I noticed we've got a BlueSky now! Some social media thoughts (and first forum post, hi).
I don't use Twitter at all anymore, but I have the app and get notifications when Kristi (@auralynne) posts on our Twitter account -- which is how I realized she made us a Bluesky account! (Give it a follow.)
That has me thinking a bit about our social media situation. Right now, as far as I understand it, Kristi and Chiarra do most of the work, with Kristi doing the bulk of it. I run our Tumblr, but I won't take too much credit there because I mostly cross-post what Kristi prepares.
Could we open the floor perhaps for more volunteers to assist in social media posting and public interactions? Or at least open the floor for folks to give their opinions, which is what I'm doing I suppose. Hi. First forum post. ?
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I haven't been keeping up with it totally, but I do recall that over on the discord server, there is some opportunity for folks to help with at least scripting and proof reading posts. I am definitely more active there than here, but I could see have an option here to suggest post ideas and graphics through here somehow could be valuable to those who don't frequent discord.
Really its just a matter of where the staff really have the best place to keep track of submissions, and people wanting to help script things or make graphics. If here is better, discord is better, or using a form that imports into somewhere that works for the staff to manage, etc. It can be a lot of work handling such things on multiple platforms so i'd be curious what would work best for the organizers.
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Let me actually share what I'm working on behind the scenes. Volunteers has been an area that we have STRUGGLED with. Essentially, what keeps happening is that pulling people in to help with stuff (other than people like you @Handmade Hearts who are able to take full ownership of something) ends up being a zero-sum game. The time to train/communicate with someone on how to do something is comparable to the time it saves by having the other person do it! And there's this issue where there is all this knowledge about how stuff works that you gather over time when volunteering in a Core position that just takes SO MUCH TIME to explain to people.
A while ago I discovered a book that is essentially a training manual on how to overcome those issues. It's a guidebook to the ingredients needed to create a successful open source software community. Basically open source communities are the closest (in how they operate) to what we're trying to create here. I discovered the book a while back and knew it was key information but was baffled about how to apply it to our project. Then when I created this site I realized that essentially it's the last ingredient we need to be able to apply the strategy to ISG.
I will be releasing info on the volunteer system soon. Basically the first step will be a call for our longterm people (our Discord "veterans") to help out with stuff on the website, and that should be happening probably shortly after this month's newsletter.
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Ahh awesome, thank you so much for the insight. I think I'll open a tab with that book and try to muster up the spoons to take a look through it myself at some point so I've got a better idea of what you're going for.
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Looking forward to volunteer info and updates. I know my time varies, BUT, this is something I furvently believe in and would like to help with. I have a lot of experience with social media and can help with various other things as well so if there is a place for me to pitch in and make it easier for you folks, i'd like to. (I also know all about this struggle to train new people when it takes so much time to get someone to the point of being efficient. I've run and/or helped with various volunteer run events and projects over the years and it's a huge issue. SO, I'm definitely checking out that book you linked.)
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