Involving Women in Open Source and in Joomla!

Jen Kramer4Web, Inc.J & Beyond ConferenceMay 2011

To the men in the room

• Thank you for coming.• I am not here to beat you up.• Let’s have a discussion!

The Premise:

1. There are not many women involved in open source projects.

2. There are actions we can take to increase women’s involvement in open source.

The Premise:

1. There are not many women involved in open source projects.

USA Women in Professional Occupations, 2009

http://ncwit.org/pdf/BytheNumbers09.pdf

women

men58%

42%

USA Women in Professional Computing Occupations, 2009

http://ncwit.org/pdf/BytheNumbers09.pdf

women

men

25%

75%

Proprietary Software

http://www.cs.umass.edu/~wallach/talks/women_in_FLOSS.pdf

And in open source software?

Guesses from the audience?

Open Source Software

http://www.cs.umass.edu/~wallach/talks/women_in_FLOSS.pdf

Why?

No one knows for sure, but there are theories.

Family issues

Unwanted advances

Men’s attitudes toward women

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/03/21/women.in.tech.gonzalez/

Self Doubts

“It’s all about the code”

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/03/21/women.in.tech.gonzalez/

The general nature of FOSS

• Statistics for Drupal, 2009• 99.63% of people who download

Drupal don't interact with the project again

• .32% of downloaders only go as far as registering an account

• .05% got genuinely involved in some fashion

http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-cms/open-web-vancouver-2009-want-more-women-in-your-project-004815.php

The general nature of FOSS

• Applying those numbers to 2 million Joomla developers• 1,992,600 never interact with the

project again• 64,000 make accounts• 1,000 get involved• 15 are women, 985 are men

Fifteen women? Really???

Joomla 1.6 Code Contributors

Adrian Louter, Adrian Victor III Onod, Airton Torres, Akarawuth Tamrareang, Amy Stephen, Andrea Tarr, Andrew Eddie, Andy Capiau, Angie Radtke, Anja Hage, Anthony McLin, Antonio Escobar Tizon, Artyom Bisyarin, Benjamin Trenkle, Bill Richardson, Birger Lehner, Boris Baddenoff, Brian Teeman, C. Tapuscrine, Cherif Gouiaa, Chris Davenport, Christophe Demko, Christopher Garvis, Cristina Solana, CY Lee, Dennis Hermacki, Elin Waring, Ercan Ozkaya, Franklin Tse, Gergő Erdősi, Gobezu Sewu, Hannes Papenberg, Harry Reinhardt, Ian MacLennan, Iszak Bryan, Jacob Waisner, Janich Rasmussen, Jason Pettett, Jean-Marie Simonet, Jen Kramer, Jennifer Marriott, Jeremy Wilken, Jonatas Braganca, Jonnathan S. Lima, Joseph LeBlanc, Kevin Devine, Klas Berlič, Louis Landry, Loyd Headrick, Marijke Stuivenberg, Marius van Rijnsoever, Mark Dexter, Martijn Maandag, Mathavan Jeyadev, Matt Thomas, Michael Babker, Navid Zeraati, Nicholas Dionysopoulos, Nikolai Plath, Ole Bang Ottosen, Omar Ramos, Peter Osipof, Phani Kalluri, Phil Snell, Prasit Gebsaap, Radek Suski, Ramindu Deshapriya, Rob Joyce, Rob Schley, Robert Deutz, Roland Dalmulder, Ron Severdia, Ronald de Vries, Ronald Pijpers, Rouven Weßling, Rune Sjøen, Samuel Moffatt, Sander Potjer, Selene Feigl, Sergio Iglesias, Stefania Gaianigo, Steve Burge, Sudhi Seshachala, Thierry Bela, Tim Plummer, Tore Krudtaa, Troy Hall, Tudor Mazilu, Viet Hoang Vu, & Zachary Draper

