[Ambassadors] Re: [Fedora-ambassadors-list] Fedora Event Kit

[Max Spevack]

I encourage everyone to read the parent.  This represents ongoing work 
that will impact the way events are handled in the future, and I imagine 
that there's more people out there who will have comments.

Jack's done a lot of work getting the idea to this point, and now is when 
we need your public review and comments, so that we can incorporate it in 
to what we're doing.

Thanks,
Max

On Wed, 21 Jun 2006, Jack Aboutboul wrote:

> Hey Everyone,
>
>        As some of you already know, I have been working with Max for the past
>        few weeks on the foundations of some initiatives which we hope will help
>        us refine some of the processes and functions which Ambassadors
>        currently carry out.  I want to to use this email to introduce one of
>        these initiatives in hopes of eliciting some good feedback to further
>        refine these ideas.  Let me start out by saying that currently, the main
>        goal of these propositions is to facilitate more efficient, grass roots,
>        and most importantly, independent participation by ambassadors.  That
>        is, we hope to use these changes as the building blocks of many more
>        improvements, and we have decided to start here.
>
>        The initiative I would first like to introduce is the Fedora Ambassadors
>        Event Kit.  As we all have learned by now, the cornerstone of the
>        Ambassadors project has to do with events, and events are the single
>        most effective vehicles for  publicity and community gathering.  The
>        main problem with running events, however, is that thus far, most of the
>        events we have carried out have been top down, rather than bottom up.
>        By that I mean that the efforts, in large part, have come together with
>        much oversight and involvement with Red Hat and that has caused some
>        problems.  Foremost, many ambassadors have complained about not being
>        able to run an event independently and have waited for funds and other
>        merchandise for days on end.  Therefore, we have decided to streamline
>        the event and merchandise acquisition process, and that's good news in
>        more than one way.  It means more control for ambassadors.
>
>        The Fedora Ambassadors Event Kit consists of five sections, each of
>        which is aimed at tackling one angle of event planning.  The following
>        is a description of each of the sections with a brief breakdown:
>
>        Part 1. Welcome -  This section is used to welcome both new and current
>        ambassadors alike and thank them for choosing to run an event.  This
>        section briefly outlines some common foundation work which must be done
>        before any event can take place, and how to go about building quality
>        relationships, both within and without the community, which will serve
>        many purposes in both present and future endeavors.
>
>        Part 2. Optical Media Guide - The purpose of this section is one of the
>        most significant changes in protocol for Ambassadors.  This section
>        outlines a new method for obtaining media, by which we empower and
>        encourage Ambassadors to establish a relationship with local vendors.
>        Local vendors are a better outlet for obtaining media since the overall
>        cost is lower and the relationships established with these vendors will
>        help us gain sponsorship for important initiatives, such as Free Media.
>        Ambassadors will then be able to collect monetary donations in exchange
>        for media at the event which will help recover costs and sponsor more
>        free media.
>
>        Part 3. Merchandise Guide - This section builds on the previous section
>        and lays out guidelines similar to those in the optical media guide.
>        Once again Ambassadors will be able to produce hats, shirts, mugs, etc.
>        locally without much oversight.  Many may complain about this new
>        process, but there are reasons for this.  Mainly, we would like to see
>        ambassadors come up with localized designs for merchandise.  Fedora is a
>        global project and as such, it should be represented in precisely that
>        way.  Ambassadors again will be allowed to ask a donation in exchange
>        for a merchandise so as to recover their costs.
>
>        Part 4. Custom Design Approval - So you do want to come up with a
>        localized design for a creative t-shirt, that's great!!  All we ask is
>        that you kindly submit your design for review, before we give you the go
>        ahead.  We have much trust in the Ambassadors, and doubt that anyone
>        would come up with something in poor taste, however, from a legal
>        perspective we must approve designs.  (You obviously know someone is
>        going to come up with a Fedora Kills OpenSuSe shirt, and that could be
>        an issue.)
>
>        Part 5. Accounting - Yes, it sucks, but we want to make this part of the
>        process as easy as possible.  The Ambassadors project wants to make sure
>        that we do not leave anyone hanging with regarding to costs related to
>        running an event.  Therefore, we will include a simple grid sheet which
>        will allow Ambassadors to fill in what costs were involved in running
>        the event, how much money was recovered and what balance remains, if
>        any.  This will also allow us to isolate what elements of running the
>        event are the costliest and how we can further help bring the costs down
>        in those areas.
>
>        Part 6. Extra Stuff - So what happens to the extra 20 shirts you have
>        left?  Rest assured that we are working non stop to finally put together
>        a Fedora Stuff store which we will all be able to use.  Until then, we
>        will have some guidelines in this sections which can be followed, until
>        a more formal decision is made.
>
>        That's basically it right there. The Event Kit will be available both as
>        a pdf downloadable from the wiki and as wiki pages themselves which will
>        allow for editing.  We would much appreciate as much feedback as
>        possible.  Does something here sound unbearable?  Did you happen to fall
>        in love with one of these ideas?  Would you like to see something
>        changed or improved?  Time is wasting and we would like to have the
>        event kit up within a few days at the latest, so now is your time to
>        suggest or complain.
>
>        You are an ambassador, let your voice be heard!!
>
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Max Spevack
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