docs: define core user roles and personas for community research

docs/source/index.rst

@@ -36,6 +36,16 @@ Contributing
 
    contributing
 
+**********
+Community
+**********
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+
+   user-roles-framework
+   slack-polling-guide
+
 ******
 Others
 ******

docs/source/slack-polling-guide.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+.. _slack-polling-guide:
+
+==========================
+Slack Polling Guide for User Roles
+==========================
+
+This guide explains how to conduct polls in Slack to gather user role information for the
+AboutCode community.
+
+Why Poll in Slack?
+------------------
+
+Slack polls are an effective way to:
+
+- Engage active community members
+- Gather information from users who are already participating
+- Get quick feedback without requiring formal surveys
+- Build community awareness of user diversity
+
+Preparing Your Poll
+-------------------
+
+Before creating a poll, consider:
+
+1. **Timing**: Post during active hours when most community members are online
+2. **Frequency**: Don't poll too frequently to avoid survey fatigue
+3. **Clarity**: Make questions clear and easy to answer
+4. **Anonymity**: Decide if responses should be anonymous or attributed
+
+Poll Options in Slack
+---------------------
+
+Slack offers several ways to conduct polls:
+
+**1. Native Slack Polls (Recommended)**
+    - Use Slack's built-in poll feature (if available in your workspace)
+    - Type `/poll` followed by your question and options
+    - Example: ``/poll "What's your primary role?" "Compliance Manager" "Security Engineer" "Developer" "Other"``
+
+**2. Emoji Reactions**
+    - Post a message with multiple options
+    - Ask users to react with specific emojis for each option
+    - Easy to set up and participate
+
+**3. Thread-based Responses**
+    - Post a question and ask users to reply in threads
+    - Allows for more detailed responses
+    - Good for open-ended questions
+
+**4. Third-party Poll Apps**
+    - Use Slack apps like Simple Poll, Polly, or SurveyMonkey
+    - More features but requires app installation
+
+Sample Poll Messages
+--------------------
+
+**Quick Role Identification Poll**
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    👋 Hey #general! We're working on understanding our community better to improve 
+    documentation and resources.
+
+    Quick poll: What best describes your primary role with AboutCode tools?
+
+    React with:
+    📋 = Compliance/Legal
+    🔒 = Security/Vulnerability Management  
+    💻 = Developer/Engineer
+    ⚙️ = DevOps/Operations
+    🎓 = Student/Researcher
+    👔 = Management/Product
+    🤝 = Contributor/Maintainer
+    ❓ = Other (reply in thread)
+
+**Detailed Role Information Request**
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    📊 Community Role Survey
+
+    We're building a user roles framework to better serve our community. If you have 
+    a moment, please share:
+
+    1. Your job title (or "Student" if applicable)
+    2. Are you primarily technical, not-so-technical, or non-technical?
+    3. Are you in a management role or individual contributor?
+    4. Your main interest: License Compliance, Cybersecurity, or both?
+    5. Your experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Expert?
+
+    Reply in this thread or DM me if you prefer. Thanks! 🙏
+
+**Multi-Question Poll Using Threads**
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    🎯 AboutCode User Roles - Help Us Understand You!
+
+    Please reply to this message with your answers (copy/paste format below):
+
+    Role Name: [e.g., "Open Source Compliance Manager"]
+    Job Title: [your job title]
+    Student/Professional: [one]
+    Technical Level: [Technical / Not-so-technical / Non-technical]
+    Management/Individual Contributor: [one]
+    Interested in License Compliance? [Yes/No]
+    Interested in Cybersecurity? [Yes/No]
+    Experience Level: [Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Expert]
+    Other Objectives: [any additional goals]
+
+    Thanks for helping us improve! 🚀
+
+Best Practices
+--------------
+
+**Do:**
+- Keep polls short and focused
+- Make participation easy (emoji reactions are quickest)
+- Follow up with results and next steps
+- Thank participants
+- Use clear, simple language
+- Post at times when your community is active
+
+**Don't:**
+- Ask too many questions at once
+- Make polls mandatory
+- Use jargon or technical terms unnecessarily
+- Ignore responses or fail to follow up
+- Poll too frequently
+
+Following Up
+-----------
+
+After collecting responses:
+
+1. **Thank Participants**: Acknowledge those who participated
+2. **Share Results**: Summarize findings (anonymized if appropriate)
+3. **Explain Next Steps**: Tell the community how you'll use the information
+4. **Update Documentation**: Incorporate findings into the user roles framework
+5. **Iterate**: Use feedback to refine future polls
+
+Example Follow-up Message
+-------------------------
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    📊 Thanks to everyone who participated in our user roles poll! 
+
+    We received responses from:
+    - 15 Compliance/Legal professionals
+    - 12 Security Engineers
+    - 20 Developers
+    - 8 DevOps Engineers
+    - 5 Students/Researchers
+    - 3 Managers
+    - 10 Contributors
+
+    This helps us understand our community better. We'll be using this information 
+    to:
+    - Create role-specific documentation paths
+    - Tailor our getting-started guides
+    - Prioritize features that matter most to you
+
+    Stay tuned for updates! 🎉
+
+Alternative: Using Google Forms or Similar
+------------------------------------------
+
+If you need more detailed responses, consider:
+
+1. **Google Forms**: Create a form and share the link in Slack
+2. **Typeform**: More interactive but requires account
+3. **SurveyMonkey**: Professional surveys with analysis tools
+
+Then share the form link in #general with a brief explanation.
+
+Example:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+    📋 We're conducting a user roles survey to better understand our community!
+
+    Please take 2-3 minutes to fill out this form:
+    [link to form]
+
+    Your responses help us improve documentation and prioritize features. 
+    All responses are anonymous unless you choose to share your contact info.
+
+Tips for Success
+----------------
+
+1. **Start Small**: Begin with a simple emoji reaction poll
+2. **Be Patient**: Not everyone will respond immediately
+3. **Remind Gently**: A follow-up reminder after 24-48 hours is okay
+4. **Make it Fun**: Use emojis and friendly language
+5. **Show Value**: Explain why their input matters
+
+Remember: The goal is to understand your community, not to collect data for its own sake.
+Use the information to improve the AboutCode experience for everyone!