The halfway mark of my Outreachy internship is a moment to pause, reflect, and chart the course for the remaining weeks. Over the past six weeks, I’ve immersed myself in contributing to OpenTelemetry, and it’s been a rewarding journey filled with learning, challenges, and growth. In this post, I’ll share what I’ve accomplished, the adjustments I’ve made to my project goals, and my plans for the second half of the internship.
Original Project Timeline and Goals
At the start of the internship, I laid out a 13-week timeline with specific phases:
Phase 1: Documentation Gathering (Weeks 1-2)
Phase 2: Experience Compilation (Weeks 3-4)
Phase 3: Template Creation and Recommendations (Weeks 5-6)
Phase 4: Community Outreach for Improvements (Weeks 7-8)
Phase 5: Finalizing the Setup Guide (Weeks 9-12)
Wrap-Up and Reflection: Final week
The overarching goal was to create a comprehensive setup guide to simplify the onboarding process for first-time OpenTelemetry contributors.
Accomplishments in the First Half
Completed Phases 1-3
Documentation Gathering:
I reviewed existing OpenTelemetry documentation, identified gaps, and summarized key insights into a report. This helped establish a solid foundation for addressing real issues contributors face.Experience Compilation:
Through outreach to past contributors, I compiled valuable feedback on setup challenges and organized this data for actionable improvements.Template Creation and Recommendations:
I developed a draft template for the setup guide, incorporating must-have information, troubleshooting tips, and practical advice based on my findings.
Learnings and Challenges
Some goals took longer than expected due to the volume of documentation to review across multiple repositories and the time needed to coordinate with contributors across time zones. Despite these delays, the extra effort paid off by providing richer insights.
Midway Reflection: What I’d Do Differently
If I were starting the project over, I’d allocate more time for the documentation review phase and plan for better asynchronous communication with contributors. These adjustments would have streamlined the process and reduced delays in subsequent phases.
Modified Goals and New Plan
Revised Goals for the Second Half
While the original timeline remains largely intact, I’ve refined the focus of Phase 4 and Phase 5 to ensure a more impactful setup guide:
Phase 4: Conduct targeted outreach to repositories with the most significant onboarding challenges and incorporate feedback into the guide.
Phase 5: Prioritize accessibility and beginner-friendliness in the final guide, ensuring it’s usable by contributors from diverse technical backgrounds.
Key Deliverables
A polished setup guide with actionable recommendations and clear navigation.
A walkthrough presentation for the OpenTelemetry community to share the guide and gather final feedback.
Looking Ahead
The next six weeks will be focused on community engagement, refining the guide, and ensuring it meets the needs of new contributors. I’m excited about the impact this resource will have on making OpenTelemetry more accessible and welcoming to contributors worldwide.
This journey has been as much about personal growth as it has been about creating a resource for the community. I look forward to sharing more updates and wrapping up this incredible internship experience!