BEYOND DEAD RECKONING

Allan Day
William Jon McCann
Jakub Steiner

This is a talk about finding our way. Were going to talk about where GNOME has come from, where it is, and where it is going and the role that design can play in helping our project find a way forward.

GNOME 2

Build a better desktop using only free software

Making a better desktop was the goal we set for ourselves and for GNOME 2.

...GNOME has achieved its original goal. We reached a pointwhere we have a desktop environment that Just Works ...However, ... having a desktop environment that just works is not ... enough for our community and GNOME as a project.

...we havent been able to translate [our aspirations] into a clear direction for the project.

Lucas Rocha, 9 June 2008

After a few years we had largely reached that goal.

But once we had done that it was hard to know where to go. The changes that followed became episodic, opportunistic, and largely uncoordinated. The focus was on assembling individual components and the coherence and essence of the whole had become compromised.

We often saw disputes resulting from that lack of direction.

We needed a vision and a plan.

(switch to Jon)

GNOME 3

Build a beautiful and sustainable OS and ecosystemthat will change the world.

We needed a new plan.

One with ambition.

One that wouldn't leave us guessing what to do next.

Not just a revision of the user experience but a new framework for participation and sustainable growth.

OS

Apps

People

GNOME 2

Variety in Ecosystem

Participation in GNOME was largely defined by contributions to the the core or through a module inclusion process.

This bottleneck: Didn't allow an open participatory culture to flourish.

Caused a number of high profile rifts to form in the community.

Distracted us from creating a compelling third-party developer experience. Limited the reach of the project.

OS

Apps

People

GNOME 3

Variety in Ecosystem

What we wanted instead was:

More variety

More choice

More opportunity

More inclusion

We wanted to broaden the reach of our software and of free software in general. Since everyone deserves to be free.

How do we get there?

So, how do we get to where we want to be?

How do we meet some of the challenges we heard described in The Bright Future for GNOME talk yesterday?

A dedicated core design and development community Passionate users Highly effective and prolific application developers

Fellow Travelers

The first thing we need is you.

An awesome community of thinkers, builders, and doers.

We need passionate users. It turns out we got em.

We need to make it easy and worthwhile for application developers to make our product complete.

Well defined and consistent core user experience A way for contributors to test / validate the core user experience A way to deliver the desired core user experience A way to measure the quality of the delivered product Coherent and consistent resources for application developers A distribution channel for applicationsUser interface guidelines for application developers

Possible Waypoints

Let's try to add some specificity. What steps could we take to move forward?

....

And where do we stand?

(hand to jimmac)

GNOME 3Well defined and consistent core user experience

Our first step was creating the core user experience. The process of polishing and refining continues. And the core applications are starting to fall into place.

(Demos)

(switch to Jon)

TestableA way for contributors to test / validate the core user experience

One area where we kinda suck is making GNOME available to contributors.

...

(switch to jimmac)

Installer / Initial SetupA way to deliver the desired core user experience

(switch to Jon)

Problem ReportingA way to measure the quality of the delivered product

SDKCoherent and consistent resources for application developers

(switch to jimmac)

SoftwareA distribution channel for applications

(talk about Software)

...

(switch to Allan)

HIGUser interface guidelines for application developers

The GNOME HIG has been a huge factor in our past success. However, it needs to be updated for the changes introduced in GNOME 3.

Something we're asked all the time is... why you no HIG?

In our experience, goals and courses are set. But paths are worn.

And patterns emerge from action and experience.

They are a desire line that follows a path of least resistance between me and my destination.

So, in order to discover the new patterns we'll need, we've been working with maintainers to build a set of core applications.

A number of patterns have already emerged.

Coming Soon...

And we plan to compile these into a new set of guidelines new for GNOME 3.

(switch to Jon)

GNOME 3 Testable Installer & Initial Setup Problem ReportingSDK SoftwareHIG

Specific Waypoints

Clear the wayDefine rendezvous pointsForm a framework for participationRepresent the user in the development processPreserve and intensify knowledgeInspire

How can design help?

Inspire Inspire new contributions

Clear the way

Iterate and fail faster Anticipate problems Take the blame

Help define rendezvous points Cooperate with technical partners to set intermediate goals A decentralized way to coordinate a large and diverse team

Form a framework for participation Identify areas where contributions will be worthwhile and accepted Possible to catch up or skip ahead Meet you there

Represent the user in the development process

Preserve and intensify knowledge Making paths easier to find and follow Collect and distill patterns

Our goal is that anyone can and should be able to make beautiful applications.

Often with aspirational mockups our our aim is to inspire you and others:

To join us

To work with us

To explore this frontier with us.

To make this path real.

This is a challenge to us all. Lets blaze a path on which the world can follow.

LET'S START NOW

So, let's start now.

We look forward to working with you and the rest of the community to make a bright future for GNOME.

Thank you.