How Grafana Labs Builds and Sustains Communities

Explore the strategies and frameworks behind building and sustaining successful open-source communities in this insightful conference talk by Richard Hartmann from Grafana Labs. Delve into the underlying principles that have led to the thriving ecosystems of major projects like Grafana, Prometheus, and Loki. Learn about the scientific definition of community, the importance of cooperation, and how developers choose tools. Gain valuable insights from personal experiences, including lessons learned from running the OpenProjects / freenode IRC network. Discover the key elements of healthy communities, the role of social dynamics, and the importance of culture canaries. Understand how to formalize communities, set limits, and apply these concepts effectively. Explore the significance of Community Leads and public speaking in fostering vibrant open-source ecosystems. Conclude with a summary and thought-provoking metaphor questions to deepen your understanding of community building in the tech industry.

Intro
What is a community
Scientific definition
Cooperation
Why does Grafana Labs care
How developers choose tools
Personal story
Healthy communities
Humans are social animals
Fight or flight
Social pressure
Culture canaries
Formalizing communities
Limits
How to apply
Community Leads
Public Speaking
Summary
Metaphor Questions