Flavor Product Manager Meeting

Registered by Pete Graner

During the Ubuntu Release Schedule session, it was identified that a mechnism was needed to allow the flavor PM's to coordinate schedules, milestones etc... this is that session.

Blueprint information

Status:
Started
Approver:
Pete Graner
Priority:
High
Drafter:
Pete Graner
Direction:
Approved
Assignee:
Pete Graner
Definition:
New
Series goal:
Accepted for raring
Implementation:
Started
Milestone target:
None
Started by
Pete Graner

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

= Product Management for Raring =

== Responsibilities of Product Managers ==

    A product manager is responsible for oversight of the production of product artifacts from a flavour over the series of Ubuntu cycles. This includes the definition of work to be done over a cycle, and ensuring that this work lands in a distributable image for deployment to given targets. In practice, interfacing with various stakeholders in the flavour, and being a general point of contact for oversight and identification of the development, design, support, artwork, documentation, testing, triage, etc. teams for the flavour, while coordinating with the release team to ensure the product is delivered within the Ubuntu cycle.

    Basically a liason between the flavour's teams (marketing, development, testing, etc.) and the release team - indicated on the manifest.

Next cycle, release manifest processing session at UDS?

== Milestone identification and scheduling ==

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RaringRingtail/ReleaseSchedule
* Want to keep rythmn around Thursday release in general without compelling reason.
* Need milestone event in each of Launchpad for milestones in use, so be able to mark a bug against a given milestone.

== Dealing with conflicts from divergent needs from the project ==

* concerns about who is going to send out announcement for milestones that core canonical releases aren't happening. Question is who is participating, role of release team, what types of announce are important, which products are participating in event, etc.

* Now is "opt in" for understanding which milestones being participated in. General model, should be doing this at UDS done near the end (second to last session of last day).

* Milestones, who needs, when, why:
   * Kubuntu: 2 alphas & 2 betas
   * Xubuntu: wants 2 betas
   * Mythbuntu: nope, ubuntu's plans sound ++ (except we aren't participating in 13.04 for ISOs)
   * Edubuntu: 1 alpha, when server product is feature-complete, at least one beta for beta2
   * Ubuntu Studio: Same as Ubuntu, aka 1 beta (Cadence testing still in discussion)
   * Lubuntu: 2 betas, still discussion on Alpha need

* Request going to end of October for the XX.10 releases, from jbicha.

* Conversation with Release Team on how going to support communication (release driver).

== Forum for shared communication and collaboration in the future ==

ubuntu-release mailing list and channel for product manager communication.

(?)

Work Items

Work items:
[kate.stewart] talk to colin watson about ubuntu-announce and ubuntu-devel-announce, moderation for flavors posting, etc.: TODO
[kate.stewart] poll release team and confirm acceptable for product managers to participate/interact with flavor related discussions on #ubuntu-release and ubuntu-release mailing list.: TODO
[kate.stewart] Move BetaFinal 1 week later: DONE
[kitterman] discuss Freeze mechanics with wider release team, in relation to Final Beta Freeze (archive scrutiny), UI Freeze, and, Doc Freeze).: TODO
[kitterman] work with release team to put milestones to be coordinated around for flavors.: TODO
[stgraber] determine who the release drivers are for each milestone: DONE