Episode 3: Smera Goel on Designing in the Fedora Project, Outreachy, and India

Jul 14, 2021

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Guest

Smera Goel

Panelists

Justin Flory | Memo Esparza | Richard Littauer

Show Notes

Hello and welcome to Sustain Open Source Design! On this podcast, we will talk about sustaining open source with design. Learn how we, as designers, interface with open source in a sustainable way, how we integrate into different communities, and how we as coders, work with other designers. Joining us today, our guest is Smera Goel. Smera was previously an open source design intern through the Outreachy Internship Program and contributed with the Fedora Project on a couple of different projects and other things throughout the open source academia world that we’ll be talking about with her. Also, we will learn about the Infographics project, the Fedora Zine project that she started, and what role mentorship plays in working together with other people collaboratively on design projects. Go ahead and download this episode now to find out more, and if you’re interested please subscribe!

[00:02:36] Smera tells us how she discovered the design world, what got her into this kind of work, and all about the Outreachy Program and the Fedora Project.

[00:05:14] We learn from Smera how she always loved being an artist and loved tech since she was a child, and the process of picking your college major in India.

[00:07:22] Richard wonders when Smera joined Outreachy and was involved in Fedora, did she have any difficulties being a designer in that community and not just being a coder, and how did she manage the two competing interests.

[00:08:54] Smera talks about the Infographics project, what some of the goals were for it, and how it was such a helpful tool for all the different projects.

[00:12:12] Memo wonders what is the magical thing that makes Smera so excited, besides being a designer. She also tells us what kind of things she does in her everyday life and the connection process with the Fedora Project.

[00:16:01] Richard asks Smera if she can talk about using Hindi or other languages, if there is awareness for open source at her university in India, and if she feels like it’s becoming more well-known in the student world of technology.

[00:19:30] Smera shares with us her idea of open source design as a professional job or as a business, as opposed to just being something she does with her volunteer time.

[00:21:33] We learn all about the Fedora Zine project that Smera started, how she managed all the different feedback and ideas that people came with, and how she turned it into something that she shared back with the community.

[00:23:18] Richard wonders what Smera is super excited about in the future when she has her free time back and how is going to bring her particular version of open source design.

[00:25:01] Smera explains what role mentorship plays in terms of the design process and working together with other people collaboratively on design projects.

[00:27:56] Find out where you can follow Smera on the internet.

Spotlight

[00:28:30] Justin’s spotlight is the announcement of the new research from the Ford and Sloan Foundation funding.
[00:29:03] Memo’s spotlight is Spline.
[00:29:46] Richard’s spotlight is his mentor, Alexis Palmer.
[00:30:31] Smera’s spotlight is Fedora Design, especially Fedora Badges, Zine, and Infographics.

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer
Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound
Show notes by DeAnn Bahr at Peachtree Sound