new topic guidelines
This document serves as a record of our current thinking around what topics and subjects egghead wants to include in our content library.
What we do
This doesn’t need to be a comprehensive list of every topic we have a lesson on, but instead should help us understand the kinds of subjects that we cover.
We provide people with content that is useful, first and foremost.
We focus on “what is useful for web development”, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule.
We are open to listening to new ideas to expand the scope of subjects.
What we don’t do
What things are off-brand, out-of-bounds, or just don’t feel like egghead?
We don’t shill or advertise products with our courses.
We don’t try to convince our audience that a particular piece of technology is the best, or only solution.
We don’t lecture. We show and demonstrate.
What we might do in the future
Where do you think you might go? This can be specific topics or larger conceptual ideas.
We've focused heavily on material for folks that have established careers. We will also expand to help more folks that are just starting out.
This means guidance and paths with perhaps a more comfortable variant on the bite-sized concept.
How to find new instructors
When we decide to include a new topic, how do we find instructors for it?
We actually don’t decide on new topics so much as we look for people doing interesting things.
Twitter has been a primary source for recruitment with the above principle. What/who is buzzing right now? Who is engaging the development world in interesting ways? Who is already writing/teaching/screencasting to educate? Who seems like they would be good at this with a little sponsorship and encouragement?
We also get referrals from current instructors. They are allowed and encouraged to invite folks they think are great.
We’ve also had some success on youtube in the past.