(Excerpt from Google's Season of Docs introduction)
The goal of Season of Docs is to provide a framework for technical writers and open source projects to work together towards the common goal of improving an open source project's documentation. For technical writers who are new to open source, the program provides an opportunity to gain experience in contributing to open source projects. For technical writers who're already working in open source, the program provides a potentially new way of working together. Season of Docs also gives open source projects an opportunity to engage more of the technical writing community. During the program, technical writers spend a few months working closely with an open source community. They bring their technical writing expertise to the project's documentation, and at the same time learn about the open source project and new technologies. The open source projects work with the technical writers to improve the project's documentation and processes. Together they may choose to build a new documentation set, or redesign the existing docs, or improve and document the open source community's contribution procedures and onboarding experience.
Together, we raise public awareness of open source docs, of technical writing, and of how we can work together to the benefit of the global open source community.
Read more on Season Of Docs' official website.
Well, we also make impeccable boards, great software, and fabulous speeches … but the content is what glues all of the others together. We need to continue to produce nice examples, flawless technical docs, clean translations, and readable code-comments.
Making the best for our users, helping them reach their goals, whether it is prototypes, industrial machines, a Jedi sword, or laboratory-grade equipment, it is only possible because of documentation. Good libraries help people add new devices to our boards, good documentation helps people improve their results. The question is, how can we enroll others to make this work in a systemic-planned way? Being part of the Season of Docs initiative is a good opportunity for us to formulate what needs to be done and get some help in documenting parts of our open source projects.
Project ideas are suggestions from Arduino for projects that a technical writer can complete in collaboration with a mentor during Season of Docs. The list is published here.
Many things are still in the making, but you can reach out to Arduino's Team via e-mail at any time: <season-of-docs@arduino.cc>.