[Marketing] Defining the Marketing requirements for OSGeo Incubation

Committees Marketing
1

The OSGeo incubation graduation criteria defines:
“Marketing material has been created about the project for the OSGeo Marketing Committee.” [1]
However, to date, OSGeo marketing requirements have been fairly vague.

I propose that we address this by providing a detailed set of Marketing Artefacts that are required by OSGeo which is referenced during the incubation process.
I’ve defined a proposed set of marketing requirements which I’ve copied below, and is on the wiki [2]

I’m hoping to hear feedback on this proposal, and then to formalise it into the OSGeo Incubation process.
When responding to this email thread, please only CC the incubator email list.

Key things to note:

  • “Project Overviews” are proposed to be required for all projects and “Quickstarts” to be required for all applications (Quickstarts don’t make sense for libraries).

  • All applications available on linux are proposed to be required to be included in the OSGeo-Live distribution [3].

  • While not stated, I see there being an expectation that all OSGeo projects maintain their marketing material, which will be reviewed every 6 months during the OSGeo-Live build process.

[1] http://www.osgeo.org/incubator/process/project_graduation_checklist.html
[2] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Artefacts
[3] http://live.osgeo.org

Marketing Artefacts### From OSGeo Wiki

The page defines the Marketing Artefacts required to make effective use of the OSGeo Marketing Pipeline. This list is to be referenced during the OSGeo Incubation process to ensure a project supports OSGeo marketing requirements.


## Contents[hide]
- 1 OSGeo Live
- 2 Application Overview
- 3 Application Quick Start
- 4 OSGeo-Live Lightening Presentation
- 5 Project Specific Presentation
- 6 OGC Standard Overview
- 7 Logo
- 8 Graphical Image
- 9 Technology Comparisons
- 10 Case Studies
- 11 Training
|

  • |

OSGeo Live
Description
A self-contained bootable DVD, USB thumb drive or Virtual Machine based on Xubuntu, that allows you to try a wide variety of open source geospatial software without installing anything. It is handed out at conferences around the world.
Details at http://live.osgeo.org
Proposed Incubation Criteria
OSGeo supported client and server applications which are available on linux are expected to be packaged on the OSGeo Live DVD. Other OSGeo projects (like libraries) are just expected to provide project overviews.
Responsibility
Projects teams responsible for packaging their software in accordance with http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Add_Project
OSGeo Live Project team to create DVD
# Application Overview
Description
A one page marketing page targeted at a someone considering using GeoSpatial Open Source, who may be a GeoSpatial User, a Technical person without much geospatial expertise, or manager with limited GeoSpatial or technical experience. Overview development and publishing is coordinated as part of the OSGeo-Live project.

Proposed Incubation Criteria
Required for all OSGeo projects
Responsibility
Project's team
# Application Quick Start
Description
- Contains detailed steps showing a new user how run one core use case for the application. - Examples are linked from [http://live.osgeo.org/quickstart/quickstart.html](http://live.osgeo.org/quickstart/quickstart.html)

How to write an Application Quick Start is defined here: Live_GIS_Add_Project#Application_Quick_Start

Proposed Incubation Criteria
Proposed to be required for all OSGeo projects with executable applications, to be in place by FOSS4G 2011
Responsibility
Project's team
# OSGeo-Live Lightening Presentation
Description
This presentation provides a lightening overview of all applications on the OSGeo Live DVD/Virtual Machine, with one slide/project. It should take under 30 minutes, to fit into most conference programs. With over 40 projects and a few overview slides, each slide is limited to ~ 20 to 30 seconds.
Presentation is currently stored here: [https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/promo/en/presentations/OSGeoLive4_0Taster/](https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/promo/en/presentations/OSGeoLive4_0Taster/)
Requirements from each project
One slide which contains: - Image as per [#Graphical_Image](http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Artefacts#Graphical_Image) - Text in notes providing a 20 sec script for the presenter to read. A reference to the one page project overview, to provide the presenter with background information. This should be derived from the [#Application_Overview](http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Artefacts#Application_Overview)
Responsibility
OSGeo Live team to compile the presentation based upon the Project Overview.
Project team to review slides and text for accuracy.
Proposed Incubation Criteria
Highly desirable, but not specifically required for incubation.
# Project Specific Presentation
Description
Up to 20 min presentation for each specific project.
Responsibility
Project's team
Incubation Criteria
Desirable but not required for OSGeo Incubation
# OGC Standard Overview
Description
1 page overview of key OGC standards, published here: [http://live.osgeo.org/standards/standards.html](http://live.osgeo.org/standards/standards.html)
Source files stored here: [https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/gisvm/trunk/doc/en/standards/](https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/gisvm/trunk/doc/en/standards/)
Responsibility
OGC to produce text
OSGeo Live team to incorporate into OSGeo-Live
# Logo
Description
A logo for the application, which is used by various marketing artefacts - like the Project Overview, Quickstart, Powerpoints, Content Diagrams, etc
How to create a logo is explained in: [http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Add_Project#Application_Overview](http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Add_Project#Application_Overview)
Proposed Incubation Criteria
Proposed to be required for all OSGeo projects
# Graphical Image
Description
Each project needs to have a representative image, usually a screen snapshot.
To be used in Project Overview, Powerpoint Presentations, etc.
Images are to be stored here: [https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/gisvm/trunk/doc/images/screenshots/1024x768](https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/livedvd/gisvm/trunk/doc/images/screenshots/1024x768)
How to create an image is explained here: [http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Add_Project#Application_Overview](http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Add_Project#Application_Overview)
Proposed Incubation Criteria
Required for all OSGeo projects
Responsibility
Project's team
··· 
-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
[http://www.lisasoft.com](http://www.lisasoft.com)
2

