Contributing Time to Drupal 8

Drupal 8 is coming in 2014. There is a lot of work to do and a lot to learn. We've decided to dedicate a minimum of five hours per week towards Drupal 8 for each person on the Drupalize.Me team. We are now a hefty group of eight people, and everyone will be diving in for a total of 40 hours per week dedicated to Drupal 8. (At least until Drupal 8 launches, and hopefully even beyond that.) Everyone is picking their own projects and ways to get involved. We just started dedicating this time in December, and folks have been spending time sorting out where things are and where to jump in. We're excited about what the new year will bring once we really get rollling. So far, we've been testing the waters with the Core Mentoring Office Hours, some Drupal Ladder work, and just installing and learning where Drupal 8 is right now. We're also lining up training initiatives, UX work, and documentation.

We'll be sharing our work through blog posts, not just about the work itself, but also the process of contributing; how different people are approaching contributing and the experiences they have in the process. A large part of most people's hesitation with contributing is just the unknown of how it all really works in the day to day. Some people on our team have been contributors for years, others haven't had the time or opportunity before, and one is pretty much brand-spanking new to Drupal itself, much less contributing. We also have quite a range of backgrounds and skills, which includes people in marketing, design, development, front-end, and teaching. We're a very mixed group, much like the Drupal community itself.

We recognize that we're fortunate to be able to dedicate this time during our work hours, but even small amounts of time can be put to use to help make Drupal 8 rock mightily for everyone. There are a lot of things going on, and many people have been chugging away to bring Drupal 8 this far for us. As a community, we need to step up and help it across the finish line, and in the process we'll be ready to make the best use of it when it's finally released to the world. I think it's in every Drupal business' best interest to dedicate at least some of their staff's time to Drupal 8. Even if this means giving one person four hours a week or eight hours a month. It all adds up and only brings benefits to your team. A great place to start is to just have people install Drupal 8 and take a look around. Or even better, let them take part in Core Mentoring Office Hours if they coincide with work time. We'll see you there!