LoCoCouncilQA

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Open Week -- LoCo Council Q&A -- Laura Czajkowski -- Thu, May 6

EDT -5

(03:01:51 PM) czajkowski: Aloha ! I'm Laura Czajkowski one of 6 members on the loco council. Todays session with the help of leogg is going to be a general Q&A  session on the loco council what we do and how we can help you all.
(03:02:22 PM) czajkowski: If you've any Questions please ask and we'll do our best to try and answer them for you.
(03:03:04 PM) czajkowski: Firstly the loco council is made up of 6 members and we meet monthly and process team approvals and re approvals.
(03:03:15 PM) czajkowski: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoCouncil
(03:03:31 PM) czajkowski: we're elected to help teams should they need any guidance
(03:03:39 PM) czajkowski: or run into difficulty.
(03:03:54 PM) sale_ is now known as sale
(03:04:10 PM) czajkowski: we're often asked to mediate situations within teams and also to help run ideas past .
(03:04:31 PM) czajkowski: Any questions so far?
(03:04:42 PM) czajkowski: Does everyone know about the loco council ?
(03:04:51 PM) ClassBot: pleia2 asked: I encounter a lot of teams who complain that their LoCo team is "too big" to really be "local" - how does the LoCo Council recommend we respond to this? What can we do to help folks who feel this way?
(03:04:55 PM) czajkowski: QUESTION: I encounter a lot of teams who complain that their LoCo team is "too big" to really be "local" - how does the LoCo Council recommend we respond to this?  What can we do to help folks who feel this way?
(03:05:39 PM) czajkowski: just because a team is named as a loco doesnt mean all your activities have to happen in one place. Meetings, events, talks whatever you run are best run under one umbrella
(03:05:48 PM) czajkowski: that;s a great way to utilise the mailing list
(03:05:57 PM) czajkowski: the wiki and website and if you use twitter/identi.ca
(03:06:21 PM) czajkowski: QUESTION: why are there no non ubuntu (e.g. kubuntu) approved LoCos? Is there a chance that there will be a non ubuntu LoCo and if not why?
(03:06:50 PM) czajkowski: I've never heard of these before to be honest. I'm sure if someone tabled a discussion we could look into it
(03:07:13 PM) czajkowski: Ubuntu is a massive communtiy
(03:07:25 PM) czajkowski: which welcomes all variations under the umbrella
(03:08:04 PM) mode (+v paultag) by ChanServ
(03:08:11 PM) czajkowski: so I'd say have events under the one team and spread the word that way
(03:08:16 PM) paultag: <Luyza> QUESTION: How does Ubuntu feel about people recommending other distros to people at a Loco meeting? And/or talking about other distros (for example, on a slow day, when there aren't many Ubuntu-specific questions)
(03:09:11 PM) czajkowski: that's not really a LoCo council question, but healthy discussion is good and it's about choice and showing how open source works, obviously if it's an Ubuntu event we'd like to showcase ~Ubuntu at these events
(03:09:42 PM) czajkowski: so moving onto more LocO council issues
(03:09:49 PM) czajkowski: we have the Approval Process
(03:09:57 PM) czajkowski: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoCouncil/TeamApprovalGuidelines
(03:10:09 PM) czajkowski: Teams can apply for approval and create a wiki
(03:10:14 PM) czajkowski: many have done this and have been approved
(03:10:33 PM) czajkowski: some have issues - DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN MAIL US ASKING FOR US TO GO THROUGH YOUR APPLICATION BEFORE THE MEETING
(03:10:47 PM) czajkowski: this would help both the team and meeting time wise
(03:10:57 PM) czajkowski: many teams do not use this facility
(03:11:01 PM) czajkowski: we can give you pointers
(03:11:17 PM) czajkowski: photos of events are worth a thousand words on an application
(03:11:36 PM) czajkowski: every team after 2 years will now go through a procedure called Re Approval process
(03:12:00 PM) czajkowski: same thing, you attend an IRC meeting, once a wiki has been created and we look at the work the team has done over a 2 year period
(03:12:14 PM) czajkowski: this is a new thing and was only started in karmic cycle
(03:12:22 PM) czajkowski: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoCouncil/LoCoTeamReApproval
(03:12:51 PM) czajkowski: this is just to help teams who may have lost their footing along the way
(03:13:01 PM) czajkowski: and who were once active we can give them a helping hand
(03:13:26 PM) czajkowski: how it was done on the last cycle was 30 teams were randomly picked who were over 2 years were accessed
(03:13:36 PM) czajkowski: QUESTION: I am a bit confused about the re-approval process is this for every one or just teams that LP membership is about to expire?
(03:13:43 PM) czajkowski: It's for offical approved teams
(03:14:13 PM) czajkowski: does that make sense??
(03:14:53 PM) czajkowski: So team reports
(03:15:03 PM) czajkowski: team reports really should be done by all teams,
(03:15:15 PM) czajkowski: if you have an irc meeting, a meet up, talk, gathering, hold an event
(03:15:21 PM) czajkowski: write it down in the monthly report
(03:15:36 PM) czajkowski: this is a great way for you to keep track of your events for your approval or re approval
(03:16:01 PM) czajkowski: Many teams are not doing reports :( this makes us sad
(03:16:03 PM) Luyza is now known as lifestream
(03:16:27 PM) czajkowski: it's also a way for us to see what teams may need help. if for months they've run events and all of a sudden stop, they we can see if we can help them
(03:16:55 PM) czajkowski: I've started to run - well one so far a LoCo health check. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoCouncil/LoCoHealthCheck
(03:17:23 PM) czajkowski: so it's another chance to meet the loco council and ask questions that maybe you don't know or want more details on.
(03:18:04 PM) czajkowski: I'll also hopefully be asking members of other development teams in to do a Q&A session to encourage more discussion betweetn community and other areas
(03:18:11 PM) czajkowski: Any questions?
(03:19:08 PM) czajkowski: 20:18 < MarkDude> QUESTION: problem solving with locos, leaders members, etc?  How does it work?
(03:19:34 PM) czajkowski: at times in the past, we've had members of teams mail us with issues regarding loco team leaders
(03:19:39 PM) czajkowski: we've listened to them
(03:19:51 PM) czajkowski: and then we contact the team leader and see how we can fix the issue
(03:20:24 PM) czajkowski: in some cases for example, it could be a case of the team leader having left the team and not said anything which makes running the team more difficult
(03:20:39 PM) czajkowski: in other cases it could be a case of people just not working together with one another
(03:20:43 PM) czajkowski: we try and mediate
(03:20:53 PM) czajkowski: 20:20 < mhall119> QUESTION: How are things decided within the LC?  Is is majority rule, consensus?  How is deliberation done?
(03:21:10 PM) czajkowski: we chat really, and work on things via email and irc.
(03:22:07 PM) czajkowski: I'm rather new at this :) I'm on the council since November and since then we've worked on things as a team. we discuss items back and forth. Coming to an outome
(03:22:36 PM) czajkowski: I think paultag itnet7_lernid would agree with that
(03:23:14 PM) czajkowski: we do split items up
(03:23:42 PM) czajkowski: I don't speak Spanish for example and if a team mails us in Spanish, someone would reply to them in Spanish and in English
(03:23:45 PM) czajkowski: we share the workload
(03:24:08 PM) czajkowski: Any other Questions/thoughts/Comments
(03:24:44 PM) czajkowski: MarkDude: did that make sense?
(03:24:57 PM) mode (+v itnet7) by ChanServ
(03:25:10 PM) czajkowski: I would hope if teams had issues with team leaders they did try and solve it before they came to us,
(03:25:18 PM) czajkowski: but I've no problem in helping anyone if they need it
(03:25:35 PM) czajkowski: there is also the leadership code of conduct
(03:25:37 PM) czajkowski: http://www.ubuntu.com/community/leadership-conduct
(03:25:53 PM) czajkowski: 20:24 < mhall119> QUESTION: Besides team reapprovals, what plans does the LC have for the Maveric cycle?
(03:26:00 PM) czajkowski: ohhhh good question!
(03:26:36 PM) czajkowski: I really want to work on getting feedback from community to canonical in a more productive manner hence why I've started the health check, which the wiki needs some love on
(03:27:26 PM) czajkowski: I'd like to help teams help themselves before it gets to the point of internal conflict so setting some basic guidelines
(03:27:33 PM) czajkowski: what teams should do to helpthemselves
(03:27:53 PM) czajkowski: 1) monthly meetings - publish the results on the wiki and on mailing list
(03:28:01 PM) czajkowski: 2) share duties, rotate roles
(03:28:15 PM) czajkowski: a really good idea is also internal mentoring, showing other people how to do things
(03:28:27 PM) itnet7: Definitely
(03:28:42 PM) czajkowski: there is no point in you being the only admin on the mailing list , if you go away, nobody else knows what to do or how to do it
(03:29:04 PM) czajkowski: so these kinda of things help teams to do some basic house keeping
(03:29:26 PM) czajkowski: Sharing roles within the team is advisable
(03:29:39 PM) itnet7: We have been having a lot of diverse issues lately, so we are trying to work through them and proactively show others how to avoid these issues
(03:29:45 PM) czajkowski: do not have 1-2 team in charge of any one job if at all possible, have more!
(03:30:12 PM) czajkowski: if you have one admin on wiki/mailing list/website then you're doing something wrong
(03:30:18 PM) czajkowski: you can quote me on that!
(03:30:28 PM) czajkowski: 20:29 < mhall119> QUESTION: I've been involved in the loco directory, what other tools can be made to help locos?
(03:30:47 PM) czajkowski: mhall119: you and others have done a great job on the loco directory
(03:31:27 PM) czajkowski: I wrote back when I met keffie_jayx_ at UDS Karmic about a feature where we create an event, then mail that to the teams. I still think that would be great
(03:31:52 PM) czajkowski: I think we need to get teams to use it fully, then do a feedback session at some point
(03:32:28 PM) czajkowski: what would you like to see the LC do to help you
(03:32:57 PM) czajkowski: There are 6 of us. Surely we can help you and your teams
(03:33:28 PM) czajkowski:  mhall119> QUESTION: I'm not sure if you've been involved or not, but status.net has setup a domain for Ubuntu locoteams, what are the plans for that?
(03:33:37 PM) czajkowski: I've not been involved in it
(03:33:52 PM) czajkowski: is it closed source ?
(03:35:20 PM) czajkowski: possibly if folks want us to use it, asking for input would be good, if there is a session at UDS I'm sure we'll take part in it if we can
(03:37:12 PM) czajkowski: ANy other thoughts?
(03:37:13 PM) czajkowski: Did you know you can email us at any time,
(03:37:13 PM) czajkowski: we are on IRC but not all of us run screen sessions
(03:37:13 PM) czajkowski: please be patient if you do mail us , 3 of us are in the EU, the others are in the states and south america, so allow for time zones
(03:37:53 PM) czajkowski: again if status.net is open source, and folks want us to use it I'm sure we could look into it.
(03:39:25 PM) czajkowski: QUESTION: What communication/interaction does the LC have with Canonical?
(03:40:40 PM) czajkowski: SOmetimes people mail jono re issues when they could just as easily mail us before hand or may not know about mailing is. this is fine. WE look into the issues and keep jono updated of teams and issues
(03:40:49 PM) czajkowski: so we do mail canonical folks when we need answers or issues come to light
(03:41:01 PM) czajkowski: canonical folks are very helpful and offer help when we need it
(03:41:20 PM) paultag: Ubuntu and Canonical are no longer as strongly tied as they used to be -- That's why Mark Shuttleworth stepped down as CEO of Canonical, and as czajkowski said, they are very helpful and willing to aid Ubuntu :)
(03:42:35 PM) czajkowski: mhall119> QUESTION: How about regular communication?  Does the LC report on community activities/health so that they know what's going on?
(03:42:58 PM) czajkowski: There was a time when there were no reports going to the UWN - I've tried to rectify that
(03:43:16 PM) czajkowski: and post the outcomes of the meetings to the mailing list
(03:44:38 PM) czajkowski: again if we're pushing for loco teams to do reports
(03:44:38 PM) czajkowski: we need to lead by example
(03:44:38 PM) itnet7: Monthly reports are very important, they motivate new teams
(03:44:45 PM) itnet7: and encourage everyone
(03:45:00 PM) czajkowski: they also give other teams ides on events to run
(03:46:02 PM) czajkowski: Anything else?
(03:48:25 PM) czajkowski: less than 15 mins left?
(03:48:26 PM) czajkowski: itnet7: paultag any other comments
(03:48:42 PM) paultag: I think you've covered it quite well czajkowski :)
(03:48:45 PM) itnet7: I think it's important for everyone to note that the LC is here for all of you, if you have any issue and would like for us to weigh in please ping us in ubuntu-locoteams
(03:49:13 PM) czajkowski: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoCouncil we have also this cycle made a massive effort to get our pages trasnlated
(03:49:19 PM) czajkowski: if you can help here that'd be great
(03:49:28 PM) paultag: QUESTION: what we need to be an approved loco team? (i mean what we should do with community, instead of getting approved on wiki)
(03:49:38 PM) czajkowski: You can reach the council via mail: loco-council<at>lists.ubuntu.com
(03:50:03 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc: run events, meet ups, spread the Ubuntu word
(03:50:12 PM) czajkowski: document these things, take photos
(03:50:16 PM) czajkowski: run an Ubuntu hour
(03:50:29 PM) czajkowski: which is meeting up with other team memebrs
(03:51:37 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc: if you need a hand do let us know
(03:52:34 PM) czajkowski: So teams use twitter/facebook/identi.ca this is fine, using the ububtu logo is fine in this case as we had an issue yesterday where a team leader said it was not ok
(03:52:37 PM) czajkowski: it is
(03:54:15 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc> QUESTION: where i can read about usual loco processes (in team) and howto manage loco successfully?
(03:55:55 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc: this is something I hope to work on for the next cycle
(03:56:18 PM) paultag: can you hone in on what aspect yltsrc?
(03:56:26 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc> QUESTION: and where i do start? :)
(03:56:39 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc: where are you from ??
(03:57:59 PM) czajkowski: yltsrc: I'll give you a hand after this session and help you set up if you like
(03:58:18 PM) czajkowski: finally - http://loco.ubuntu.com/
(03:58:24 PM) czajkowski: loco directory
(03:58:31 PM) czajkowski: please use it and give feedback to the developers!
(03:58:34 PM) czajkowski: it's GREAT!
(03:59:38 PM) czajkowski: ok that's it folks
(03:59:41 PM) czajkowski: thanks for taking part