Bit confused here cameron.

The incubation committee is focused to helping projects into the foundation; the marketing committee needs to sort out what is required to facilitate involvement with any promotional activities OSGeo undertakes.

So please don’t respond to the incubation list; not really our cup of tea.

The marketing committee has officers for each project it can contact; as the geotools officer I have not been contacted about your list of marketing artefacts yet. I assume you will contact me formally after the marketing committee has sorted out what is needed.

If you need to hold a marketing meeting and invite project officers to facilitate communication please do so.

Jody

··· 
-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
[http://www.lisasoft.com](http://www.lisasoft.com/)
3

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Cameron,
thanks for your initiative. Let me add a few notes to reconsider about
*how* we want to go about this.

Marketing is an OSGeo service for it's projects. Adding the proposed
requirements as criteria to pass Incubation feels a lot more like a
stick than a carrot. What I do like is the aspect of revisiting all
incubated projects once a year -> I proposed this to Incubation twice
but so far it never got anywhere.

The current proposal is very focused on the needs of OSGeo Live. Don't
get me wrong, I like the OSGeo Live project and have already used it
successfully in workshops and recommend it everywhere. But to me it is
more like another OSGeo project and should not become a cirteria for
incubation. To get my idea just imagine that supporting GDAL/OGR is an
OSGeo incubation criteria. Did the OSGeo Live project ever incubate at
all? Should be easy, maybe you want to apply?

Respective to what marketing material we need: My personal perception
(which can obviously be wrong) is that DVDs at trade fairs and
conferences get taken away and then never looked at again. The contained
information is as quickly outdated as that on any piece of paper. An
OGSeo folder with summary pages and a short description on paper would
be a great hand-out. It could be a additional benefit to sponsors who
appear in this folder. Sponsors can reuse this material and add their
own portfolio to use in their sales. This is one of the few concrete
wishes of our current sponsors.

Some of the items you suggest seem to duplicate efforts already in
place. The short intro page to each project is on the OSGeo web site:
http://www.osgeo.org/<project name>
The project logos should not be uploaded to yet another disconnected
repository. Marketing might want to scrutinize and consolidate what we
have now.

One last comment is that I would not support "powerpoint" as a
desireable format. Especially with presentations once stuck on one
office package you will never leave because everything invariably falls
apart. Let us for now stick with whatever projets are used to and wait a
bit more for HTML5.

To me "nudging" feels a lot more like OSGeo than the threat of "imposing
rules". But this is just my old me...

Best regards,
Arnulf

Cameron Shorter wrote:

Jody,
Why not add your comments by email initially.
I suggest that we discuss this at the next scheduled Marketing Committee
meeting.

We have just changed the timeslot, Tyler should be able to tell us the
next meeting time. (It doesn't seem to be up to date here:
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Meetings )

On 08/11/10 18:57, Jody Garnett wrote:

I was thinking of taking that discussion to the marketing list; to see
how it aligns with committee goals before pestering project leads.

Would you like to make an IRC date; even if it is just the two of us
we could run through your wiki page and give it the once over.

I am pretty busy at work; but could try for Tuesday evening if you are
available?

Jody

On Sun, Nov 7, 2010 at 7:03 PM, Cameron Shorter
<cameron.shorter@gmail.com> wrote:
  

On 06/11/10 13:38, Frank Warmerdam wrote:
    

Jody Garnett wrote:
      

Bit confused here cameron.

The incubation committee is focused to helping projects into the
foundation; the marketing committee needs to sort out what is
required to
facilitate involvement with any promotional activities OSGeo
undertakes.

So please don't respond to the incubation list; not really our cup of
tea.
         

Jody,

I believe Cameron is hoping the incubation committee is a good place to
seek buy-in from the projects, and that we would make production of the
desired artifacts a condition of graduation.

It does seem Cameron set a wide net (discuss, marketing and
incubation).
I personally don't like cross-list discussions.

