CfD Outreach for Projects

[wdoug]

State the Problem

Community awareness of Code for Denver can be greatly improved. Code for Denver needs to attract appropriate projects and engaged partners to accomplish it's mission.

Why

Presence - To improve/increase Code for Denver's presence in Denver and along the Front Range as a valuable community resource.
Projects - To attract appropriate and exciting projects for Code for Denver members.
Partners - To create and sustain partners who remain engaged with CfD & projects.
Participation - To increase membership and membership active participation.

Potential Partner(s)?

This project is aimed at finding the best projects and partners for projects. Currently using various directories of non-profits available on-line. CfD can do continual research to find other types of organizations as well: ie. civic, community, social, sustainable, environment, educational, health, etc .

Additional Background Context

Parameters for Projects:
Gives Code for Denver members worthwhile and satisfying projects;
Benefits the community by filling a need of a worthy cause;
Product result has lasting positive effects;
Project results can be integrated and maintained by partners.
Great projects and partners means greater membership rewards!!

To accomplish this project, Code for Denver can review and improve what CfD currently utilizes to present itself to the community (ie website, Meetup account, events etc.) and develop PR and marketing strategies that will improve community awareness and utilization of Code for Denver.

Note: it will be necessary to balance outreach efforts with current membership projects in development. If Code for Denver is at capacity with number of projects outreach efforts should be scaled back appropriately.

Details

Champion: [To be filled out during exploration stage]
Repo: [To be filled out during exploration stage]
Waffle Board: [To be filled out during exploration stage]

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Stage Checklists

Complete checklists for each stage in process before moving forward

Idea Phase (pre-pitch)

• Have an idea/problem
• Complete initial validation checklist:
  • Focused on helping the community
  • We work "with" not "for"
  • Projects that are reusable
  • Not illegal
  • Not promoting a particular political party or religious group
  • Not antagonistic to government
  • Not "free work"
• Fill out top of this card with problem statement, why, etc.
• Coordinate with CfD member to get pitch on agenda for pitch night (first Monday of the month)

Pitching Phase

• Move card to Pitches/Presentation list in waffle if you are presenting tonight
• Present to group (3 min limit)
• Group Q&A (3 min - if there is additional questions that can happen in the follow up pomodoro)
• Initial vote on whether ready for Exploration Phase.
  • Cards that are voted ready should get "Pitched - Accepted" label
  • One pomodoro for further discussion around any cards that were not determined quite ready for Exploration. Presenter should be ready to discuss, answer any questions, and revise pitch.
  • Quick update after pomodoro from presenters
• Group determines next step in final vote:
  • a) Idea needs more development (card is moved back to Ideas list with label “Needs development”
  • b) Idea is accepted but group doesn’t have resources to take on right now (card stays in pitch column with label “Pitched - Accepted”)
  • c) Idea is accepted and group has the capacity to take on (ie, the team is under the WIP limit for taking on projects)
• If outcome c) is determined:
  • a) Identify project champion
  • b) Create project waffle board from Project Bootstrapper
• If the above steps cannot be completed, then the project outcome should actually be B above, and project card stays in Pitches list with label “Pitched - Accepted”

Exploration Phase

This phase involves no actual building (e.g. programming), and requires you have a project champion

• Create new project repo and waffle board with: https://cfd-new.herokuapp.com/
• Follow pre-populated waffle board steps to:
  • Validate the problem is worth solving, and hasn't already been addressed
  • Discover and connect with your users
  • Connect with experts and partners
  • Brainstorm solutions
  • Paper prototype
  • Validate paper prototype design is actually useful
  • Define a testable MVP
  • Prepare a pitch for Active Development
  • Identify project tech lead (if applicable)
• The pitch acceptance process to move into Active Development is the same as for the Pitching Phase

Active Development Phase

Active development is where a team invests in developing an minimum viable product (MVP), and then based on the feedback iterates and continues development.

[Mira321]

I think we need a repository for gathering information/contact info on organizations and agencies we outreach to for future partners and projects. I have started a document, in word at the moment, which will be put into an excel spread sheet in CFD/Google Internal folder (sooner than later I hope), with the info that was gathered in the now inactive ticket #26 "Who's doing What..."