This theme intended towards 'The Ambitious Site Builder'

More to come soon.

In a project where we use the Search API to search for content, we noticed that nodes that are marked as "noindex" by the Metatag module are visible during internal searches. Here is a ready-made solution for how to avoid this.

In a project where we use the Search API to search for content, we noticed that nodes that are marked as "noindex" by the Metatag module are visible during internal searches. Here is a ready-made solution for how to avoid this.

Here's a braindump to a question I answered on Slack today about choosing an e-commerce solution for Drupal.

Here's a braindump to a question I answered on Slack today about choosing an e-commerce solution for Drupal.

Concrete observations, real-life examples, and practical advice for building trust and affinity at work

Our work isn’t easy. It’s difficult to complete technical projects with non-technical clients. We understand a lot more about what’s going on, but they’re the ones making important project decisions.

Our work doesn’t live in best-case scenarios. Unlike bakers who have a recipe to predictably create the same cake over and over again, we have to change all the time. This is especially true in a consultancy like Palantir.net that has fully embraced agile.

Building trust and affinity, which is foundational to great client relationships, isn’t always part of the process. It also isn’t explicitly taught in school. That’s why I prepared this session for DrupalCon Portland 2022, to help my community learn the softer skills that are essential to our work. So, let’s uncover these simple secrets to great client relationships.

Greet like late night

Sometimes, we act like we’re watching a movie of the world around us, but people are always reacting to our energy, as we react to theirs. When we are warm to people, we’ll often find that they are warm back. Greet your client like you already know (and like) them. Then, leave space for them to shape the conversation.

In March 2020, Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon used Zoom to interview celebrities in their homes from his home. This struck me as not dissimilar from my work within a distributed team. I noticed how he greeted people ranging from Kim Kardashian to Taraji P. Henson with almost over-the-top warmth and enthusiasm. Then, he let the guest shape where the conversation went next.

You can develop this skill by scheduling a quick happiness boost before client meetings that will leave you authentically joyful when you greet your clients. This can be as simple as spending four minutes watching an older music video like Pump Up the Jam (a nearly-universal happiness boost). You can also practice your greeting in the mirror, study talk show interviews on YouTube, or try an improv class.

Set and honor boundaries

Some think always being available creates great client relationships. I believe we build better bonds by setting and honoring boundaries that work for us. It may be tempting to respond to a client outside of your work hours. We think we’re teaching them how much they matter to us. However, it’s much more likely that we’re teaching them that we are always available. This can easily lead to disappointment or frustration when that expectation isn’t met in the future.

You can develop this skill by making clients aware of your collaboration boundaries. You can say things like, “I work 8:30-5:00 pm Mountain Time. What hours are you normally available for work?” This provides an opening for them to share their boundaries as well. You can also schedule non-emergency communication to arrive in your client’s inbox or Slack during your work hours. If you’re interested in digging further into boundaries, I found Essentialism to be a great resource.

Be their tour guide to our world

For many clients, the world of Drupal projects is unfamiliar. Consider yourself their Drupal guide. It’s your job to keep welcoming and orienting them to our world. Tours, like this great example of a university tour, are analogous to our work. I recommend watching at least the first minute of it while imagining that you are the guides and they are speaking to your client.

You can develop this skill by assuming your client is doing everything for the first time. Start with what’s immediately applicable, then zoom out. Use visuals and always translate jargon. Leave your clients space to think and ask questions. Take tours (or watch more online) through the lens of becoming a better Drupal guide.

Be curious about their world

Your client inhabits a world that’s unfamiliar to you. Your interest in their world will help you build trust and a better project outcome. Everyone likes other people expressing interest in our world, and it’s even better when they later remember what we’ve shared with them.

You can develop this skill by asking your client questions and remembering details. You can use a reference document to capture what your client shares with you, so you can easily follow up on what you learn. Notice changes, which could include a special piece of jewelry or a frantic late arrival to a call. You can share a complement or a moment to ground themselves in what seems to be a busy day. You can also keep up with your client’s organization via Google alerts, subscribing to their newsletter, or attending their events.

Let them be the expert

Rather than falling into a teacher or expert role, continue finding opportunities to learn from your client. When they share their knowledge with you, honor it with the respect it deserves. I learned this from a colleague after my company hired her as my new manager. She knew the role way better than me, but she didn’t know Drupal. She often found opportunities for me to teach her, which I later learned was no accident. Whether a manager, mentor, or consultant, we all appreciate work relationships that are mutual.

You can develop this skill by speaking in your client’s language, using the words and jargon that they use. When your client shares insights, be openly interested by rephrasing what they’ve said or asking follow up questions. If this is an unfamiliar approach, prepare by brainstorming and planning for occasions to continue learning from your client.

Connect beyond your role

When I first started my 9-5 career, I thought I had to be a neutral, professional automaton who was always poised, on topic, and efficient. However, people build connections with people, not perfect professionals. Share aspects of your life outside of work with your client. This will give them an opening to share aspects of their life with you. The more you’re connected as people, the stronger your relationship will be.

You can develop this skill by preparing a specific and concise anecdote to share about your weekend, or in answer to the outside-of-work questions you’re regularly asked. Especially if you work remotely, tell your client where you are when you’re away from home. Meet your client for coffee, either in-person or virtually, to talk about things that aren’t work-related. DM your client on Slack and ask non-work questions from time to time.

Make it fun

We all gravitate toward people who are fun to be around. Bring levity and play to your interactions with your client. For example, a client’s Outlook Calendar wasn’t cooperating with my Google Calendar, so she had two identical meetings from me. I added an exclamation point to the active invite, changing our meeting title to “[client name] + Lily!”. We kept it that way, and I smiled every time I saw the meeting appear on my calendar, hoping she did the same.

You can develop this skill by smiling and joking with your client, when appropriate. Within reason, talk to your client like you talk to your friends. Use an informal communication style and emojis to convey tone in emails and Slack.

Be authentic

We can all sense when people are being fake. That’s one of the fastest ways to damage trust. Make sure to stay genuine in all of your client interactions. As a podcast fan, I find Dax Sheppard in his role as host of Armchair Expert to be a fascinating model of authenticity, particularly the episode he released about his relapse.

You can develop this skill by modeling authenticity. Give honest answers to questions like, “How are you?” in front of your client. Speak the why behind your actions and recommendations with your client to help them understand your perspective. And, tell your client when you notice a contribution they’ve made. Be specific about its impact.

Adapt when needed

The more you learn about your client, the more you’ll understand their collaboration style. If there’s a big gap between your style and theirs, it may be time to adapt and meet them closer to where they are.

You can develop this skill first by avoiding making assumptions about your client before you meet them. Instead, notice how they react to your collaboration style, especially any friction or negativity. Also, notice how your client tends to collaborate and note your observations down. You can use them to brainstorm solutions, then try them out until you find one that works.

Tell the truth

We often think telling a half-truth or putting a rosy-colored spin on something will help maintain a great client relationship. In my experience, I haven’t found that to be the case. Even when it’s uncomfortable and not what they want to hear, tell your client the truth. You’ll be surprised by how much grace you’re given when you prove that you can be counted on for your honesty. It’s so much more valuable than anything we get from fibbing or stretching the truth.

You can develop this skill by committing to always telling your client the truth, but also remember that it doesn’t have to be the whole truth. You can say, for instance, that there was a miscommunication within your team without calling out individuals. If work is late because of five reasons, you don’t have to share all five. I also recommend that you voice your inner monologue when delivering difficult news. It can be powerful to say, “This isn’t a conversation I ever wanted to have with you,” instead of trying to find the perfect thing to say.

Stay on their side

It can be so tempting to develop an us versus them mentality with clients. If that ever happens on your team, stand squarely on your client’s side. You can even say something like, “I’m playing the role of client advocate. If they were here, I think they’d say something like…” You’ll bring some much needed empathy and valuable perspective to the situation.