Best regards,
       

Jody, as Frank notes I've endeavoured to notify all people likely to be
effected by marketing requirements for projects, and then focus
discussion
on one list, and I picked incubation as I expect that most people
effected
will be on this list.

I'm a little nervous that no one has questioned my marketing proposal.
Either everyone thinks it is a great idea, or people have not had a
chance
to read through the proposed advanced incubation criteria and then raise
concerns.

I'd appreciate some review of the proposed Marketing requirements and
comment on whether I'm on track or not:

http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Artefacts

--
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com

_______________________________________________
Incubator mailing list
Incubator@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator

- --
Arnulf Christl

Exploring Space, Time and Mind
http://arnulf.us
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4

All,

This little piece has been nagging at me during this whole thread. Rules based on a project that didn’t use the rules. (so to speak :c)

I mean, if I just need to start under the OSGEO umbrella, and then everything is all “incubated”, well, I can work with that system. :c)

(as and example . . .) My project(s) might get a little convoluted though as I keep partnering with different groups as we go around the incubation requirements (pure as an example)

bobb

. . .

Did the OSGeo Live project ever incubate at
all? Should be easy, maybe you want to apply?

5

On 11/08/2010 06:53 AM, Bob Basques wrote:

All,

This little piece has been nagging at me during this whole thread. Rules based on a project that didn't use the rules. (so to speak :c)

I mean, if I just need to start under the OSGEO umbrella, and then everything is all "incubated", well, I can work with that system. :c)

(as and example . . .) My project(s) might get a little convoluted though as I keep partnering with different groups as we go around the incubation requirements (pure as an example)

bobb

. . .
Did the OSGeo Live project ever incubate at
all? Should be easy, maybe you want to apply?

OSGeo Live does not consider itself a project, but rather a distribution
method/marketing product (This has been discussed/debated on the
Live-demo list). We didn't think it was appropriate to incubate since it
basically is driven by the Marketing Committee's needs. Do people
consider Ubuntugis and OSGeo4W projects that should also apply for
incubation?

As for the duplication of materials, the idea has been that the current
information is somewhat unmaintainable and difficult to reuse. At one
time there were 1 page printable descriptions of each project but that
proved impossible without the projects constantly updating the content
in a fixed format. We're hoping that making minor edits twice a year to
the content in a text file without worrying about the layout will make
that easier.

The project overviews created for OSGeo Live are intended to be used on
the web, disc and in print. We're specifically using Sphinx with the
goal of being able to create print material that is up to date on demand.

For example, finding quality logo's for all the projects is quite a
task. Since there isn't one folder in svn or the website to pull them
from. I don't really care if that folder is under the Live part of the
svn tree so long as they are all in one place and of sufficient quality
for web and print(many of them are too small or low res). Note, not all
projects have a page on the osgeo.org site, many of them actually go
directly to their homepages.

OSGeo Live isn't trying to force rules on Incubation, we're simply
asking if everyone thinks that Marketing materials is an important part
of a project graduating. If so, we want to have a nice checklist of what
those materials ought to be and we want to find a way to ensure that
they get done. We're aiming for quality, to make it easy to show off
OSGeo projects.

I do think my opinion here does vary slightly from Cameron's in how
"required" some parts should be, but agree that having the basic
marketing materials seems like a good indicator to the greater public
that a project is stable and of reasonable quality (whether or not thats
true).

Thanks,
Alex

6

The other side of promotion is helping to attract new developers.

We often focus on marketing the use of open source software; but we
also should promote involvement and contributing to keep projects
healthy.

Jody

On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Andreas Hocevar <ahocevar@opengeo.org> wrote:

Hi,

because I was asked about how OSGeo should promote its projects as a follow-up to my self-introduction as a charter member nominee, let me also add my 2¢ here.

I think the important question is: what kind of marketing is required? OSGeo does not sell anything, but the organizations involved in the OSGeo projects do. And the organizations, for obvious reasons, have an incentive to do marketing for the solutions they provide, but not necessarily for the underlying software stack.

There is, however, a common benefit in having a neutral entity provide marketing by means of something like an "OSGeo Certified" program. OSGeo has become a well known brand, and could learn from marketing initiatives like organic food certification programs. A glossy brochure explaining the criteria for certification, along with standardized fact sheets (how many organizations involved, how many installations etc.) and case studies for each project - this is what I meant in my introductory statement.

I don't see myself as a potential OSGeo-Live maintainer or Marketing committee member - I perform best as a software developer, so this is what I'll continue to do. What I want to do is help explain needs and concerns of communities to those at OSGeo who see their role in marketing, from the perspective of a developer with conference booth savvy.

Regards,
Andreas.

On Nov 9, 2010, at 14:56 , Daniel Morissette wrote:

For the record, I agree with the comments made by Arnulf and a few
others that encouraging projects to produce this material and keep it up
to date is a good thing, but making that an incubation criteria may be
pushing it a bit much.

