ford

The Ford Kubernetes User Group success story: Empowering developers through inclusive communities

Transcript

https://otter.ai/u/L4V2gxMiIbTpvJUAteoT86Kvr3A?view=summary

The Ford Kubernetes User Group (FKUG) was inspired by Red Hat's RUGs and aims to foster a collaborative learning environment among Ford's 20,000+ developers. Initiated by Garrett Holland, the group addresses common Kubernetes challenges across different cloud platforms like EKS, Azure, and GCP. Monthly sessions, attended by up to 250 people, cover various technical topics and best practices. The group also encourages hands-on learning through workshops and hackathons. With over 200 members, FKUG has successfully integrated internal documentation and Slack channels for continuous learning and problem-solving. The initiative has also aided in recruiting and retaining motivated developers.

Action Items

[ ] Reach out to companies like Red Hat to get help in starting similar community initiatives.
[ ] Record the user group sessions and maintain the recordings as a reference library.
[ ] Ensure the demo/lab environments used in the sessions are accessible and reproducible for attendees to try out on their own.
[ ] Explore offering more hands-on, interactive sessions where attendees can bring their own "broken" applications and work together to fix them.
[ ] Automate processes like certificate rotation, DNS management, etc. and use the user group to educate and build confidence around these technologies.
[ ] Encourage open contribution to the user group's documentation and resources, fostering a collaborative, open-source mindset.
[ ] Provide different onboarding options for developers, from self-service sandbox environments to fully managed deployment assistance.
[ ] Continuously work on improving the virtual/remote participation experience and engagement.
[ ] Leverage the user group to improve cross-functional collaboration and shared understanding between teams like security, platform, and application development.
Outline

Introduction and Purpose of the Ford Kubernetes User Group

Chris Snowfield introduces himself and the other participants, including Arthur and Satish.
The Ford Kubernetes User Group is inspired by the Red Hat User Group, RUGs.
Chris mentions his long-term relationship with Ford and their involvement with OpenShift 3.11.
Garrett Holland, a key participant, could not attend due to unforeseen circumstances.
Challenges and Solutions in Kubernetes Deployment

Chris discusses the challenges of running Kubernetes on different cloud-based systems like EKS, Azure, and GCP.
Garrett's idea to create an internal user group at Ford to share knowledge and experiences.
The need for a better way to harness the knowledge of Kubernetes users within Ford.
The user group aims to provide a platform for developers to ask questions, share feedback, and learn from each other.
Community-Based Learning and Documentation

Speaker 2 explains the goal of hosting groups to address common questions and foster community-based learning.
The user group hosts sessions on various topics, including new releases and best practices.
Recordings of sessions are made available for future reference and documentation.
The importance of collaborative learning and the creation of internal documentation sites.
Collaborative Learning and Internal Documentation

Speaker 3 emphasizes the collaborative nature of learning and the creation of internal documentation sites.
The user group aims to bring together developers to discuss various topics, including Kubernetes, cloud resources, storage systems, and backups.
The group is open to all Ford employees, with an average of 200-250 participants per call.
The sessions are held every Friday, providing a space for developers to learn and share experiences.
Engagement and Participation in User Groups

Speaker 2 mentions the challenges of engaging developers in user group sessions.
The group collaborates with external vendors like Red Hat for demonstrations and presentations.
The user group aims to provide hands-on experiences and practical solutions to common problems.
The importance of recording sessions and maintaining up-to-date documentation.
Benefits of Community Events and Recruitment

Speaker 3 discusses the benefits of community events for recruitment and feedback.
The user group provides a platform for developers to work on projects they are passionate about.
The group helps in forming motivated teams and fostering a self-feeding loop of feedback and learning.
The importance of attending community events and encouraging team members to participate.
Challenges and Solutions in User Group Management

Speaker 4 shares his experience from a startup building a Kubernetes platform.
The user group helps in finding business problems and developing patterns to build out the platform.
The group provides a platform for developers to work on what they want to work on.
The importance of leadership experience and networking within the community.
Organic Growth and Sustainability of User Groups

Speaker 3 emphasizes the importance of starting small and allowing the user group to grow organically.
The first few sessions will be challenging, but the group will become self-sustaining over time.
The importance of having a clear agenda and driving for good reasons.
The group aims to provide a learning environment for various technologies, not just Kubernetes.
Engagement and Interaction in User Group Sessions

Speaker 2 discusses the challenges of engaging developers in user group sessions.
The group runs sessions once every month or two, depending on the ideas and feedback.
The importance of having a mix of Q&A sessions and hands-on workshops.
The group aims to provide a safe space for developers to learn and share experiences.
Impact of User Groups on Organizational Culture

Speaker 3 discusses the impact of user groups on organizational culture and communication.
The group helps in bringing together different perspectives and fostering shared empathy.
The importance of nurturing and growing the user group over time.
The group provides a platform for developers to work on projects they are passionate about.
Conclusion and Future Plans

Chris highlights the success of the user group, which started with 20 members and now has over 200 participants.
The group reached out to vendors for sponsorship and support.
The importance of asking for help and support from vendors and the community.
The group aims to continue growing and providing a valuable learning environment for developers.