You can develop this skill by saying things to your client like, “I can see how given this happened, you might feel that way.” Practice seeing things from their perspective, and if you struggle to understand it, ask them questions until you do. If you’re interested in exploring this topic further, I recommend Nonviolent Communication.

Watch my DrupalCon session that inspired this article

If you’ve read this far and want to keep digging into this material (or if you’re more of an auditory learner), I’ve included a recording of my DrupalCon session that inspired this article. There’s also an engaging Q&A session with the audience at the end. Whether you watch it or not, keep exploring connection and try new approaches until you find what works for you.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Community Drupal Events People Strategy

Concrete observations, real-life examples, and practical advice for building trust and affinity at work

Our work isn’t easy. It’s difficult to complete technical projects with non-technical clients. We understand a lot more about what’s going on, but they’re the ones making important project decisions.

Our work doesn’t live in best-case scenarios. Unlike bakers who have a recipe to predictably create the same cake over and over again, we have to change all the time. This is especially true in a consultancy like Palantir.net that has fully embraced agile.

Building trust and affinity, which is foundational to great client relationships, isn’t always part of the process. It also isn’t explicitly taught in school. That’s why I prepared this session for DrupalCon Portland 2022, to help my community learn the softer skills that are essential to our work. So, let’s uncover these simple secrets to great client relationships.

Greet like late night

Sometimes, we act like we’re watching a movie of the world around us, but people are always reacting to our energy, as we react to theirs. When we are warm to people, we’ll often find that they are warm back. Greet your client like you already know (and like) them. Then, leave space for them to shape the conversation.

In March 2020, Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon used Zoom to interview celebrities in their homes from his home. This struck me as not dissimilar from my work within a distributed team. I noticed how he greeted people ranging from Kim Kardashian to Taraji P. Henson with almost over-the-top warmth and enthusiasm. Then, he let the guest shape where the conversation went next.

You can develop this skill by scheduling a quick happiness boost before client meetings that will leave you authentically joyful when you greet your clients. This can be as simple as spending four minutes watching an older music video like Pump Up the Jam (a nearly-universal happiness boost). You can also practice your greeting in the mirror, study talk show interviews on YouTube, or try an improv class.

Set and honor boundaries

Some think always being available creates great client relationships. I believe we build better bonds by setting and honoring boundaries that work for us. It may be tempting to respond to a client outside of your work hours. We think we’re teaching them how much they matter to us. However, it’s much more likely that we’re teaching them that we are always available. This can easily lead to disappointment or frustration when that expectation isn’t met in the future.

You can develop this skill by making clients aware of your collaboration boundaries. You can say things like, “I work 8:30-5:00 pm Mountain Time. What hours are you normally available for work?” This provides an opening for them to share their boundaries as well. You can also schedule non-emergency communication to arrive in your client’s inbox or Slack during your work hours. If you’re interested in digging further into boundaries, I found Essentialism to be a great resource.

Be their tour guide to our world

For many clients, the world of Drupal projects is unfamiliar. Consider yourself their Drupal guide. It’s your job to keep welcoming and orienting them to our world. Tours, like this great example of a university tour, are analogous to our work. I recommend watching at least the first minute of it while imagining that you are the guides and they are speaking to your client.

You can develop this skill by assuming your client is doing everything for the first time. Start with what’s immediately applicable, then zoom out. Use visuals and always translate jargon. Leave your clients space to think and ask questions. Take tours (or watch more online) through the lens of becoming a better Drupal guide.

Be curious about their world

Your client inhabits a world that’s unfamiliar to you. Your interest in their world will help you build trust and a better project outcome. Everyone likes other people expressing interest in our world, and it’s even better when they later remember what we’ve shared with them.

You can develop this skill by asking your client questions and remembering details. You can use a reference document to capture what your client shares with you, so you can easily follow up on what you learn. Notice changes, which could include a special piece of jewelry or a frantic late arrival to a call. You can share a complement or a moment to ground themselves in what seems to be a busy day. You can also keep up with your client’s organization via Google alerts, subscribing to their newsletter, or attending their events.

Let them be the expert

Rather than falling into a teacher or expert role, continue finding opportunities to learn from your client. When they share their knowledge with you, honor it with the respect it deserves. I learned this from a colleague after my company hired her as my new manager. She knew the role way better than me, but she didn’t know Drupal. She often found opportunities for me to teach her, which I later learned was no accident. Whether a manager, mentor, or consultant, we all appreciate work relationships that are mutual.

You can develop this skill by speaking in your client’s language, using the words and jargon that they use. When your client shares insights, be openly interested by rephrasing what they’ve said or asking follow up questions. If this is an unfamiliar approach, prepare by brainstorming and planning for occasions to continue learning from your client.

Connect beyond your role

When I first started my 9-5 career, I thought I had to be a neutral, professional automaton who was always poised, on topic, and efficient. However, people build connections with people, not perfect professionals. Share aspects of your life outside of work with your client. This will give them an opening to share aspects of their life with you. The more you’re connected as people, the stronger your relationship will be.

You can develop this skill by preparing a specific and concise anecdote to share about your weekend, or in answer to the outside-of-work questions you’re regularly asked. Especially if you work remotely, tell your client where you are when you’re away from home. Meet your client for coffee, either in-person or virtually, to talk about things that aren’t work-related. DM your client on Slack and ask non-work questions from time to time.

Make it fun

We all gravitate toward people who are fun to be around. Bring levity and play to your interactions with your client. For example, a client’s Outlook Calendar wasn’t cooperating with my Google Calendar, so she had two identical meetings from me. I added an exclamation point to the active invite, changing our meeting title to “[client name] + Lily!”. We kept it that way, and I smiled every time I saw the meeting appear on my calendar, hoping she did the same.

You can develop this skill by smiling and joking with your client, when appropriate. Within reason, talk to your client like you talk to your friends. Use an informal communication style and emojis to convey tone in emails and Slack.

Be authentic

We can all sense when people are being fake. That’s one of the fastest ways to damage trust. Make sure to stay genuine in all of your client interactions. As a podcast fan, I find Dax Sheppard in his role as host of Armchair Expert to be a fascinating model of authenticity, particularly the episode he released about his relapse.

You can develop this skill by modeling authenticity. Give honest answers to questions like, “How are you?” in front of your client. Speak the why behind your actions and recommendations with your client to help them understand your perspective. And, tell your client when you notice a contribution they’ve made. Be specific about its impact.

Adapt when needed

The more you learn about your client, the more you’ll understand their collaboration style. If there’s a big gap between your style and theirs, it may be time to adapt and meet them closer to where they are.

You can develop this skill first by avoiding making assumptions about your client before you meet them. Instead, notice how they react to your collaboration style, especially any friction or negativity. Also, notice how your client tends to collaborate and note your observations down. You can use them to brainstorm solutions, then try them out until you find one that works.

Tell the truth

We often think telling a half-truth or putting a rosy-colored spin on something will help maintain a great client relationship. In my experience, I haven’t found that to be the case. Even when it’s uncomfortable and not what they want to hear, tell your client the truth. You’ll be surprised by how much grace you’re given when you prove that you can be counted on for your honesty. It’s so much more valuable than anything we get from fibbing or stretching the truth.

You can develop this skill by committing to always telling your client the truth, but also remember that it doesn’t have to be the whole truth. You can say, for instance, that there was a miscommunication within your team without calling out individuals. If work is late because of five reasons, you don’t have to share all five. I also recommend that you voice your inner monologue when delivering difficult news. It can be powerful to say, “This isn’t a conversation I ever wanted to have with you,” instead of trying to find the perfect thing to say.

Stay on their side

It can be so tempting to develop an us versus them mentality with clients. If that ever happens on your team, stand squarely on your client’s side. You can even say something like, “I’m playing the role of client advocate. If they were here, I think they’d say something like…” You’ll bring some much needed empathy and valuable perspective to the situation.

You can develop this skill by saying things to your client like, “I can see how given this happened, you might feel that way.” Practice seeing things from their perspective, and if you struggle to understand it, ask them questions until you do. If you’re interested in exploring this topic further, I recommend Nonviolent Communication.

Watch my DrupalCon session that inspired this article

If you’ve read this far and want to keep digging into this material (or if you’re more of an auditory learner), I’ve included a recording of my DrupalCon session that inspired this article. There’s also an engaging Q&A session with the audience at the end. Whether you watch it or not, keep exploring connection and try new approaches until you find what works for you.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Community Drupal Events People Strategy

I took the schema.org blueprints module for a spin in a "box-opening" video. I was amazed!

I took the schema.org blueprints module for a spin in a "box-opening" video. I was amazed!

We cannot believe DrupalCon Portland 2022 has already come and gone! We had a fantastic time with everyone in the wonderful city of Portland, Oregon. We welcomed attendees from all over the world to collaborate, innovate, network, and learn. In this email, we’ll share a few highlights from the conference – starting with the group photo!

Roughly 1,300 Drupalers back together in person, at last!
(Photo by Christina Lindner) 

Keynote Highlights

The first in-person Driesnote in nearly three years was certainly a treat! Drupal founder Dries Buytaert gave an update on the state of the Drupal project, and if you missed it, you can watch the entire presentation now on the Drupal Association YouTube channel. You can also view the Q&A session with Dries that occurred directly after the Driesnote! 

Our two DEI Keynotes provided insight and invaluable conversations about important topics. Watch the recording of Tuesday’s Keynote with Mala Kumar, Daelynn Moyer, and Marcus Carter II to learn more about Global Systems of oppression in the tech community. Once you’ve viewed the Tuesday keynote to set the stage for taking action, check out Demetris Cheatham’s Keynote Fireside Chat, Let’s Open Source Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, for a tangible way to truly advance DEI in the open source community.

And finally, What is Open Source’s role in the future of the well-being of the Internet? Dries Buytaert, Adam Silverstein, and Mek Stritti covered the part of Drupal and other open source platforms in the Internet’s future. Watch each Keynote session recording now on the Drupal Association YouTube channel!

2022 Aaron Winborn Award Winner

Congratulations to Angie Byron (@Webchick) for winning the highly-anticipated Aaron Winborn award! This award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates personal integrity, kindness, and above-and-beyond commitment to the Drupal community. Angie is a staple in the Drupal Community, with 249 people citing them as a mentor. Her work has not only strengthened the Drupal project, but has impacted the Drupal community in ways we will all feel for decades to come. Thank you, Angie, for all you do in Drupal and congratulations!

(Photo by MAGNIFY)
Lively Sessions, Hallway Chatter, and more!

There were so many informative sessions at this year’s DrupalCon Portland! From creating marketing case studies to building a GraphQL API, there was something for everyone. Check out the DrupalCon Portland 2022 YouTube playlist to watch audio recordings of the sessions accompanied by the slides from each session.

The week was packed with fun events as well! Trivia Night was in full swing on the final night of the conference, and the Expo Hall Passport contest awarded many Drupalers with fun prizes – including an Oculus Quest! One of the best parts about DrupalCon is the free swag, and this year did not disappoint. Who else had trouble fitting all of their new clothing and free goodies into their suitcase?!

Scholarship Awardees and Discover Drupal Graduates

We were so excited to host 9 scholars and 4 Discover Drupal students at DrupalCon Portland! 

We are excited to share that Pantheon will be donating $3,500 to our Discover Drupal initiative as part of the Gift of Open Source! Pantheon partnered with the Drupal Association weeks prior to DrupalCon to help grow contribution to the project. All contributions were counted towards a max donation amount of $3,500 and Drupalers helped us reach that goal! Thank you, Pantheon for this very important strategic partnership to ensure the growth of the Drupal project.

We want to see your photos!

If you snapped some awesome photos at DrupalCon Portland, upload them to the Flickr group! By sharing your photos, you’ll ensure that you and our community have memories from all the wonderful moments at the conference. It also helps us to be able to continue promoting Drupal programs, events, and contributions. We can’t wait to see your photos!

Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, trainers, and participants! We could not have done it without their support.