I also believe that a Live DVD is a nice thing to have and a great
showcase, but I'm not convinced that we should discriminate between
OSGeo Live and OSGeo4W, DebianGIS, UbuntuGIS, EL-GIS and other packaging
efforts... they all facilitate access to the software for non-technical
users in the environment that they are already familiar with, so all
projects should be strongly encouraged to participate in all of them as
well as in the OSGeo Live DVD. As a bonus, the projects who put energy
into DebianGIS/UbuntuGIS are much easier to integrate in OSGeo Live, the
reverse is not true.

My 0.02$

Daniel

Seven (aka Arnulf) wrote:

Cameron,
thanks for your initiative. Let me add a few notes to reconsider about
*how* we want to go about this.

Marketing is an OSGeo service for it's projects. Adding the proposed
requirements as criteria to pass Incubation feels a lot more like a
stick than a carrot. What I do like is the aspect of revisiting all
incubated projects once a year -> I proposed this to Incubation twice
but so far it never got anywhere.

The current proposal is very focused on the needs of OSGeo Live. Don't
get me wrong, I like the OSGeo Live project and have already used it
successfully in workshops and recommend it everywhere. But to me it is
more like another OSGeo project and should not become a cirteria for
incubation. To get my idea just imagine that supporting GDAL/OGR is an
OSGeo incubation criteria. Did the OSGeo Live project ever incubate at
all? Should be easy, maybe you want to apply?

Respective to what marketing material we need: My personal perception
(which can obviously be wrong) is that DVDs at trade fairs and
conferences get taken away and then never looked at again. The contained
information is as quickly outdated as that on any piece of paper. An
OGSeo folder with summary pages and a short description on paper would
be a great hand-out. It could be a additional benefit to sponsors who
appear in this folder. Sponsors can reuse this material and add their
own portfolio to use in their sales. This is one of the few concrete
wishes of our current sponsors.

Some of the items you suggest seem to duplicate efforts already in
place. The short intro page to each project is on the OSGeo web site:
http://www.osgeo.org/&lt;project name>
The project logos should not be uploaded to yet another disconnected
repository. Marketing might want to scrutinize and consolidate what we
have now.

One last comment is that I would not support "powerpoint" as a
desireable format. Especially with presentations once stuck on one
office package you will never leave because everything invariably falls
apart. Let us for now stick with whatever projets are used to and wait a
bit more for HTML5.

To me "nudging" feels a lot more like OSGeo than the threat of "imposing
rules". But this is just my old me...

Best regards,
Arnulf

Cameron Shorter wrote:

Jody,
Why not add your comments by email initially.
I suggest that we discuss this at the next scheduled Marketing Committee
meeting.

We have just changed the timeslot, Tyler should be able to tell us the
next meeting time. (It doesn't seem to be up to date here:
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Meetings )

On 08/11/10 18:57, Jody Garnett wrote:

I was thinking of taking that discussion to the marketing list; to see
how it aligns with committee goals before pestering project leads.

Would you like to make an IRC date; even if it is just the two of us
we could run through your wiki page and give it the once over.

I am pretty busy at work; but could try for Tuesday evening if you are
available?

Jody

On Sun, Nov 7, 2010 at 7:03 PM, Cameron Shorter
<cameron.shorter@gmail.com> wrote:

On 06/11/10 13:38, Frank Warmerdam wrote:

Jody Garnett wrote:

Bit confused here cameron.

The incubation committee is focused to helping projects into the
foundation; the marketing committee needs to sort out what is
required to
facilitate involvement with any promotional activities OSGeo
undertakes.

So please don't respond to the incubation list; not really our cup of
tea.

Jody,

I believe Cameron is hoping the incubation committee is a good place to
seek buy-in from the projects, and that we would make production of the
desired artifacts a condition of graduation.

It does seem Cameron set a wide net (discuss, marketing and
incubation).
I personally don't like cross-list discussions.

Best regards,

Jody, as Frank notes I've endeavoured to notify all people likely to be
effected by marketing requirements for projects, and then focus
discussion
on one list, and I picked incubation as I expect that most people
effected
will be on this list.

I'm a little nervous that no one has questioned my marketing proposal.
Either everyone thinks it is a great idea, or people have not had a
chance
to read through the proposed advanced incubation criteria and then raise
concerns.

I'd appreciate some review of the proposed Marketing requirements and
comment on whether I'm on track or not:

http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Marketing_Artefacts

--
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com

_______________________________________________
Incubator mailing list
Incubator@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator

_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss

--
Daniel Morissette
http://www.mapgears.com/
_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss

--
Andreas Hocevar
OpenGeo - http://opengeo.org/
Expert service straight from the developers.

_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@lists.osgeo.org
http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss