UbuntuMagazineProjectCharter

Revision 9 as of 2006-07-14 18:27:36

Clear message

*** D R A F T ***

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A. General Information

A.1 Project Title

ubuntu magazine (referred to as “Magazine”)

Note: The name and branding of the magazine is an identified milestone

A.2 Management Team

  • Ubuntu Marketing Team (referred to as “Marketing”)BR

  • Ubuntu Magazine Team (referred to as “Team”)
  • Project Manager (referred to as "PM")

  • EditorBRNote - Editor in the context of this document is a person

A.3 Prepared by

John Baer, Team member

B. Project Purpose

The Ubuntu Community (referred to as "Community") desires to publish on a regular schedule a publication which embodies the hearts and mind of the Community and focuses on products distributed under the ubuntu, kubuntu, xubuntu, and edubuntu brands (referred to as “Ubuntu Products”).

C. Project Goals and Objectives

C.1 Community Goal

Communicate effectively with users of Ubuntu Products on issues of importance.

C.1.1 Project Objective

  • Publish articles of enterest to the user and potential user of Ubuntu Products.

C.1.2 Project Objective

  • Present material without prejudice of gender, culture, race, or creed.

C.1.3 Project Objective

  • The publication will reflect the will of the Community unless otherwise noted.

C.2 Community Goal

Offer avenues of inclusion to users of Ubuntu Products and those who are interested in Ubuntu Products.

C.2.1 Project Objective

  • Establish the Marketing forum as the place to exchange marketing ideas and creative suggestions for Ubuntu Products.

C.2.2 Project Objective

  • Establish the Magazine forum as the place to exchange ideas and creative suggestions for the Magazine.

C.2.3 Project Objective

  • Create an atmosphere of trust and welcome by adopting values of love, integrity, excellence, inclusion, and teamwork (referred to a “Ubuntu Values”).

C.2.4 Project Objective

  • Extend invitations to become involved with posts in forums, articles in magazines, and comments in other communication tools such as Blogs.

C.3 Community Goal

Adopt Ubuntu Values and Code of Conduct when engaged in the endeavors of the Community

C.3.1 Project Objective

  • Do not engage in the dissemination of hear-say, gossip, or slander.

C.3.2 Project Objective

  • Create a process whereby content is validated as factual to greatest extent possible.

C.3.3 Project Objective

  • Create a process whereby the right of confidentiality is respected.

C.3.4 Project Objective

  • Honor the rights of ownership when an appropriate declaration is made such as © copyright.

C.4 Community Goal

Utilize the resources of the Community to the highest degree.

C.4.1 Project Objective

  • The Magazine will be hosted on the servers which support the Community.

C.4.2 Project Objective

  • Schedules, articles in review, artwork, and other materials related to the Magazine will reside on the servers which support the Community.

D. Project Scope

D.1 Project Deliverables

  • Create Magazine forum
  • Create Magazine IRC
  • Create Magazine wiki's to serve as work in progress collaborative repositories
  • Create Magazine SPEC pages for project scheduling and priority
  • Create Magazine WIP (work in progress) content repository to host unpublished materials and mock ups
  • Create Magazine Portal to host current and previous editions of the magazine
  • Identify Project Manager
  • Identify Editor

  • Identify Ubuntu Products reporters & subject matter experts

  • Create publishing processes and procedures

  • Establish Magazine IdentityBRDetermine nameBREstablish 1st publication date and publication cadenceBRCreate and execute launch campaign that is synergistic of section C.2.3

D.2 Intent of the Project

The intent of this project is to create and publish the Magazine and to merge the following process into the Community.BR

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D.3 Exclusions

  • Marketing efforts not directly related to the publishing of the Magazine will be considered out of scope.

D.4 Key Stakeholders

  • Canonical Ltd. (referred to as “Canonical“)
  • Ubuntu Community
  • Artwork Team
  • Marketing Team
  • Magazine Team

D.5 Assumptions

  1. It is assumed the delivery mechanism of the Magazine will be the Internet.
  2. Lacking marketing research data documenting the need for such a publication, it is assumed the readership is there and a quality publication will be an asset to the Community.
  3. The Magazine will be official publication of the Community and other similar publications will not be endorsed.
  4. The Magazine will represent Ubuntu Products as specified in section B.
  5. Canonical servers have the capacity and bandwidth to host such an endeavor and will be available to those in need on a timely bases.
  6. Data backups will be timely and the amount of data lost in the event of a server failure will be no more than 1 day.
  7. Data marked as confidential will be secured in an appropriate manner.
  8. Critical staff assignments will be filled with individuals with the time and the talent to fulfill their obligations.
  9. Initial copies of the Magazine will be English with other translations occurring as soon as resources are available.

D.5 Constraints

  1. Product Identification is AmbiguousBRBRThe clear identification of Ubuntu Products is lacking. The product name Ubuntu is used to identify the Community and to identify Ubuntu – Gnome Desktop. Although Kubuntu and Xubuntu are branded in such a manner as to segregate them from other products, to the new user it may be unclear that Kubuntu is really Ubuntu – KDE Desktop and Xubuntu is really Ubuntu – XFCE Desktop. In addition there is no branding for the Ubuntu server family and the new user may not understand Edubuntu is really Ubuntu – Gnome Desktop targeted for schools and children.

