You know, -most- Open Source projects I've come across (not That many, but still) don't seem to do such an active job of recruiting people. Speaking as a mostly freeloader, I tend to assume that the projects I come across are happily self-sufficient, and I'm sure most other users tend to assume the same. This often forces the developers to assume all the roles themselves. It isn't easy for any project to find new contributors, but at least you can be clear about what you need, right? Something as clear as 1., 2., 3.

I. Overview

A good recruitment process should provide potential volunteers with the following:

- A clear overview of the types of contributors needs.
- More detailed description of each position: experience/skills needed, job description, availability, etc.
- Clear steps on how to join: Where to post? Who to contact? Steps before being accepted (ex.: GSOC)?
- Additional resources needed for the position: build instructions for developers, examples of other documentation to serve as reference for documentation writers, etc.

The recruitment process could be organized in the following way:

- A "Join" section on the main Krita page. This page describes the main types of volunteers currently needed, as well as a brief description of each position.
- A few wiki pages with more detailed descriptions of each position, including skills needed, detailed job descriptions (specific tasks suggestions), links to useful resources (build instructions, reference material, etc.)
- Where necessary, specific forum threads or sections could be added (for example for users to post resources).

This would take some work, but if even one additional contributor joins thanks to it, it'd have paid for itself.

I'm not that familiar yet with the internal workings of the project and its requirements, so I'm just offering a framework. This will need a lot of additional work, so everybody feel free to pitch in.

II. Join page and related wiki content

The join page shouldn't be too long, but it should allow potential contributors to see at a glance which positions they could apply for. The more detailed stuff will be stuffed into wiki pages to which this page should link.

(from here on, anything in [brackets] is basically a link to another page or a corresponding wiki page)

Join page draft
--
Whether you're a developer or a non-developer, Krita is always welcoming new contributors! As Krita is a complicated project, there is always a lot more work than the currently small core team can handle.

Krita currently welcomes:

- Developers. Why develop for Krita? Apart from being able to work on one of the coolest Open Source drawing programs out there, Krita also benefits from a modular architecture and the use of the Calligra libraries which make it easy to add cool new features (is that right?).
- (someone with experience porting Linux programs to Windows and OSX?)
- Website content writers: what to write articles and new sections for krita.org? Apply today!
- Documentation writers: Krita's documentation section is in urgent need of updates.
- Krita merchandise: Krita has a mostly unused merchandise shop on zazzle.com : http://www.zazzle.com/kritashop . Volunteers are welcome to maintain and manage it.

To apply, or see how else you may contribute, please see below.

---------------------------
Developers and bug-testers
---------------------------

Bug-testers
The developers do their best to bring you a stable program. However, with many interacting features and several platforms to support, it's easy to overlook the occasional issue. Help make Krita a more stable program by reporting bugs, by [following these instructions].
(the linked to wiki page must describe both basic bug-reporting and more advanced problem tracing methods for more advanced users)

Plugin developers
Krita supports plugins made in (what languages exactly?). To develop new plugins for Krita, please see [these instructions], and post them in [this forum section].
(the instructions include languages used and... I have no idea actually)

Developers
For build instructions, a list of entry-level tasks and a list of more advanced feature ideas, please go [here].
(the wiki page will explain something like this: "To join up as a developer, please follow the steps below:
1. Build Krita. See instructions below.
2. Fix some bugs: The purpose of this is for you to get familiar with the internal workings of Krita before you commit anything more serious. Entry-level jobs are market with "Junior Jobs" in the bugs reporter.
3. Everything else: Once you've shown that you know what you're doing, you can continue fixing bugs, or discuss and add new features. See [here] for some feature suggestions."

This section then links to or presents resources such as:

- Building Krita on different platforms
- Whatever documentation is useful for learning how to code in Krita (QT documentation? I have NO idea)
- A table with feature suggestions, with priority ranking etc.

