If you have a proposal for a new feature or a design iteration and want to get a group of designers working on it, it’s time for a post on the make design blog. This will be useful as a central point to explain the problem, list what is needed, and gather volunteers.
Preparing a proposal post
- Collect all the background information to the design.
- Ensure you have made or link issues/tickets.
- Write a clear set of expectations/requirements for the designer(s) you need on this project.
- Write a clear set of expectations/requirements for the project.
Defining the scope
- State the problem: what is trying to be solved?
- State background and link in any tickets/issues or context. Ideally, you will already have a kickoff post if a feature, be sure to link to that.
- What is the current status?
- Ideally, you write a call just before design but sometimes things get written a little further on in the process.
- State clearly what work has been done and what is to be done.
- Get involved
- How can someone get involved?
- What specific tasks need help and what specific skills are you looking for?
- Measuring: how is it going to be tested?
- What time commitment will they need to make?
- Be clear also about what they will be expected to do and where. For example, give feedback on GitHub or Trac, be present in a particular meeting.
Example: Site Health Check