Join the Drupal Association

Did you have a great time at DrupalCon Portland? Become a Drupal Association member today to support future DrupalCons! By joining the Drupal Association as a member, you’ll also contribute to the future innovation of the Drupal project, as well as gain access to other perks. Are you part of an agency that relies on Drupal for your business? Become a Supporting Partner today of the Drupal Association. Learn more. 

We cannot believe DrupalCon Portland 2022 has already come and gone! We had a fantastic time with everyone in the wonderful city of Portland, Oregon. We welcomed attendees from all over the world to collaborate, innovate, network, and learn. In this email, we’ll share a few highlights from the conference – starting with the group photo!

Roughly 1,300 Drupalers back together in person, at last!
(Photo by Christina Lindner) 

Keynote Highlights

The first in-person Driesnote in nearly three years was certainly a treat! Drupal founder Dries Buytaert gave an update on the state of the Drupal project, and if you missed it, you can watch the entire presentation now on the Drupal Association YouTube channel. You can also view the Q&A session with Dries that occurred directly after the Driesnote! 

Our two DEI Keynotes provided insight and invaluable conversations about important topics. Watch the recording of Tuesday’s Keynote with Mala Kumar, Daelynn Moyer, and Marcus Carter II to learn more about Global Systems of oppression in the tech community. Once you’ve viewed the Tuesday keynote to set the stage for taking action, check out Demetris Cheatham’s Keynote Fireside Chat, Let’s Open Source Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, for a tangible way to truly advance DEI in the open source community.

And finally, What is Open Source’s role in the future of the well-being of the Internet? Dries Buytaert, Adam Silverstein, and Mek Stritti covered the part of Drupal and other open source platforms in the Internet’s future. Watch each Keynote session recording now on the Drupal Association YouTube channel!

2022 Aaron Winborn Award Winner

Congratulations to Angie Byron (@Webchick) for winning the highly-anticipated Aaron Winborn award! This award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates personal integrity, kindness, and above-and-beyond commitment to the Drupal community. Angie is a staple in the Drupal Community, with 249 people citing them as a mentor. Her work has not only strengthened the Drupal project, but has impacted the Drupal community in ways we will all feel for decades to come. Thank you, Angie, for all you do in Drupal and congratulations!

(Photo by MAGNIFY)
Lively Sessions, Hallway Chatter, and more!

There were so many informative sessions at this year’s DrupalCon Portland! From creating marketing case studies to building a GraphQL API, there was something for everyone. Check out the DrupalCon Portland 2022 YouTube playlist to watch audio recordings of the sessions accompanied by the slides from each session.

The week was packed with fun events as well! Trivia Night was in full swing on the final night of the conference, and the Expo Hall Passport contest awarded many Drupalers with fun prizes – including an Oculus Quest! One of the best parts about DrupalCon is the free swag, and this year did not disappoint. Who else had trouble fitting all of their new clothing and free goodies into their suitcase?!

Scholarship Awardees and Discover Drupal Graduates

We were so excited to host 9 scholars and 4 Discover Drupal students at DrupalCon Portland! 

We are excited to share that Pantheon will be donating $3,500 to our Discover Drupal initiative as part of the Gift of Open Source! Pantheon partnered with the Drupal Association weeks prior to DrupalCon to help grow contribution to the project. All contributions were counted towards a max donation amount of $3,500 and Drupalers helped us reach that goal! Thank you, Pantheon for this very important strategic partnership to ensure the growth of the Drupal project.

We want to see your photos!

If you snapped some awesome photos at DrupalCon Portland, upload them to the Flickr group! By sharing your photos, you’ll ensure that you and our community have memories from all the wonderful moments at the conference. It also helps us to be able to continue promoting Drupal programs, events, and contributions. We can’t wait to see your photos!

Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, trainers, and participants! We could not have done it without their support.

Join the Drupal Association

Did you have a great time at DrupalCon Portland? Become a Drupal Association member today to support future DrupalCons! By joining the Drupal Association as a member, you’ll also contribute to the future innovation of the Drupal project, as well as gain access to other perks. Are you part of an agency that relies on Drupal for your business? Become a Supporting Partner today of the Drupal Association. Learn more. 

