E-NABLE Project Central
Dear community,
Working with many volunteers on PMI chapters we often hear the following question from them: What do I do now?
We have on our PMI chapter lots of people willing to help and many talents at hand, but often all this capacity to create is underutilized as this talented people sometimes do not have a chance to use their talents on the community.
The solution was to use a simple PMO like structure to promote PMI’s projects that needed help from volunteers with specific skills. Based on that follows the proposal of e-NABLE Project Central
Macro Business Case
The idea for e-NABLE Project Central is to create an area where projects previously approved by e-NABLE chapters or global e-NABLE team can be posted and the needs for specific skills to complete these projects are presented as roles to be fulfill by volunteers.
Then the volunteers who have that specific knowledge can apply to participate on the project and , if approved, they will help the community by working on specific project activities.
Expected benefits
The community will have a mechanism to engage volunteers who are not tied to any action in progress.
E-NABLE can expand participation of volunteers by connecting specific talents within the community to specific key projects (technology, logistics, process improvement, 3D design, etc ).
We will have a historical database of community-related projects.
Volunteers and chapters will not reinvent the wheel by working in similar projects at the same time. Global alliances can be formed.
All new projects can use the lessons learned from past projects to avoid mistakes.
Projects that have a relevant impact on the community can be made available for rollout in other chapters.
A win-win state is created. Community will have all sorts of skilled people to help on project activities and the volunteers will have a chance work on their field of expertise to help others.
The e-NABLE community will have a project structure that will promote continuous improvement using all the talents we share, working together in key projects for the community
**Do you think this idea a can help the e-NABLE community? **
This is a raw business case. More details will be added in case this idea is approved by the community.
Jon Schull Sat 1 Jul 2017 4:27AM
This is great work Everton. If you know others e-NABLE rs to b recruit to advance this, please do!
@jeremysimon has a similar taxonomy of roles in EWC. We should compare notes with him..
Everton Lins Sun 2 Jul 2017 1:57AM
OK @jonschull. I am already working on it!
I'll upload the complete business case here for evaluation and after that the implementation plan.
Hi @jeremysimon.
About the taxonomy of roles, can you share with us the ones you use?
Thank you!
Jon Schull Mon 3 Jul 2017 1:53PM
@evertonlins with regard to "implementation plan", I've learned that we are a community of transient volunteers with competing commitments. A small step forward is greatly to be preferred to a big plan that consumes time and sets misleading expectations.
Jeremy Simon Sun 2 Jul 2017 4:02PM
@evertonlins - Currently, this is the list of roles we're using for e-NABLE Web Central: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dhPIK1qWr8F_a-WDOEtljBPjrUZvtecD644jaO1egFc/edit?usp=sharing
This list is still evolving, and it may not be complete. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Everton Lins Thu 6 Jul 2017 11:57AM
Hi @jeremysimon!
This list of roles helped a lot.
It will be the base I'll use for volunteer position inside the chapter.
My idea is to have a chapter structure that mirrors e-nable webcentral role structure, so the volunteers will fell at home using the tool.
I have seen the youtube video from June 9th, studied the "WhatsNew" section and have some notes to share with you. I'll create a thread for specific discussion about e-nable webcentral and put it there.
Thak you for the help with the roles!
Everton Lins Mon 3 Jul 2017 2:11PM
Hi @jonschull , When i say that I will create the implementation plan, I am ferering to the plan of the chapter creation.
The document will be the list of activities I'll have to follow for the creation of the chapter, things like:
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Get the key volntueers (fabricators, assemblers, chapter management team)
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Buy web domain name
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Create crowdfunding to buy a 3D printer for the chapter
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Map the associations that will connect us to local people in need
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Etc.
The idea is to have a clear view not only on how to create the chapter , but also look at the chapts's life cycle and plan ahead to ensure it's survival.
The idea is to use this small chapter I'm planing on create as an experiment to see if this local chapter structure can really help.
What do you think?
Thanks for your feedback!
Jon Schull Mon 3 Jul 2017 7:54PM
So I'm a little confused, but enthusiastic. How about if we chat?
Can you call me at 585-738-6696.
Also what's your email and phone? (I'm [email protected] or @e-nable.org ( http://e-nable.org ))
Everton Lins · Fri 30 Jun 2017 7:55PM
About e-NABLE Project Central proposal, the core idea is to empower the Chapters and give them a basic structure to promote autonomous management, but always following e-NABLE central team guidelines.
The tool Project Central itself is just a small part, as the actual benefit is the Chapter structuration to use the tool.
Let’s imagine that tis structure:
--> e-NABLE Central Team – Oversee All structures
--> --> Region Mentors – Responsible for direct support to Chapters in the region they support.
-->-->-->e-NABLE Chapters – Responsible for manage projects and volunteers on the local area.
-->-->-->-->Volunteers – People who populate the chapters and deliver the good work. A volunteer need to be connected with, at least, one chapter. It guarantees that we have information about all volunteers.
-->-->-->-->Partners – Companies that support e-NABLE community need to be connected to one Chapter or Central tem.
With this minimum structuration we can breakdown the enormous work that is maintain this huge community.
For the volunteer there is no change, except that a volunteer to gain the badges, for example, need to be part of, at least, one chapter.
With this we don’t have lone wolfs that can end up leaving the community due to lack of integration or purpose, and all activities can be traced to the local Chapter.
From a Chapter point of view we can use the this example.
Let’s say that the Chapter Brazil-Recife (the business case is still a work in progress) have this structure:
Chapter Leader – Manage the Chapter and can ask for support from Region Manager.
Operations and Projects Leader – Take care of things like logistics, and chapter projects
Membership Leader – Volunteers will have a local reference to know how can they help
the community. This leader will take care also of local volunteer database.
Communication and Event Leader – We need to spread the word, get support and form partnerships. A Chapter with someone focused on communication will have a strong impact on the local area and deliver value to the Chapter initiatives.
From a volunteer point of view we can use this example also from the Recife Chapter business case.
These are the volunteer roles:
• Connectors
Associations that support people with physical disabilities of upper limbs.
The main functions are:
• Designers
Schools and professionals specialized 3D model design.
The main attributions are:
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Editing templates for custom deliver.
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Adapting new existing models
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Creation of new functional models
• Makers
3D printer owners who are willing to print hands and make printed material available to the chapter.
The main functions are:
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Printing full 3D models
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Printing spare parts for replacement
• Assemblers
Volunteers focused on assembling the parts printed by the Makers.
The main attributions are:
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Mount of all available models produced by the chapter
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Making adjustments to parts that require maintenance.
• Occupational therapists
Occupational therapy professionals and physiotherapists who help users to have a better experience with e-Nable hands, archiving the hands full potentioal.
The main functions are:
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Support in the rehabilitation of children and adults through the best possible usage of e-Nable hands.
With the structure in place, what I think is the most important step, we can work on how the support tools need to be designed. The tool needs to be fit to use, but more important, fit to purpose, and the purpose is defined by the management processes we will put in place.
What you people think about it?