http://www.joomla.org/16/credits.html

Joomla 1.6 Code Contributors

Adrian Louter, Adrian Victor III Onod, Airton Torres, Akarawuth Tamrareang, Amy Stephen, Andrea Tarr, Andrew Eddie, Andy Capiau, Angie Radtke, Anja Hage, Anthony McLin, Antonio Escobar Tizon, Artyom Bisyarin, Benjamin Trenkle, Bill Richardson, Birger Lehner, Boris Baddenoff, Brian Teeman, C. Tapuscrine, Cherif Gouiaa, Chris Davenport, Christophe Demko, Christopher Garvis, Cristina Solana, CY Lee, Dennis Hermacki, Elin Waring, Ercan Ozkaya, Franklin Tse, Gergő Erdősi, Gobezu Sewu, Hannes Papenberg, Harry Reinhardt, Ian MacLennan, Iszak Bryan, Jacob Waisner, Janich Rasmussen, Jason Pettett, Jean-Marie Simonet, Jen Kramer, Jennifer Marriott, Jeremy Wilken, Jonatas Braganca, Jonnathan S. Lima, Joseph LeBlanc, Kevin Devine, Klas Berlič, Louis Landry, Loyd Headrick, Marijke Stuivenberg, Marius van Rijnsoever, Mark Dexter, Martijn Maandag, Mathavan Jeyadev, Matt Thomas, Michael Babker, Navid Zeraati, Nicholas Dionysopoulos, Nikolai Plath, Ole Bang Ottosen, Omar Ramos, Peter Osipof, Phani Kalluri, Phil Snell, Prasit Gebsaap, Radek Suski, Ramindu Deshapriya, Rob Joyce, Rob Schley, Robert Deutz, Roland Dalmulder, Ron Severdia, Ronald de Vries, Ronald Pijpers, Rouven Weßling, Rune Sjøen, Samuel Moffatt, Sander Potjer, Selene Feigl, Sergio Iglesias, Stefania Gaianigo, Steve Burge, Sudhi Seshachala, Thierry Bela, Tim Plummer, Tore Krudtaa, Troy Hall, Tudor Mazilu, Viet Hoang Vu, & Zachary Draper

Joomla 1.6 Code Contributors

Adrian Louter, Adrian Victor III Onod, Airton Torres, Akarawuth Tamrareang, Amy Stephen, Andrea Tarr, Andrew Eddie, Andy Capiau, Angie Radtke, Anja Hage, Anthony McLin, Antonio Escobar Tizon, Artyom Bisyarin, Benjamin Trenkle, Bill Richardson, Birger Lehner, Boris Baddenoff, Brian Teeman, C. Tapuscrine, Cherif Gouiaa, Chris Davenport, Christophe Demko, Christopher Garvis, Cristina Solana, CY Lee, Dennis Hermacki, Elin Waring, Ercan Ozkaya, Franklin Tse, Gergő Erdősi, Gobezu Sewu, Hannes Papenberg, Harry Reinhardt, Ian MacLennan, Iszak Bryan, Jacob Waisner, Janich Rasmussen, Jason Pettett, Jean-Marie Simonet, Jen Kramer, Jennifer Marriott, Jeremy Wilken, Jonatas Braganca, Jonnathan S. Lima, Joseph LeBlanc, Kevin Devine, Klas Berlič, Louis Landry, Loyd Headrick, Marijke Stuivenberg, Marius van Rijnsoever, Mark Dexter, Martijn Maandag, Mathavan Jeyadev, Matt Thomas, Michael Babker, Navid Zeraati, Nicholas Dionysopoulos, Nikolai Plath, Ole Bang Ottosen, Omar Ramos, Peter Osipof, Phani Kalluri, Phil Snell, Prasit Gebsaap, Radek Suski, Ramindu Deshapriya, Rob Joyce, Rob Schley, Robert Deutz, Roland Dalmulder, Ron Severdia, Ronald de Vries, Ronald Pijpers, Rouven Weßling, Rune Sjøen, Samuel Moffatt, Sander Potjer, Selene Feigl, Sergio Iglesias, Stefania Gaianigo, Steve Burge, Sudhi Seshachala, Thierry Bela, Tim Plummer, Tore Krudtaa, Troy Hall, Tudor Mazilu, Viet Hoang Vu, & Zachary Draper

77 men, 11 women (87.5% men, 12.5% women)

12.5% women? Really???

