Consider a README to provide comprehensive overview of the WordPress Core Program

[theaminuli]

Why

Team overview and mission - What the Core Program Team is about
Why the team exists - The problems it solves
What we do/don't do - Clear boundaries and responsibilities
How to get involved - Multiple ways for people to participate
Communication approach - Async-first methodology
Current focus areas - What the team is working on now
Who should join - Target audience and skills
Weekly updates - Regular communication rhythm
Repository management - How work is organized
Goals and planning - Strategic approach
Resources and links - Key places to connect
Contributing guidelines - How to start participating

[karmatosed]

@theaminuli I am curious about this proposal you are making here. Most of this ideally would live within the handbook not Github repo. Some of course can be here. With that in mind, what should be here?

[karmatosed]

I updated the title to reflect there should be a discussion around ‘what’ the readme has in first.

[theaminuli]

Thanks for the feedback, @karmatosed !

The intention behind this update was to provide a project-level overview directly within the GitHub repository, essentially a preview of the Core Program for anyone visiting the repo for the first time.

While I agree that the detailed documentation should live in the Handbook, having a concise but comprehensive README here helps new contributors quickly understand:

• What the Core Program is about
• Why it exists
• How to get involved
• Where to find more detailed resources

So the README acts as an entry point, summarizing key information and directing contributors toward the appropriate sections of the Handbook for deeper details.

[karmatosed]

@theaminuli I understand the intention, it’s more how you think this varies from the handbook. My thinking is these should come from and be in handbook first - do you agree or do you think they already are?

As for how to get involved, that most likely should be in a CONTRIBUTING.md correct?

[karmatosed]

Please split this into a contributing.md and readme - it makes more sense to have in both. Then we can clearly have a solid divide.

[karmatosed]

We also haven’t made a decision on using GitHub for this so should not add it in.

Coordinating cross-team work

I also wouldn’t add about feedback at end, that is directly from blog post and doesn’t make sense in a readme.

[karmatosed]

@theaminuli it’s worth reading this page in handbook: https://make.wordpress.org/program/handbook/github/. I would recommend not replicating or reproducing anything that is in handbook. This isn’t going to be that and this is also not going to be the place where the team lives. It is a tool for the team. I am happy to take this on if there is some confusion, but also happy to work with you through this.

Also I would point you to look at https://github.com/WordPress/Documentation-Issue-Tracker. Looking at how the repo isn’t about the team. This is a repo for management but not for the team management and I personally think having exactly as handbook doesn’t quite make sense. Although please note this isn’t a tracker, I am using as an illustration.

I created a suggested PR here #3. I don’t want to go over the work you are doing so just popped it in, we can either merge what I have or you can take that and use it in this PR. I don’t mind either way you get props.