User stories (specifications) and requirements for Snowball: Getting Community Initiatives Rolling

We encourage users to post events happening in the community to the community events group on https://www.drupal.org.
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User stories

  • Wendy the Webmaster has a great idea for an improvement to Drupal core form validation that would benefit her and many others in her position. She proposes it and many other site builders pledge support, and eventually a developer familiar with core comes across this and fills in the blanks to make it an actionable funding item (promising a patch and if possible a work-around module, as there are no guarantees something can get into core).

  • Tim the Tool-User appreciates a module and wants to thank its maintainer with a $20 donation. He enters the drupal.org User ID (and any other information he has) into Snowball, and makes his donation. He does not have to login to Snowball to make this donation. A link is provided with which the donor can tell the donee about the donation. And in any case when the money donated to a Drupal.org user reaches $100, a Snowball volunteer will contact the donee about claiming it (to receive as money or to use within Snowball to support another project).

  • Ellen the Evaluator wants to ensure that a transition from .Net to Drupal will be smooth for her large corporation. She pledges a fraction of her .Net support budget toward a new .Net emulator module.

  • Earl the Early Adopter is so enthusiastic about a project idea his friend pointed him to that he wants to pledge money toward it even though it has not reached a formally fundable state (scope specified, developers lined up, timeline entered, etc.). He makes a donation to Snowball that will be used for that project if it goes forward, and everyone else who looks at that project can see it already has money promised it.

  • Carla the CTO wants to pledge $10,000 toward the addition of functionality to a popular suite of modules. She requires that this money be held in escrow until the work is completed.

  • Boz the Beginner has no budget and doesn't code yet, but wants to help make a project he needs happen. He is hoping to find an easy-to-understand listing of ways he can help, and be recognized as a supporter.

  • Cora the Core Contributor has a concern about an idea that relies on a change to core that's very unlikely to happen. She logs into the site, links her Drupal.org account so that people know who she is, and posts a comment to a feature's implementation notes. When the proposal is submitted for funding without her concern being addressed, she adds her concern to the Known Risks section of the proposal.

  • Ned the Non-profit Executive Director realizes what a huge benefit he and many of his peers needing to improve their organizations' web sites would gain from a distribution for non profit organizations. He posts the idea that while most nonprofits cannot afford a proper Drupal website, with a solid, focused distribution a Drupal shop would be able to get his up and running with 95% and spend another 20 hrs making it just right for his organization instead of 100 hours getting close to what most nonprofits need anyway. Drupalistas at the site note Duw and OpenOutreach, and so Ned tries to get in touch with them to see if their visions are close enough with his to collaborate. He also +1 supports his own idea and records that he can offer office space.

  • Gina the Generous Drupal User wants to thank the creator of a popular module for all its done for her.

  • Bob the Builder just landed his first big Drupal contract and wants to support the modules he is using with 3% of his income from that contract. He goes and pastes the project URLs into the site and is able to distribute his $300 among the 73 modules he is relying on.

Requirements

  • Snowball shall be as tightly integrated with Drupal.org, Groups.Drupal.org, and other *.drupal.org sites as possible/permitted.
  • Snowball's web site shall not afford discussion space that fragments discussions that can take place on *.drupal.org.
  • People do not have to log into Snowball (yet another website) to make a donation.
  • All financial transactions and planned payments must be transparent in how and when they take effect.
  • The policies and procedures for taking and giving money must not violate the 501(c)3 nonprofit status of the sponsor organization (People Who Give a Damn, Inc.)