[Rubyforchange-talk] Let's Find a Project

[Chad Fowler]

Hello Friends!

Now that we're a few days old here on the mailing list, I believe our  
first order of non-logistical business is to find a first project.  I  
don't know what the project is, nor do I have any great suggestions,  
but I'm hoping someone on the list will have some ideas or some  
friends who have ideas or some friends of friends....and so on.

Here's what I think we need:

* A 501(c)3 with a real application need which could have a  
significant impact (the level of significance, of course, to be  
determined)
* A person from that non-profit who can serve as the authoritative  
customer for what the application should do
* A commitment of consistent involvement from that customer to help  
drive feature requirements and provide feedback
* A (preferably same-city) "project lead" from this community to  
serve as the point of developer continuity, so we're not trying to  
piece together a cohesive application from too many random people's  
hour-scraps on the weekends without someone who understands the full  
context of the app.
* Hopefully a designer or two to help us make a decent UI.  Nobody  
wants to use a UI that, for example, I made.  Yuck.

My suggestion is that we propose projects here and come to a  
consensus (assuming that's possible) on what the final choice is.   
I'd like to suggest a self-imposed deadline for us, but we have to go  
out and locate customers so I'm not sure how long that might take.

If we're in agreement, then the obvious first step is to start  
scouring for non-profits in need.  Ask your friends to ask your  
friends for ideas.  DEFINITELY post on your weblog about it.  Let's  
get the word out that help is out there for the right project that  
needs it.

That being said, getting the word out is a whole other deal.  I think  
we need a reasonable web presence and, hopefully at some point, a  
more automated system for connecting non-profits with developers.   
Let's save that for another thread.

Thanks!
Chad