# Communications Lead Handbook

This document defines communications activities needed to run a
Contributor Summit.

- [Overview](#overview)
- [Skills and Qualifications](#skills-and-qualifications)
- [Responsibilities](#responsibilities)
  - [Communication Channels and Property Access](#communication-channels-and-property-access)
- [Documentation](#documentation)

## Overview

As Communications Lead, you are responsible for the overall communications
before, during, and after the event. The role also includes ensuring all non-technical content (web, mail,
physical prints) is correct and informative, and supporting the other roles
(registration, content) as needed.

Time Commitment:
- 1-3 hours a week from 0-1.5 months in
- 3-5 hours a week from 1.5 months-to event

## Skills and Qualifications

- Good grasp on general comms activities surrounding events
- Understanding of common forms of communications
- Event planning experience
- If working on the website, you'll need HTML/CSS/JavaScript experience
- A healthy emoji vocabulary!

## Responsibilities

- Create a communication schedule regarding the event - what, when, how, who
  - This includes email, Slack, and social media (via the Buffer platform with Contributor Comms)
  - You'll source the informaton needed from your fellow leads, and can refer to prior art (linked below) for templates
- Manage online presence of the website, alongside the social media strategy
- Recruit a website lead to handle all updates to the website
  - Consider ensuring website reviewers/approvers are on the team to merge upstream changes
- Provide updates on social media, mailing lists, and Slack before, during, and after the event
  - After-event communications will include a post-event survey, created by SIG ContribEx leads
- Work alongside the CNCF Events Team to coordinate communications efforts
- Assist with deck content for curated talks and/or other purposes

### Communication Channels and Property Access

Communications to the Kubernetes Contributor Community should be sent from
official Kubernetes accounts to ensure they reach the community. Mass messages
from personal accounts can easily wind up being marked as spam. However, in the event
that you lead Communications and _aren't_ a member of the [SIG ContribEx Contributor Comms team](/communication/contributor-comms/README.md),
personal email accounts can be used. Please check with the current Event Lead and
Emeritus Leads on the best course of action.

**Email**

Unless you have access to official Kubernetes accounts, please use your own email account
to send all email communications. All emails should include summit-team@kubernetes.io in CC each time.
The Event Lead will add all team leads to this distribution list.
Outbound communications should always target the main distribution list, dev@kubernetes.io, as well
as the co-chairs and tech leads distribution list, leads@kubernetes.io, when necessary.

While it is appreciated that you triage incoming mail for summit-team@kubernetes.io to
varying team leads, you are not responsible for answering all incoming messages. The entire
summit planning team should triage and handle their ownership areas when it comes to email communications,
respectively.

**Website**

The [Contributor Site](https://www.kubernetes.dev/) should be the source of truth for all Contributor Summit information.
As timing, location, registration, and schedule information is confirmed for the event, the website should be populated
as soon as possible. The [`OWNERS`](https://github.com/kubernetes/contributor-site/blob/master/OWNERS) file defines
who can approve upstream changes.

All communications via email and social media should link out to the Contributor Site whenever possible. The
["Events"](https://www.kubernetes.dev/events/) top-level page is where all Contributor Summit information is
organized, by calendar year. 

**Slack**

Slack messaging should be implemented so that all corners of our community are communicated with. Let your emoji power shine!
The following channels will be important for all major announcements, plus most reminders:
- **#contributor-summit**
- **#kubernetes-org-members**
- **#chairs-and-techleads**

Please contact the [SIG ContribEx Contributor Comms team](/communication/contributor-comms/README.md) for access to the Announcement
bot in the Kubernetes Slack, which will be useful for broadcasts. The **#contributor-summit** channel should be used for all day-of
event communications by you and other summit sub-teams. Contributors and attendees will also ask questions here: this channel should
be monitored up until the day of the summit (the Day-of Ops Team will work with you on communications and monitoring on the
day of the event).

**X and Mastodon**

Tweets can be sent from two accounts: [@K8sContributors](https://twitter.com/K8sContributors) and [@Kubernetesio](https://twitter.com/kubernetesio).
Mastodon uses [@K8sContributors](https://hachyderm.io/@K8sContributors) on the hachyderm.io instance.
Messaging is coordinated via Buffer, which is owned by the [SIG ContribEx Contributor Comms team](/communication/contributor-comms/README.md).
Please work with the Contributor Comms team for access.

Announcements, live-tweeting, and pictures are all suitable updates for sharing on social media.
Most emails sent should have this information mirrored on social media, with links out to the
website for further information.

## Shadow to the Communications Lead Role

This role should include one or more shadows. The Communications Lead should delegate/assign
tasks to the shadows, including the drafting of emails and Slack/social media posts.
The expectation from a shadow is to lead one of the summit planning team roles in an upcoming summit.
The shadows to the Communications Lead are responsible for handling all Communications Lead-related
activities in the absence of the Lead.

## Documentation

[Events Drive for all KCS files and folders](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1R3vHghBYDkhmlqWMExEGrbDOcIMZUJai)

**Template Docs**

[(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n_QIm_Yov5rt819W34ztQOcCJ3EKa4VMYDR_P-Qk02o/edit?usp=sharing)KCS Comms Overall Plan Template]

**Plan Docs**

[KCS NA Overall Plan Doc 2024](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W_fkdGDomeM7QYFIIJicBrLtumIaWm_DvozwBcJQvGc/edit) (First use of template)

[Comms plan for KCS EU 2024](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ca36QgYFJIqO_-NJjoAezmhjkXc-kwDaF8QceUabUYg/edit)

[Comms plan for KCS EU 2022](https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Mc_vOgGluoUgL262Wsdzd1gLy0g0pAm5Wtf-Fqc49E/edit?usp=sharing)

[Comms Planning Doc for KCS NA in Detroit, 2022](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15wKA75zv0O9ZRvCaDWb_xCx6rtj_wTFE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103930683490495267611&rtpof=true&sd=true)

[Comms folder for Contributor Summit EU in Paris, 2024](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1m2sRXVp_S37V46jPk9SS3pznFZKq41uI?usp=drive_link)

**Docs for email references:**

[Email comms for KCS NA in Salt Lake City, 2024](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PJwinjOjaTcvHdOWB8KUidTKiHet2xxOFrsUGc9qr_g/edit)

[Email comms for KCS EU in Paris, 2024](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ca36QgYFJIqO_-NJjoAezmhjkXc-kwDaF8QceUabUYg/edit)

[Email comms for KCS EU in Amsterdam, 2023](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HW48b7q_piCuTJ1zOYsr6WuDcjZLz6bRD62yHr3VPtk/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs)

[Email comms for KCS NA Chicago, 2023](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HLEBrfJ-H2EtBqQFtgNsDYmXv2pKTF2s4vyEcLjYYvo/edit?usp=sharing)

[Email comms for KCS EU in Valencia, 2022](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1edNsxofCtb3SiPEVzBmBgPEzjni-XI0MYcsnEYoXwLc/edit?usp=sharing)

[Email comms for KCS NA Detroit, 2022](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zntHy-arEZvR9BHS3krUod3RNeSzr3am9LUF_QQ84bI/edit#heading=h.3znysh7)

[Comms used for KCS EU in Barcelona, 2019](https://github.com/kubernetes/community/blob/master/events/2019/05-contributor-summit/communications.md)

[Email comms for KCS NA 2019 in San Diego](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EIpaFmrqp3qqXsnGhpr4H-RoFeFSd4dHZJ6M8RwyHBI/edit)