# Sustain Discourse forum: Encouraging community with Badges

**URL:** <https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383>\
**Category:** Site Feedback\
**Created:** [May 13, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383 "2020-05-13T18:01:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/1 "2020-05-13T18:01:14Z")

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_This thread is an extension of [this broad discussion about badging systems](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363). **This** thread focuses on adding badges to the Sustain Discourse forum, not generally all projects or all communities._

* * *

I have a few specific comments to reply to from the original thread, as well as a pitch for a possible collaboration.

This was the original conversation starter:

> [@On badging systems for incentivizing open source contributions](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363/1):
>
> Unifying the Sustain brand on the Discourse site personalizes the UX for Sustain and encourages participation, instead of the default Discourse set of badges. So, I think there are two different ways we could go, depending on personal time and bandwidth to contribute to this:
> 
> 1. Re-theme [all badges](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges), including default Discourse badges, with Sustain branding
> 2. Create basic style guide for and unify existing custom badges with Sustain branding [[-1-](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges/109/africa-2020)] [[-2-](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges/105/brussels-2020)] [[-3-](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges/106/london-2018)] [[-4-](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges/107/san-francisco-2017)] [[-5-](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/badges/108/web3-2020)]

Here are my excerpt replies:

> [@On badging systems for incentivizing open source contributions](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363/1):
>
> We don’t have to push hard if we are volunteering. Obviously there is a lot going on and asking for volunteer hours is usually a question of privilege. So it is not worth burning anyone out on this collab if there is not bandwidth. But I wanted to throw out the idea and see what others thought.

> [@On badging systems for incentivizing open source contributions](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363/2):
>
> We have a budget that we can use. I would just need to get a sign off at the next meeting.

While it is helpful to acknowledge availability of budget, I think _at this point_ we should steer away from mixing money with volunteer work until there is more clear governance documentation about Sustain OSS. A funded join effort is not something (I think) we are equipped to do at this point.

I admit I got carried away by wishful thinking in the last thread too. So, if we are securely privileged enough to pursue this as a joint volunteer collaboration, we can work together as colleagues and peers to organize some sort of deliverable or outcome. 🙂

> [@On badging systems for incentivizing open source contributions](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363/1):
>
> If we can collaborate on this, I think it would be double-win for Sustain and Open Design efforts. Sustain benefits from a more personalized and engaging community discussion forum. Open Design benefits from intersecting discussion topics of design and open source sustainability receiving greater visibility.

> [@On badging systems for incentivizing open source contributions](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/on-badging-systems-for-incentivizing-open-source-contributions/363/22):
>
> What’s the vibe check on exploring this in a way where there’s an artefact/output of some sort and seeing how that goes?

Is anyone else interested in a 50 minute conversation to explore collaborative work?

I am not a designer. But I feel like if we have 3-4 folks interested and willing to help out with this, we try to facilitate an inter-Working Group collab. That could include exploration and brainstorming on what collaborative work is actually useful to produce.

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**Author:** ![jdorfman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jdorfman/32/14_2.png) [@jdorfman](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jdorfman)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/2 "2020-05-16T22:20:22Z")

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> [@jwf](#):
>
> While it is helpful to acknowledge availability of budget, I think _at this point_ we should steer away from mixing money with volunteer work until there is more clear governance documentation about Sustain OSS. A funded join effort is not something (I think) we are equipped to do at this point.

💯

> [@jwf](#):
>
> Is anyone else interested in a 50 minute conversation to explore collaborative work?

I’m in. @Erioldoesdesign @rachel_norfolk?

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**Author:** ![rachel\_norfolk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/rachel_norfolk/32/295_2.png) [@rachel\_norfolk](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/rachel_norfolk)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2020, 8:51am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/3 "2020-05-17T08:51:19Z")

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Yeah, I’m in. Timing might be fun but let’s try

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2020, 10:47am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/4 "2020-05-17T10:47:30Z")

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Yup! I’m up for this convo!

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/5 "2020-05-19T12:52:22Z")

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> [@jdorfman](#):
>
> I’m in. @Erioldoesdesign @rachel_norfolk?

> [@rachel\_norfolk](#):
>
> Yeah, I’m in. Timing might be fun but let’s try

> [@Erioldoesdesign](#):
>
> Yup! I’m up for this convo!

Super! I put together a meeting date/time poll here:

> **[WhenIsGood: Sustain Badging System - OSD Collab!](https://whenisgood.net/sustain/badges-osd-chat01)**
>
> Plan the time to have your meeting or event by coordinating availability with all the participants using this fuss-free online tool.

Please fill out this poll by Friday, 22 May and I will set up a call once I have a few responses.

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/6 "2020-05-20T19:12:49Z")

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Hi folks, there is one common date/time standing out so far in the poll:

## 3 June 2020 @ 16:00 UTC

I think it’s likely to happen then. I created a calendar invite and sent it to @jdorfman, @rachel_norfolk , and @Erioldoesdesign. If anyone else would like a calendar invite, please ask here or send me a message!

Some time zone conversions:

- US Pacific: 09:00
- US Eastern: 12:00
- London: 17:00

I am happy to facilitate. I can put together a draft agenda here before the call. 🙂 Looking forward to talking with y’all!

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**Author:** ![jdorfman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jdorfman/32/14_2.png) [@jdorfman](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jdorfman)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/7 "2020-05-21T15:16:59Z")

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> [@jwf](#):
>
> I am happy to facilitate. I can put together a draft agenda here before the call. 🙂 Looking forward to talking with y’all!

