and change the world. The change will not happen overnight; it will be the result of outreach, personal visits, facilitating local meet-ups, new adoption, training courses, blood, sweat, and tears."

      2) "On a technical level, immaculate mobile (developer- and user) experiences out of the box would be huge, too. Much of the developing world relies entirely on mobile technology for its web access. Supporting that would open the way for more great things for Drupal."

  6. ChrisChinchilla: QUESTION: How would you engage new users who are passionate about Drupal but aren't developers?
    • Passionate Drupal users who are not developers (like myself!) make huge contributions to our community and our project. Presuming that they're already passionate about it, like you posit, information is the key: Make a site or handbook or poster "There are 1000 ways to make a difference" and list all the ways non-coding users help the project. For example: design, marketing, filing bug reports, being UX test subjects, and SO MUCH MORE! Most of these activities also happen to be a lot of fun and good ways to sink roots into Drupal.
  7. mortendk: QUESTION: Who would you vote on - if you had to choose 2 of the others?
    • To be honest, each of the candidates could bring a lot to the board. I am having trouble even deciding as things stand (given that I *can* vote for myself and that I am uniquely qualified for this position). Morituri, te salutant!
  8. nnewton: QUESTION: How do you feel volunteer positions fit into the vision of an ED/board/staff split in the DA? What happens when volunteers overlap with staff?
    • Drupal has mostly been built by volunteers over the last 12 years and this tradition should be treasured and those who can donate their time should be appreciated and thanked by all of us. If there is work that volunteers can do that helps the DA – especially its staff – do more or better work, that volunteerism should be treasured.

    positions?

  9. bertboerland: QUESTION: What makes the Drupal Association successful?
    • If the Drupal project can grow and succeed globally and sustainably in the long term, the Drupal Association will have the right to claim part of that success as being the result of its efforts. If the project fails to achieve this long term success, the DA will also share the blame.

Pedro's answers for session 2 of MTC

pcambra's picture

highermath: @nnewton: Should the Infra team be represented on the (governance) board or the advisory board. Or both?

Indeed, I couldn't agree more with that, someone from the infrastructure team should be represented in the DA board. But probably this position should not be filled by "at large" elections, but a different method.

(06:15:43) highermath: What should be the number one goal of the Board?

Main priority for the board should be providing tools for the local groups to help them growing stronger and more involved with themselves, the rest of groups and all the community, including the DA. These tools should be provided in very different forms, knowledge, advice, funding, contacts, etc.

(06:24:44) highermath: What should be the relationship between the Board, the ED and the staff.
See my answer here.

(06:26:10) KatteKrab: In 2012 the DA was trying to achieve 6 goals as outlined here http://groups.drupal.org/node/197558 Which one in particular would you champion?

Looking at the list, definitely I agree with the importance of training, however, I am going to pick number 5: "Regional events targeted at developers organized by DA staff" but with some slight differences, I do think that the DA should help local communities more to organize their events and meetings by providing tools, knowledge and assistance in very different shapes and means, this will have a lot of positive consequences in training and word spreading.

(06:31:46) jthorson: What specific initiatives would you suggest as a DA board member, to help drive growth of the Drupal community in new regions and communities which may not currently be represented?

See my answer here

(06:32:13) ChrisChinchilla: How would you engage new users who are passionate about Drupal but aren't developers?

I think that Drupalcon Munich was an outstanding example of this. In the code sprints there were some non-developers working in issues such as documentation and issue definition.
I'm particularly in love with the Drupal Ladder project that can be extended further development with different ladders or steps for all technical or not technical profiles involved in the Drupal ecosystem, this way they can get involved in different tasks while working close to the devs and more techies.

(06:32:32) mortendk: Who would you vote on - if you had to choose 2 of the others?

See my answer here

(06:32:47) nnewton: How do you feel volunteer positions fit into the vision of an ED/board/staff split in the DA? What happens when volunteers overlap with staff positions?

I think that is one of the best signs of a great community, people wanted to get involved in all of the matters of it, from code, to the DA board. I think that having a number of volunteer (unpaid or partially funded) powered initiatives supported by the DA is one of the best things that we could have as an organization.

(06:32:51) bertboerland: What makes the Drupal Association succesful?

DA success is totally linked with the success of the Drupal project and community.
Drupalcon is a great example of this success, healthy (both in community and economic terms) Drupalcons are the best display that the DA can have to a really broad audience. The day to day success is shown in the number of active users in irc, drupal.org, and of course, local events and meetups.

Si's answers for session 2 of MTC

sime's picture

All of my answers are collated here.

1) nnewton: Should the Infra

MatthewS's picture

1) nnewton: Should the Infra team be represented on the (governance) board or the advisory board. Or both?
(but anyone can answer if they have a view)
The board can include anybody who is active in the community and has a desire to serve. It isn't a matter of should or should not, it is a matter of interest in furthering the mission of the Drupal Association and wishes to engage in good governance. I do think having a presence either on the board and/or the advisory board is attractive.

2) highermath: What should be the number one goal of the Board?
Growing the community and attracting new young members.

3) highermath: What should be the relationship between the Board, the ED and the staff.
See Question 7

4) KatteKrab: In 2012 the DA was trying to achieve 6 goals as outlined here http://groups.drupal.org/node/197558 Which one in particular would you champion?
Drupal in Schools. This serves two directions I think that the DA ought to be working towards. First, growing the community. Second, attracting new young members of the community.

5) jthorson: What specific initiatives would you suggest as a DA board member, to help drive growth of the Drupal community in new regions and communities which may not currently be represented?
See Question 3

6) ChrisChinchilla: How would you engage new users who are passionate about Drupal but aren't developers?
I've spent the last 6 years as just that person. I have watched over the years a slow shift at Drupalcons and Camps to cater to business leaders, project managers, and site users. We need to continue integrating tracks into these events that helps non-developers to become Drupal experts in their own domains.

7) mortendk: Who would you vote on - if you had to choose 2 of the others?
See Question 10

8) nnewton: How do you feel volunteer positions fit into the vision of an ED/board/staff split in the DA? What happens when volunteers overlap with staff positions?
Volunteers are what make up the entire Drupal project. Those who take on staff positions are likely to be invested in the project and be volunteers as well. I know, from working with the staff of the DA, on Drupalcon Denver that they put in many more hours than one would expect from a full time job. Most nonprofits rely on volunteers to achieve the nonprofit's mission. The fact that the project has so many active volunteers is a testament its success.

9) bertboerland: What makes the Drupal Association successful?The DA's success is really rooted in a few things.

  • Successful Events that Make Profit
  • Growth of our user base
  • Growth of our active community

It all comes down to people.