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Ideas for Success

These are some simple rules for success. While each Community Group may be different, these can help with the nature of the distributed work of Web-based organizations like Community Groups.

Give Deadlines and Clear Responsible Parties

This is often called the "somebody or nobody" rule. If a particular action does not have a person or two attached to it to "bottom-line" the work, it is highly unlikely the work will ever get done. Also, if work does not have a clear deadline, then it will always slip behind and never get done.

Think light

The wish to achieve everything and solve all issues is one of the most common mistakes. In general, stick to basics for the technology and prioritize implementation over other concerns. You learn a lot by trying to actually implement something! Overloading any the specification with features will delay the work. A good way of avoiding the “technobesity” is to keep a simple rule of work. Each member of the group proposing a new feature must give

the prose of the feature
an example of the feature (for example mark-up)
the test case for it (or test cases if more complex)
show how it is implemented

If one of the four criterion is not met, you just do not add the feature to the things to discuss. People want it, people do the work for it.

Think Organized Content

Sometimes, a Community Group member might have difficulties to fully describe a feature and write the prose for it. At the start of the group life, create a template for features with the appropriate question. Then members do not have to think about the writing style and layout but just about the technical issues.

Think Small and Modular

If something seems to be too big to write, to handle, just break it down. Make it smaller. Think in terms of self-contained modules.

Think Short Deadlines

When giving an action item as chair or accepting an action item, always have short deadlines. If it seems not doable in the given time, it means that the action item, the task to do is too big or too complex. Then back to Think Small.

Think in Pairs

Working by pair helps to achieve quality and put a bit more pressure in achieving the task. It's not necessary for two persons to code or wirte the same thing, but one is writing, and another one is reviewing. The reviewing process should be part of the work before after the completion deadline.