On a couple of recent Next.js projects, the design called for highlighted excerpts to be displayed in the search results: On the Drupal side of things, both sites are using Search API, and while excerpts are supported in Search API, they weren't coming through in the JSON:API results.

On a couple of recent Next.js projects, the design called for highlighted excerpts to be displayed in the search results: On the Drupal side of things, both sites are using Search API, and while excerpts are supported in Search API, they weren't coming through in the JSON:API results.

“It's great to be back together with so many familiar faces and individuals who are so passionate about Drupal. It’s a one-of-a-kind community that lets us have a chance to be a part of something bigger than ourselves." — Glenn Hilton, CEO & Founder

“It's great to be back together with so many familiar faces and individuals who are so passionate about Drupal. It’s a one-of-a-kind community that lets us have a chance to be a part of something bigger than ourselves." — Glenn Hilton, CEO & Founder

Once upon a time, there lived a website that wanted to perform better. It wished it was easier to navigate, more user-friendly for visitors to find what they were looking for, and, ultimately, more engaging for customers to hit the “Order” button. Just as in all decent fairy tales, all these wishes were granted! All these wishes (and more) can be fulfilled with the help of a navigation element known as “breadcrumbs”. And this element owes its name to the Brothers Grimm folk tale, Hansel & Gretal, about the siblings who used breadcrumbs to find their way home through the dark woods.

Wherein we try to explain The Update Framework (TUF) so that ordinary humans can understand it.

During DrupalCon Portland 2022, the members of the Drupal Community Working Group were pleased to announce the winner of the 2022 Aaron Winborn Award, Angie Byron (webchick).  

About Webchick

Angie joined the Drupal community in 2005 as a Google Summer of Code student, brand new to Drupal, having previously learned about it by “viewing source” on the SpreadFirefox website. Early on, she made her mark on the community by figuring out how to accomplish tasks and documenting them on Drupal.org. (Her proudest documentation achievement is authoring the original Form API Reference.) Her relentless pursuit of knowledge and dedication to sharing that knowledge in this way led to an outpouring of admiration by others in the community since the beginning  of her Drupal career.

As she became more and more comfortable with Drupal and our community, her contributions continued to grow. She has been an unstoppable advocate for making Drupal a welcoming community for all; almost 250 community members list her as a mentor. 

Angie became a Drupal core committer in 2008 and has thousands of code contribution credits, over 500 documentation edits, and has contributed to the Drupal community in countless additional ways including being one of the founding members of the Community Working Group, a Security Team member, a Drupal.org site and content moderator, a Drupal Association Board member, and has spoken at many Drupal events around the world.

Angie started working for Lullabot in 2006 as a Senior Web Architect. In 2011, she joined Acquia as Director of Community Development, tasked with leading and participating in major community initiatives including the Great Git Migration, Drupal 7, 8, and 9 development, in addition to always being a strong advocate for improving the Drupal authoring process. 

Many Nominations

This year, there were 29 individuals nominated for the award. In the coming weeks, the CWG will be contacting all nominees to let them know of their nomination, sharing some details about what their nominators wrote about them, and thank them for their continued work in the community.

Multiple people nominated Angie for the 2022 Aaron Winborn Award. Here are a few of the things they said:

I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who has done more for Drupal and the community than Angie Byron. She has not only demonstrated all the values of this award, she embodies them.

I can't think of anyone better to receive the Aaron Winborn Award this year than Angie. She is without a doubt one of our greatest community members for her constant above-and-beyond commitment to the project and the community … She has always put the project and community first and made sure that people get involved and integrated at all levels. We are lucky to have her in our community.

In addition to the physical award given to Angie, she was also provided with a free ticket to DrupalCon Portland as well as travel expenses. The physical award was hand-crafted by Drupal community member Caroline Achee (cachee).  

About the Aaron Winborn Award

The award is named after a long-time Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015. This award recognizes an individual who, like Aaron, demonstrates personal integrity, kindness, and an above-and-beyond commitment to the Drupal project and community.