Joomla 1.6 Launch Site & Celebration

Alice Grevet, Allen Walker, Andrea Tarr, Andrew Eddie, Dianne Henning, Jean-Marie Simonet, Jacques Rentzke, Jen Kramer, John Coonen, Jon Neubauer, Kristoffer Sandven, Kyle Ledbetter, Luis Alejo, Marco Corro, Marijke Stuivenberg, Mark Dexter, Matt Lipscomb, Milena Mitova, Neil Malhar, Ole Bang Ottosen, Paul Orwig, Robert Deutz, Robert Vining, Ryan Ozimek, Sander Potjer, Sandra Warren, Steve Burge, Tess Neale, & TJ Baker

Joomla 1.6 Launch Site & Celebration

Alice Grevet, Allen Walker, Andrea Tarr, Andrew Eddie, Dianne Henning, Jean-Marie Simonet, Jacques Rentzke, Jen Kramer, John Coonen, Jon Neubauer, Kristoffer Sandven, Kyle Ledbetter, Luis Alejo, Marco Corro, Marijke Stuivenberg, Mark Dexter, Matt Lipscomb, Milena Mitova, Neil Malhar, Ole Bang Ottosen, Paul Orwig, Robert Deutz, Robert Vining, Ryan Ozimek, Sander Potjer, Sandra Warren, Steve Burge, Tess Neale, & TJ Baker

21 men, 8 women (72% men, 28% women)

Joomla CLT, PLT

• CLT: Brad Baker, Matt Lipscomb, Peter Martin, Paul Orwig, Wendy Robinson, Sandra Warren

66% men, 33% women

• PLT: Chris Davenport, Christophe Demko, Mark Dexter, Louis Landry, Ian MacLennan, Sam Moffatt, Ron Severdia, Jean-Marie Simonet

100% men, 0% women

Open Source Matters

• Ryan Ozimek, President• Paul Orwig, Treasurer• Jacques Rentzke, Secretary• Steve Burge, Community

Liason• Robert Deutz, Events

Coordinator• Philip Locke, Capital

Committee• Marijke Stuivenberg• Akarawuth Tamrareang• Andrea Tarr• Altansukh Tumenjargal • James Vasile• Javier Gomez• Alice Grevet• Dianne Henning

• 71% men, 29% women

• 100% men with titles

Overall involvement of women in Joomla leadership

78% men, 22% women

What does it all mean?

Jen’s conclusions

• There are many more women involved with Joomla than with FOSS projects in general.

• Leadership has started to recognize women on their teams.

• There are more women using Joomla who could be involved with the project.

• It’s a conversion problem – just like all other contributions to Joomla.

The Big Conclusion

Joomla is one of the FOSS leaders in women’s participation.

Assuming a typical 75%/25% gender participation split in proprietary software as “normal & typical”

The Premise:

1. There are not many women involved in open source projects.

2. There are actions we can take to increase women’s involvement in open source.

The Premise:

1. There are not many women involved in open source projects.

2. There are actions we can take to increase EVERYONE’S involvement in open source.

Three ways Joomla can boost participation

And none are currently done.

1. Ask specific people to volunteer

• Stereotypically speaking:• Women think they’re

underqualified for jobs• Women want to help• Women don’t want to say NO

• Joomla doesn’t do a good job making it clear when help is required.

2. Improve communications

• Communicate early, communicate often

• Reduce dozens of communications channels

www

community

developer

joomlacode

http://people.joomla.org/groups/viewdiscussion/1070-Beyond+16.html?groupid=458

Google group

3. Lower barriers to participation

• Make it very clear where help is required (not just answering forum questions)

• Ask people to commit to helping• Form teams to keep everyone on

task

The biggest problem is attracting contributors in general.

Fresh ideas are needed.

http://www.targeting.com/emetrics.pdf

http://www.targeting.com/emetrics.pdf

The Contributor Life Cycle Funnel

http://www.targeting.com/emetrics.pdf

The Contributor Life Cycle Funnel

http://www.targeting.com/emetrics.pdf

The Contributor Life Cycle Funnel

http://www.targeting.com/emetrics.pdf

The Contributor Life Cycle Funnel

What can we do to attract more contributors?

Questions?

Jen Kramer4Web, Inc.www.4webinc.comwww.joomla4web.comjen@4webinc.comTwitter: jen4web