  2. Lack of Market ResearchBRBRAt the moment there is no market research giving direction to the project. It is assumed readers will connect to the Magazine forum to offer comments and suggestions and this will become the market research data to give direction to future editions of the magazine.

  3. Lack of IncentivesBRBRIn the hard core commercial world of marketing incentives are often used to gain participation. To illustrate, the best artwork submitted receives a coupon good for Ubuntu marketing items (CD's, hats, or shirts).

E. Project critical Success Factors

  1. Staff all positions and identify subject matter experts
  2. Active participation of readership in Magazine forum
  3. Active participation of Magazine, Art, and Marketing team members
  4. Support of Project Sponsors
  5. Availability of Magazine
  6. The number of subscribers justifies the publishing effort

F. Initial High-level Project Planning

F.1 Estimated Resource Requirements

  • Hosting server with an appropriate DNS with the capacity and bandwidth to handle readership

  • Development platform Ubuntu, Launchpad, and Bazaar with the capacity and bandwidth to handle publication

  • Magazine forum
  • Identify Magazine editor
  • Identify (2) ubuntu – Gnome Desktop reporters
  • Identify (2) ubuntu - KDE Desktop reporters
  • Identify (2) ubuntu - XFCE Desktop reporters
  • Identify (1) ubuntu - Server reporter
  • Identify (1) Edubuntu reporter
  • Create content review board and identify members roles and responsibilities.

  • (2) Reporters at largeBRBRNote - The goal is to have a reporter and a backup for each product area and a reporter and backup at larger to cover community events not directly related to a product and the events of the local communities.

F.2 Estimated Project Cost

  • Hosting
  • Canonical over site
  • Travel to identified Linux events of importance
  • Printed materials
  • Marketing incentives such as product CD's and other promotional items

F.3 Estimated Benefits

  • It is estimated a timely and professionally crafted Magazine will further increase the use of Ubuntu Products in general and increase usage specifically in markets where Linux is not favored. It is further estimated the open source software included in Ubuntu Products will benefit from such a publication.
  • It is anticipated a quality publication will assist in forging alliances with manufactures of computer equipment to the extent Ubuntu Products will be offered as an alternative and encourage the submission of open source drivers.
  • We would further expect participation in the Community to rise as the processes put in place incorporate Ubuntu Values and fosters an atmosphere of inclusion.
  • It is assumed the successful launch of such a publication will open other marketing opportunities such as endorsements and alliances with other media markets.
  • It is expected this publication will bring Ubuntu to equal footing with its peers in the Linux community who offer similar publications.

G. Project Authority

G.1 Authorization

  • Canonical:
  • Community:
  • Marketing:
  • Magazine:
  • Art:

G.2 Oversight (Steering) Committee Members & Roles

Member

Role

Canonical

provide vision and resources

Community

guidance in vision and content

Marketing

continuity of marketing efforts

Art

provide artwork, assures quality of publication

Magazine

provide content, assures quality of publication

Editor

execution of processes, assures quality of publication

G.3 Controls

The process of publication will include reviews and validations to insure the content is factual and is harmonious with the goals of the Community and contains the spirit of Ubuntu Values. Although the exact mechanism is to be determined, a content review board with representatives from Canonical, Community, Marketing, Art, and the Magazine could be the final authority on the quality of the materials submitted.

H. Roles and Responsibilities

H.1 Project Organization Overview

Major Milestone

PM

Team

Marketing

Editor

Community

1. Craft project charter

E

E

C

E

2. Project approved by Community

E

E

E

E

A

3. Establish Magazine Identity

E

E

A

I

A

4. Initiate Launch Campaign Project

E

C

E

A

I

5. Secure Resources

E

E

C

C

I

6. Establish Publication Processes

E

E

C

E

7. Identify Content of 1st Publication

E

E

I

E

8. Content approved by Review Board

E

E

I

E

9. 1st Issued Published

E

E

I

E

10. Project concluded

E

E

A

A

A

LegendBR

  • E - Responsible for execution (may be shared)
  • A - Final approval for authority
  • C - Must be consulted
  • I - Must be informed

H.2 Role Assignment

  • Community - TBD
  • Marketing Lead - Jenda Vancura
  • Team Lead - Sara Vasquez
  • Art Lead - TBD
  • PM - TBD
  • Editor - TBD

I. Management Checkpoints

BR

Checkpoint

Evaluation Criteria

Initiate project

Charter approved by Community

Project team engaged

Magazine Identity Established

Marketing continuity established

Launch campaign initiated

Publication process initiated

Resources secured, members tasked

Content ready

Approved by Review Board

Marketing engaged

Launch campaign goes live

1st issue published

Publication available

Project concluded

Lessons learned documented, sponsors approval

Document version: 071461

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CategoryMarketing