Previous winners of the award are Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, and AmyJune Hineline. Current CWG members, along with previous winners, selected the winner based on nominations submitted by Drupal community members.

Nominations for the 2023 award will open in early 2023.
 

During DrupalCon Portland 2022, the members of the Drupal Community Working Group were pleased to announce the winner of the 2022 Aaron Winborn Award, Angie Byron (webchick).  

About Webchick

Angie joined the Drupal community in 2005 as a Google Summer of Code student, brand new to Drupal, having previously learned about it by “viewing source” on the SpreadFirefox website. Early on, she made her mark on the community by figuring out how to accomplish tasks and documenting them on Drupal.org. (Her proudest documentation achievement is authoring the original Form API Reference.) Her relentless pursuit of knowledge and dedication to sharing that knowledge in this way led to an outpouring of admiration by others in the community since the beginning  of her Drupal career.

As she became more and more comfortable with Drupal and our community, her contributions continued to grow. She has been an unstoppable advocate for making Drupal a welcoming community for all; almost 250 community members list her as a mentor. 

Angie became a Drupal core committer in 2008 and has thousands of code contribution credits, over 500 documentation edits, and has contributed to the Drupal community in countless additional ways including being one of the founding members of the Community Working Group, a Security Team member, a Drupal.org site and content moderator, a Drupal Association Board member, and has spoken at many Drupal events around the world.

Angie started working for Lullabot in 2006 as a Senior Web Architect. In 2011, she joined Acquia as Director of Community Development, tasked with leading and participating in major community initiatives including the Great Git Migration, Drupal 7, 8, and 9 development, in addition to always being a strong advocate for improving the Drupal authoring process. 

Many Nominations

This year, there were 29 individuals nominated for the award. In the coming weeks, the CWG will be contacting all nominees to let them know of their nomination, sharing some details about what their nominators wrote about them, and thank them for their continued work in the community.

Multiple people nominated Angie for the 2022 Aaron Winborn Award. Here are a few of the things they said:

I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who has done more for Drupal and the community than Angie Byron. She has not only demonstrated all the values of this award, she embodies them.

I can't think of anyone better to receive the Aaron Winborn Award this year than Angie. She is without a doubt one of our greatest community members for her constant above-and-beyond commitment to the project and the community … She has always put the project and community first and made sure that people get involved and integrated at all levels. We are lucky to have her in our community.

In addition to the physical award given to Angie, she was also provided with a free ticket to DrupalCon Portland as well as travel expenses. The physical award was hand-crafted by Drupal community member Caroline Achee (cachee).  

About the Aaron Winborn Award

The award is named after a long-time Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015. This award recognizes an individual who, like Aaron, demonstrates personal integrity, kindness, and an above-and-beyond commitment to the Drupal project and community.

Previous winners of the award are Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, and AmyJune Hineline. Current CWG members, along with previous winners, selected the winner based on nominations submitted by Drupal community members.

Nominations for the 2023 award will open in early 2023.
 

In the coming weeks, you will see changes to how the Drupal Association processes and manages individual memberships and donations.

We decided to make a change to a new payment processing platform called Classy that integrates well with Salesforce, which will help us have a better engagement long term with our members. In addition, Classy provides a more user-friendly “back-end” management interface that will enable less technical staff to run new campaigns and provide member support without requiring valuable engineering team hours that otherwise support Drupal.org infrastructure and project initiatives.

While we are undergoing this transition, you may see some delays in your member badge appearing on Drupal.org for those with a Drupal.org profile. You will also need to use the new Classy portal to manage your recurring membership. Your recurring membership should be migrated into the new portal no later than May 20th. Of course, we’ll provide easy links to manage profiles on our membership landing page.

One of the features we like about Classy is that it enables us to accept payments in 130 currencies and will also default to the currency identified in your browser settings.  We hope that this will provide a more inclusive experience for our global members.

The transition will be seamless for most of our members, but for those currently paying via PayPal wallet we will contact you to help transition to the new system.

Not yet a member? We'd love your support.

Join today