[core-workflow] Tracker workflow proposal

[Carol Willing]

Hello David,

I would like to offer my thoughts as a new Python contributor. I may be 
new as a Python contributor but I've been involved in programming, 
managing, and teaching a variety of computer languages and operating 
systems since the mid-1970s.

As I have not met many of you personally, I would like to thank each of 
you for your contributions to Python. It's truly my pleasure to use Python.

I have a couple of brief comments on Tracker planning from the 
perspective of a new contributor (though someone with an understanding 
of software development processes).

Three different pieces of information are most valuable to me as a brand 
new contributor (i.e. someone without any special privileges to change 
status or fields in an issue):
1. Current state
2. Next action step
3. Next action step claimed by:___________ and on what date_________

Ideally, these three pieces of information will answer the new person's 
questions:
1. What is this issue's current status?
2. What next step could I take to move this issue along to the next 
desired state?
3. Is the next step something that is free to work on (unclaimed) or 
stalled? What can I do to claim the next action step?

For example, an issue might have a current state of "Reproduced issue 
successfully" and the next action step might be "Update documentation" 
or "Create patch".

Here's a write up of how I found the contribution process and how I 
would explain the process to others based on my experience:
http://pastebin.com/iKhL5RvS

I'm not asking you to change or modify the process as it stands, but 
merely to consider the process from the perspective of someone who would 
like to contribute but is new to Python's specific workflow.

Thanks,
Carol Willing

-- 
Carol Willing
Developer
Willing Consulting