Season of Docs/2019

Note: This page will be moved out of my user pages once it is more complete.

Overview
Google Season of the Docs fosters open source collaboration with technical writers. This year (2019) Season of the Docs will run for three months. Organizational applications run from April 2 - April 23.

Organizational Admin Guide
For reference: https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs/docs/admin-guide

Organizational application questions
''Project ideas: Spend some time creating your list of project ideas. Publish your project ideas on a public web page, in a blog post, or in some other publicly visible document, and include a link to the document in your application. See the detailed guidelines on creating your project ideas list.''

''Previous experience with technical writers or documentation: If you or any of your mentors have worked with technical writers before, or have developed documentation, mention this in your application. Describe the documentation that you produced and the ways in which you worked with the technical writer. For example, describe any review processes that you used, or how the technical writer's skills were useful to your project. Explain how this previous experience may help you to work with a technical writer in Season of Docs.''

''Previous experience with similar programs, such as Google Summer of Code or others: If you or any of your mentors have taken part in Google Summer of Code or a similar program, mention this in your application. Describe your achievements in that program. Explain how this experience may influence the way you work in Season of Docs.''

''Accepting the Season of Docs stipend: Season of Docs pays a sum of money to the open source organization for each successfully completed technical writing project, provided the organization wants to accept the stipend. See the information about stipends for mentor organizations. The stipend is optional. If your organization does not want to receive the stipend, indicate your choice on the application form. Accepting or waiving the stipend does not affect the organization selection process.''

Proposed technical writing projects for 2019 season
https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs/docs/project-ideas

Technical Documentation


 * Review and improve top overview pages for MediaWiki action API: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T203858 (w/or w/out client library lists)
 * Review and update client library lists: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T204855 (can be its own task or bundled into the above)
 * API:Client code/Gold standard (Evaluation criteria for above)

Evaluate and recommend



Audience research and user experience

Create resources for staff and volunteers
 * Research audiences that uses Mediawiki / Wikitech technical documentation. Who is using the technical documentation? How and why do they use it? Create a set of personas for the kinds of technical collaborators who are using our research and users we will want to reach out to. Provide a set of recommendations for creating technical documentation and resources for a variety of users. The report can discuss intersections (ways to reach out to a wider audience). It can also discuss recommendations to reach out to smaller segments.
 * Create reusable templates for technical contributors to use as a basis for technical documentation in specific genres (For ex. Walk-throughs, tutorials, recipe, FAQ, etc)
 * Include examples and tips for writing in particular genres: User:SRodlund (WMF)/tips for document genres (This page will be moved to a main space once it is more complete)
 * Create a set of short video walkthroughs and tutorials to help onboard new technical collaborators. (Ex. How to get started with Phabricator for Wikimedia technical projects. How to XYZ)
 * Curate and promote technical documentation tasks for hackathons and other developer events. Explore outstanding technical documentation tasks in Phabricator. Create technical documentation tasks that can be completed in a short time frame at hackathons and developer events. Create onboarding/quickstart documentation that new collaborators can use guide them through the process of improving and creating technical documentation.

Previous experience with technical writers or documentation
Our organization's participating administrators both have prior experience working with technical writers and documentations. Both of this year's administrators are located on the Developer Advocacy team and work to help improve on-boarding and system documentation for technical collaborators at different skill levels. The main administrator is a technical writer who has over a decade of experience working in tech. She is a former writing instructor and has worked with student writers, clients, and organizations to enhance skills and produce quality technical documentation and communication. The second administrator is an experienced developer advocate who works directly with technical contributors. In this role, she works to improve technical documentation across our projects in order to improve the experience of technical contributors. She has served as a mentor, working directly with volunteer technical writers on Wikimedia's projects.

Previous experience with similar programs, such as Google Summer of Code or others
In the past, our organization has participated in Google Summer of Code, Google Code-in and Outreachy. The last and current rounds of Outreachy have been focused specifically on improving technical documentation for the MediaWiki Action API. We have plenty of experience working with contributors, students, and interns on technical documentation related projects.

Accepting the Season of Docs stipend
Yes. We will be looking into this.