There could be something like Firefox' feature page: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Features/Firefox)

College thesis and GSOC
For students seeking a mentor for a thesis or a GSOC program: please note that through these programs, Krita only accepts students with a pretty good level of programming competence, and the potential to become long-term contributors. Don't wait until the last minute to apply, as Krita will give priority to those who have proved themselves with bug-fixes and other contributions. For a list of instructions as well as project ideas, please go [here].
(the wiki page could be an additional section to the developer page, and includes recommendations on what the student has to do to increase odds of acceptance)

Sponsored development work
Krita will occasionally raise funds to employ a developer to work full-time on Krita over a period of several months. Note that it will only sponsor developers who have already proved themselves through a long track record of contributions to Krita. To see the results of past sponsorship programs, see [here].
(basically there should be a page to show exactly what was done with past sponsorship programs. It gives the developers a better idea of the amount of work required, but it also serves to show donators that they're getting their bang for their bucks. Anything money-related should be quite transparent, in fact)

---------------------------
Non-developer contributors
---------------------------

Krita is far more than just a program, so there is a lot you can help with even if you can't code.

Documentation
Krita's documentation is hosted on the [Kde UserBase Wiki], and is in need of heavy work. To volunteer, please (coordinate with Boudewijn Rempt?). We suggest drawing inspiration from existing [tutorials on Krita's interface] (link to the Krita Resource page), and from the documentation of other programs such as [Gimp] (http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/) and (any other useful examples?).

Translation
If you are a translator, you can help Krita reach a more international audience by either translating the program itself (instructions how?) or translating existing documentation into other languages on the [Kde UserBase Wiki].

Website
The Krita.org website and its related wiki pages could use content providers. If you're interested, please contact (Boud? Deevad). See [here] for a list of pages and content in need of drafting as well as additional resources.
(the wiki page could include: a list of additional sections/content suggestions so that volunteers can help draft and set them up, and maybe some basic instructions on Joomla for pure content writers, that don't want to learn Joomla but just need to know enough to submit articles)

Merchandise
Krita has a mostly unused merchandise shop on zazzle.com : http://www.zazzle.com/kritashop . Volunteers are welcome to maintain and manage it.

Feature ideas
Got an idea to make Krita into an even better program? Post them [at the forums?]. Please keep in mind that it may take years before a feature is implemented. You could help speed this up a tiny bit by working on additional details such as the graphical interface, as well as provide links to relevant resources. See [here] and [here] for examples of good feature proposals write-ups. (deevad's texture brush improvements for example?)

Are you an artist?
We'd love to see what you are creating with Krita! Please post your works in the [gallery section], and specify whether you allow us to use them in promotional material. New versions of Krita may also need new splash images and screenshots to demonstrate its new features, so we hope you will be able to contribute then as well.

Tutorials, brushes, patterns, etc.
Got resources to share and contribute? They are always welcome! You can share resources through the [Get Hot New Stuff feature] (actually, how does it even work?), or you can share them in the forum [here].

Others
Do you think you have more ways to help out the projet? Don't hesitate to contact us!

III. Others

The above should give you an idea of the general formatting of the recruitment process. Here are a few additional suggestions:

- The process could be a Tad bit more proactive. Each new release, for example, could be accompanied by a recruitment line at the end, such as "Krita is always looking for additional contributors, both coders and non-coders. Please see [here] to see how you can become a part of the project."
- Call for splash/screenshots: I suggest for Krita to announce a beta version each release with a description of new features, and ask artists to test it and submit screenshots etc. of the new version. That way, when the final version is released, you'll also have all the screenshots and such.
- There could be a "join" thread in the forums where users can fill out an application form:

Position: Documentation writer
Skills/experience: (?)
Availability: I won't be available long-term, but I have some free time during the summer. Can I help out then?
(although ideally, all volunteers should be long-term contributors, I think it doesn't do any harm if a person signs up for a specific task over a specific period of time, as long as we know exactly what he'll do and for how long so he doesn't disappear without warning)

- Oh yeah, and the Support Krita page should be more descriptive, i.e. 1. Different type of support (how corporate sponsors could get in touch with the developers to support a particular environment for example), 2. What are the funds being used for (tablets for developers, sponsored development etc.) and 3. overview of the accomplishments of past sponsored development programs. Let me work on that next.

