Community events help recruit new contributors

Seven months ago, the idea for a PatternFly conference was introduced during a discussion about growing our community. At that point in time, a PatternFly conference was just a twinkle in our eyes.

PatternFly is sponsored by the Red Hat User Experience Design team. In June, the 50+ members of the UXD team will be traveling from all over the world to Raleigh, North Carolina to take part in various team activities and workshops.

This provided the perfect opportunity to schedule The PatternFly Conference as it would allow community members, many of which are designers and developers on the UXD team, to participate in the event.

But how do events help the community and why are they important for new contributors?

Generate excitement

Events can help to attract new contributors that may not have previously known about a project or how to get involved. While the initial promotion and the actual event bring the project recognition, the residual buzz generated by the attendees can have on-going benefits that outlive the event itself.

TIPS

• Submit talks to related events.
• Plan your own event for your community.
• Share what you’ve learned at an event by blogging and tweeting about your experience.
• Send shout-outs or kudos to speakers or other attendees.

Make connections

Events are a great place to meet someone new or get to know the person behind the avatar. Either way, having the opportunity to meet face to face, outside of the daily grind, can provoke interesting connections that can spawn into future opportunities.

TIPS

• Reach out to someone with less experience and offer your expertise and support on a subject.
• Look for opportunities to learn from others and don’t be afraid to ask questions. People love to share about their experiences.

Get inspired

Events are a place where thought leaders come together to share and promote ideas. Whether it’s learning about a new opportunity or discovering a new way to tackle a problem, you never know what will strike your fancy.

TIPS

• Take advantage of being surrounded by industry thought leaders to grow your own ideas.
• Venture out and introduce yourself to others.

The PatternFly Conference is on June 8 from 12–6PM. To learn more, register for the event, or submit a talk, visit http://www.patternfly.org/conference/2017.