🙏 please and likewise =)

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/8 "2020-06-03T15:11:47Z")

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Hey folks, looking forward to chatting in an hour! 🙌 Sorry for a late agenda, but here is how I was thinking to structure our conversation today:

1. Explore personal interests and motivations for a collaborative project
2. Define a short-term scope to produce some sort of agreed deliverable
3. Map out a tentative plan for how to move forward after we meet

This is what I am thinking but of course, open to feedback and suggestions. I am hoping for today’s call to be more like a conversation than a work meeting. I think this will be fun and I am pretty sure we are all volunteering on this. So let’s make today an exploration, and figure out where we go next. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/9 "2020-06-03T15:56:08Z")

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I’ll be there, but I’m extremely low spoons/energy today so I’ll likely be quiet - that’s not indicative of my general enthusiasm for this project though

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/10 "2020-06-03T19:30:03Z")

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Hi folks! Just a brief update. Here are the notes from our meeting. I spent time after we met reorganizing and refactoring the notes, so if you last saw them when we met, might be helpful to take a quick scroll through here:

> **[\[collab\] Exploring Forum Badging Systems with Sustain OSS](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oATAcsC7AS2G5jxS0VNu2nzM1sFVEUAO9vmCe_V6US4/edit?usp=sharing)**
>
> Exploring Forum Badging Systems Collaboration experiment between Sustainers and other communities Background If you just want details on badges, skip to “Notes” below. This document includes notes on how to define positive, healthy community...

We can use this thread later to coordinate a follow-up call for our collab. Right now, I’m focusing on the new discussion thread. Later, I will kick off a new meeting poll when I have a little more bandwidth.

Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm and participation today! 🙏

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/11 "2020-06-04T15:47:40Z")

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Thanks to the folks on the call! I love these opportunities for collaboration 💐

I’m gonna re-post this thread into the Open Source Design discourse to encourage/signal boost those designers interested in this kind of project/topic.

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**Author:** ![jdorfman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jdorfman/32/14_2.png) [@jdorfman](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jdorfman)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/12 "2020-06-07T16:16:26Z")

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> [@jwf](#):
>
> Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm and participation today! 🙏

Thank you all. Sorry I had to bail early.

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**Author:** ![jdorfman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jdorfman/32/14_2.png) [@jdorfman](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jdorfman)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/13 "2020-06-07T16:40:01Z")

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> [@jwf](#):
>
> I spent time after we met reorganizing and refactoring the notes, so if you last saw them when we met, might be helpful to take a quick scroll through here:

Great work (as always). Left some comments. No action items.

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 10:32am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/14 "2020-06-10T10:32:50Z")

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Here’s the post on open source design’s discourse: [https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/open-source-design-project-with-sustain-oss-badges/1843/4](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/open-source-design-project-with-sustain-oss-badges/1843/4)

I’ll make sure I ‘merge’ ideas into our working google doc 😃

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**Author:** ![jwf](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/jwf/32/1093_2.png) [@jwf](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/jwf)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/15 "2020-06-12T20:42:53Z")

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> [@jwf](#):
>
> Right now, I’m focusing on the new discussion thread. Later, I will kick off a new meeting poll when I have a little more bandwidth.

> [@Erioldoesdesign](#):
>
> Here’s the post on open source design’s discourse: [Open Source Design project with Sustain OSS: Badges - #4 by jdittrich - Design Lounge - Open Source Design](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/open-source-design-project-with-sustain-oss-badges/1843/4)

Thank you @Erioldoesdesign! Since you got to this first, I think we can have the open discussion about badges over in that thread to avoid repetition. I’ll chime in over on the O.S.D. Discourse soon with some feedback. 😄

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**Author:** ![isaaczara](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/isaaczara/32/344_2.png) [@isaaczara](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/isaaczara)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/16 "2020-07-09T15:01:20Z")

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Is this project still open?

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/17 "2020-07-10T08:27:53Z")

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Yup! we’re just working across the open source design forum and here because of the ‘two’ stakeholders of the project. There’s an update from @jwf here: [https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/open-source-design-project-with-sustain-oss-badges/1843/8](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/open-source-design-project-with-sustain-oss-badges/1843/8)

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**Author:** ![isaaczara](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/isaaczara/32/344_2.png) [@isaaczara](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/isaaczara)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 9:16am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/18 "2020-07-10T09:16:34Z")

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Great! i will check it out

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**Author:** ![Erioldoesdesign](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/erioldoesdesign/32/142_2.png) [@Erioldoesdesign](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/Erioldoesdesign)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 11:33am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/19 "2020-08-16T11:33:55Z")

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@isaaczaraone thing that would be great as me and Justin try and push this forward, is you (as a designer) taking a look at the current sustain oss discourse badges and letting us know what you think from your design perspective, you can thinking about:

- How they look
- Consistency
- What they are trying to help users to achieve/do
- What is missing

You can find badges on your profile page so the URL should be: [https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/yourusernamehere/badges](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/yourusernamehere/badges)

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**Author:** ![isaaczara](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/isaaczara/32/344_2.png) [@isaaczara](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/isaaczara)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383/20 "2020-08-17T05:02:22Z")

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Noted, @Erioldoesdesign I will kindly check them out.

[Next page](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-discourse-forum-encouraging-community-with-badges/383.md?page=2)