Bridging Communities

The WordPress project is built on many technologies and even more experiences. With that we have managed to collectively build the most popular CMS system to date. The project is also big enough to have a global network of communities. Although strong and self sufficient, has this come at a price?

This talk will review how people not inside the WordPress community view us. I will bring some practical suggestions and solutions on how we can look outside our comfort zones, widen our knowledge circles and ensure that we learn from other communities mistakes whilst bridging the gap. As a result, we can make our communities more diverse and stronger for the future.

Transcript

1. BRIDGING COMMUNITIES Jenny Wong / @miss_jwo
2. @miss_jwo #wceu 2010 PHP North West
3. @miss_jwo #wceu 2011 First WordPress Project
4. @miss_jwo #wceu 2012 WordCamp Edinburgh
5. @miss_jwo #wceu 2014
6. @miss_jwo #wceu 2014 No local user groups
7. @miss_jwo #wceu Community Addict
8. @miss_jwo #wceu 2014 PHP North West conference
9. @miss_jwo #wceu https://twitter.com/miss_jwo/status/518331214068195329
10. @miss_jwo #wceu
11. @miss_jwo #wceu https://twitter.com/miss_jwo/status/610802794803630080
12. @miss_jwo #wceu “From the glimpses I get through your feed: A very large, vibrant, active, passionate group of people.”
13. @miss_jwo #wceu “Very insular. Not interested in outsiders.”
14. @miss_jwo #wceu “Community looks very active and supportive.”
15. @miss_jwo #wceu “Not a part of [the WordPress community]. Albeit seems highly unprofessional. ”
16. @miss_jwo #wceu “Awww, not good enough to be a real web developer?”
17. @miss_jwo #wceu
18. @miss_jwo #wceu “Wow. Pretty sad response. […]”
19. @miss_jwo #wceu The mocking of WordPress by other communities is like watching my parents have a fight every day.
20. @miss_jwo #wceu The mocking of any technology by anyone is like watching my parents have a fight every day.
21. @miss_jwo #wceu What is the WordPress community?
22. @miss_jwo #wceu Business Owners
23. @miss_jwo #wceu Developers
24. @miss_jwo #wceu Designers
25. @miss_jwo #wceu Users
26. @miss_jwo #wceu Clients
27. @miss_jwo #wceu Content Writers
28. @miss_jwo #wceu Journalists
29. @miss_jwo #wceu Shop owners
30. @miss_jwo #wceu Project managers
31. @miss_jwo #wceu Scientists
32. @miss_jwo #wceu And so on…
33. @miss_jwo #wceu Community of People
34. @miss_jwo #wceu OTHER COMMUNITIES
35. @miss_jwo #wceu How often do you go out to another community?
36. @miss_jwo #wceu ECHO CHAMBER
37. @miss_jwo #wceu WordPressers at PHP events
38. @miss_jwo #wceu NIKOLAY BACHIYSKI PHP North West 2011
39. @miss_jwo #wceu “I generally have good experience interacting online with authors of PHP projects/libraries that I use.”
40. @miss_jwo #wceu “I only consider the WordPress community. Never interact with the whole PHP community.”
41. @miss_jwo #wceu “Not much regular interaction, but I am tired of reading blog posts our articles that denigrate WordPress!”
42. @miss_jwo #wceu – a WordPress core developer “I’m too scared to go. They [the PHP developers] will mock me for being a WordPress developer”
43. @miss_jwo #wceu
44. @miss_jwo #wceu We can change this - together
45. @miss_jwo #wceu Multi dimensional problems need Multi dimensional solutions
46. Events
47. @miss_jwo #wceu WordCamps
48. @miss_jwo #wceu Conferences
49. @miss_jwo #wceu User Groups
50. @miss_jwo #wceu Meet Ups
51. @miss_jwo #wceu DATES
52. @miss_jwo #wceu Be considerate of when we set our dates.
53. @miss_jwo #wceu Open Source Project: Open Tech Calendar
54. @miss_jwo #wceu JOINT EVENTS
55. @miss_jwo #wceu Run a joint event with a local … group
56. @miss_jwo #wceu PHP.UG
57. @miss_jwo #wceu Work in progress: Community Hub
58. @miss_jwo #wceu WORDCAMPS
59. @miss_jwo #wceu WordCamp != Conference
60. @miss_jwo #wceu Developer editions
61. @miss_jwo #wceu Business editions
62. @miss_jwo #wceu […] editions
63. @miss_jwo #wceu Workshops
64. Go Outside
65. @miss_jwo #wceu Go to their user groups
66. @miss_jwo #wceu Let’s invite outside community people to speak at our events
67. @miss_jwo #wceu Bring back the knowledge you gain
68. @miss_jwo #wceu Share your knowledge
69. Inclusiveness
70. @miss_jwo #wceu How many people are at their first WordCamp?
71. @miss_jwo #wceu Invite everyone to the party
72. @miss_jwo #wceu Introduce everyone to everybody
73. @miss_jwo #wceu Make the first step
74. @miss_jwo #wceu WORDS
75. @miss_jwo #wceu We are able to choose our words, 
 but we are not able to choose the affect they will have on others
76. @miss_jwo #wceu Getting off the Island
77. Embrace Diversity
78. @miss_jwo #wceu Diversity has to be part of the plan, not an after thought
79. @miss_jwo #wceu Diversity of technology
80. @miss_jwo #wceu Diversity of tool choices
81. @miss_jwo #wceu Diversity of OS choices
82. @miss_jwo #wceu Respect all choices!
83. @miss_jwo #wceu More Info: DiversITy Matters Tomorrow, Track 2, 17:20
84. Knowledge Sharing
85. @miss_jwo #wceu People want to learn
86. @miss_jwo #wceu Training Team make.wordpress.org/training
87. @miss_jwo #wceu PHP Mentoring
88. @miss_jwo #wceu ? WordPress Mentoring
89. @miss_jwo #wceu WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING?
90. @miss_jwo #wceu Speak Up!
91. @miss_jwo #wceu Ask your local group to find someone to share their knowledge
92. @miss_jwo #wceu Ask Questions
93. @miss_jwo #wceu No question is stupid.
94. @miss_jwo #wceu No question is stupid.
95. Attitude
96. @miss_jwo #wceu Welcome
97. @miss_jwo #wceu Don’t belittle
98. @miss_jwo #wceu Leave the door open
99. @miss_jwo #wceu Educate
100. @miss_jwo #wceu Support
101. @miss_jwo #wceu Mentor
102. @miss_jwo #wceu Be cheerleaders
103. @miss_jwo #wceu Be respectful
104. @miss_jwo #wceu Be empathetic
105. @miss_jwo #wceu and guide
106. Doing this already?
107. @miss_jwo #wceu Amazing! Please share your experiences
108. Remember
109. @miss_jwo #wceu Yes there are barriers between communities
110. @miss_jwo #wceu We can improve, one step at a time.
111. @miss_jwo #wceu Multi-dimensional problems need multi-dimensional solutions
112. @miss_jwo #wceu What solutions do you have?
113. Gracias Thank You Jenny Wong @miss_jwo hmn.md