Well, that's what I've managed to come up with so far. A lot more content is needed, but most of it I have no way of writing it myself. Does the framework seem sound? Anything missing/too much? Who can help with the missing sections? Etc.

Thanks valeverik for your immense contribution in our focus on making Krita the best painting software of the world.
I fully agree with you with this.

Version 2 of recruitment page proposal (copy/paste it all into a site like http://www.onlinehtmleditor.net/ for a preview).
In this version I looked for and linked to existing resources, bypassing the need to create any new page (for now). Now I just need confirmation that the content written here is mostly correct.

Once this page is up, there should ideally be a simultaneous front page update to draw attention to the recruitment process. That shouldn't be too hard for me to type up.
-------

<p>Whether you're a developer or a non-developer, Krita is always welcoming new contributors! As Krita is a complicated project, there is always a lot more work than the small core team can handle. We are in particular looking for contributors with a good sense of initiative and commitment (i.e. please don't disappear without warning halfway through the job). There are several ways for you to sign up:<ul>
<li>Contact Boudewijn Rempt. Unfortunately, he's quite overworked most of the time.</li>
<li>Send us a message at the <a href="https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kimageshop">mailing list</a>.</li>
<li>Present yourself at the <a href="http://krita.org/chat">IRC channels</a></li>
<li>Introduce yourself at <a href="viewforum.php?f=136">the forum</a>.</li>
<li>Just get started. Some things don't need approval.</li>
</ul></p>

<p>Krita always welcomes:<ul>
<li><b>A maintainer for Krita's merchandise shop</b>: Krita has a mostly unused <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/kritashop">merchandise shop</a> on zazzle.com . A volunteer is needed to properly set up and maintain it. All proceeds will be used to fund the Krita Foundation.</li>
<li><b>Developers:</b> You'll be able to work on one of the coolest and fastest-growing Open Source drawing programs out there. Krita also benefits from a modular architecture and the use of the Calligra and QT libraries, making it easier to focus on new features instead of reinventing the wheel.</li>
<li><b>Maintainers for Windows and OSX versions:</b> Do you have experience porting and maintaining programs from Linux to Windows or OSX? As we all know, the current Windows version of Krita needs a lot of work. Please help us bring Krita to a wider audience!</li>
<li><b>Writers:</b> The website, user documentation wiki and developer wiki are all in need of new content!</li>
<li><b>A marketing type:</b> Krita needs to regularly announce new releases or fundraising efforts on a variety of websites/blogs/social networks. This requires a lot of coordination work and perhaps a smart strategist.</li></ul>
To apply, or see how else you may contribute, please see below.</p>

<hr>
<h2>Developers, and bug-testers and technical writers</h2>

<p><b>Bug-testers</b><br />
The developers do their best to bring you a stable program. However, with many interacting features and several platforms to support, it's easy to overlook the occasional issue. Help make Krita a more stable program by <a href="https://bugs.kde.org/">reporting bugs</a>. As Krita uses the KDE bugtracker, simply <a href="http://userbase.kde.org/Asking_Questions#Reporting_KDE_Bugs">follow the instructions here</a>.</p>

<p><b>Plugin developers</b><br />
You can find brief (but possibly outdated) <a href="http://community.kde.org/Krita/Developing_plugins">instructions for Krita plugin development here</a>.</p>

<p><b>Developers</b><br />
Krita's developer wiki can be found <a href="http://community.kde.org/Krita">here</a>. To join up as a developer:
<ol><li>Set up your development environment.</li>
<li>Find a few bugs to fix in KDE's <a href="https://bugs.kde.org/">Bugtracking system</a>. New developers must acquire bug-fixing experience before coding new features, to get familiar with the development process without being overwhelmed. Besides, one day they'll have to fix the bugs their new features introduce. </li>
<li>Start with "Junior Jobs." These are a set of relatively easy tasks for new developers. In the Bugtracking system, these are the bugs marked with "JJ."</li></ol>
Once you've gone through those steps, you should be ready to handle bigger tasks.</p>

<p><b>College thesis and GSOC</b><br />
For students seeking a mentor for a thesis or a GSOC program: please note that through these programs, Krita only accepts students with a pretty good level of programming competence, and the potential to become long-term contributors. Don't wait until the last minute to apply, as Krita will give priority to those who have proved themselves with bug-fixes and other contributions (see above). You can find a <a href="http://krita.org/item/127-summer-of-code-2013">list of possible projects here</a>. </p>

<p><b>Sponsored development work</b><br />
Krita will occasionally raise funds to employ a developer to work full-time on Krita over a period of several months. Note that it will only sponsor developers who have already proved themselves through a long track record of contributions to Krita. To see the results of past sponsorship programs, see <a href="http://community.kde.org/Krita#Sponsored_Work">here</a>.</p>

<p><b>Technical documentation</b><br />
As you may have already seen, Krita's developer wiki is quite outdated and could use some updates and streamlining. It should become easy, in particular, for new potential developers to:
<ul><li>Find instructions to set up a development environment (whether on Linux or other platforms)</li>
<li>Find documentation that will help with coding for Krita</li>
<li>Find a list of tasks to do, including priority levels, time and experience needed, and supporting blueprints</li>
</ul></p>

<hr>
<h2>Non-developer contributors</h2>

<p>Krita is far more than just a program, so there is a lot you can help with even if you can't code.</p>

<p><b>Merchandise</b><br />
Krita has a mostly unused <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/kritashop">merchandise shop</a> on zazzle.com. A volunteer is needed to properly set up and maintain it. All proceeds will be used to fund the Krita Foundation.</p>

<p><b>User documentation</b><br />
The <a href="http://userbase.kde.org/Krita">Krita userbase wiki</a> and <a href="http://userbase.kde.org/Krita/Manual">Krita Handbook</a> are in need of heavy work. We suggest drawing inspiration from <a href="http://userbase.kde.org/Krita#Tutorials_on_UserBase">Krita's existing set of tutorials</a> and the documentation of other programs such as <a href="http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/">Gimp</a>.</p>

<p><b>Translation</b><br />
If you are a translator, you can help Krita reach a more international audience by either <a href="http://i18n.kde.org/">translating the program itself</a> or translating existing documentation on the <a href="http://userbase.kde.org/Krita">Krita userbase wiki</a> .</p>

<p><b>Website</b><br />
Do you want to help maintain, improve the website or write articles? Please volunteer, while providing a description of what you hope to accomplish.</p>

<p><b>Feature ideas</b><br />
Do you have ideas to make Krita into an even better program? Please submit a feature request on the <a href="https://bugs.kde.org/">Bugtracking system</a>. You can also first discuss the suggestion at the <a href="http://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=136">Krita forums</a> or <a href="http://krita.org/chat">IRC Channel</a>. Please keep in mind that it may take years before a feature is implemented. You can help speed this up a tiny bit by working on additional details such as the graphical interface, as well as providing links to relevant resources. See <a href="http://www.davidrevoy.com/article159/design-ideas-for-a-new-krita-perspective-tool">here</a> for an example of a good feature proposal write-up.</p>

<p><b>Are you an artist?</b><br />
We'd love to see what you are creating with Krita! Please post your works in the <a href="http://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=138">gallery section</a>, and indicate whether you allow us to use them in promotional material. New versions of Krita may also need new splash images and screenshots to demonstrate its new features, so we hope you will be able to contribute then as well.</p>

<p><b>Tutorials, brushes, patterns, etc.</b><br />
Do you have resources to share and contribute? They are always welcome! Please <a href="http://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=136">share them in the forum</a>.</p>

<p><b>Others</b><br />
Do you think you have more ways to help out the projet? Please don't hesitate to contact us!</p>