[Chicago] Thread on Organization

[sheila miguez]

On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 2:44 PM, Don Sheu <donald at caa.columbia.edu> wrote:

> Sheila Miguez, did I read your email correctly that you're not
> volunteering for ChiPy? If it's the current state is to your distaste, I
> don't know how it's going to improve if there's only criticism without
> offering a helping hand.


Hi Don,

Thanks for bringing this up. It sounds like many people in the group agree
that more people helping plan events would be beneficial. Brian Ray and I
organize things very differently, so I plan other python events without
asking for logistical support from Brian due to our different approaches. I
have given him feedback on this.

I do enjoy groups that are loosely centralized and where groups within the
group can autonomously plan activities around common interests. I've also
worked in other groups that are more hierarchical in nature. Here is a set
of guiding organizational principles that I like.

https://github.com/scipy-conference/scipy-conference/blob/master/manual/decisions.rst

A few guiding principles to get started:

   - Decision-making process is "do-ocracy" - if you're willing to make the
   effort to do something, do it!
   - If it's a decision that affects other people, look for informal
   agreement among working groups or the SciPy organizers as a whole. Informal
   agreement typically means sending an email and waiting 24 hours to see if
   anyone objects.
   - If a problem arises, contact the SciPy organizers list or if a more
   private channel is needed contact the Co-Chairs directly. Please be
   respectful of others time and input.


With respect to Code of Conduct, I am more interested in participating in
technical events, and do not wish to be the emotional labourer for our
group. Other people on the list seem to have the Code of Conduct topic well
in hand, and I have given a helping hand by sharing my experience and
providing CoC samples.

I am happy to hear that people would like to help Brian. If more people
join, perhaps I can help organize a working group or be a volunteer in one.
Things can be loosely organized enough that we can manage in our separate
ways.

I am sorry to hear that people do not think a loose structure and
organizational discussions are valuable. I would like to see more ChiPy-run
activities. Sprints, project nights, workshops on topics like robotics,
civic hacking, job interviewing, talk mentoring, scientific programming,
etc. I know that other groups do these things.

Since people seem to be shutting down discussion, it is not likely that the
group will do any of these things since no one will step in to help. Brian
cannot handle all of that on his own. Neither can I. It would be great if
we had more people from ChiPy involved.


-- 
sheila
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