Join us as we recap the YOLO Vision 2024 panel on shaping the tech community. Explore strategies to drive growth, engagement, and collaboration.
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Building a successful tech community isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes purpose, passion, and a lot of dedication. At YOLO Vision 2024, an annual hybrid event hosted by Ultralytics, there was an insightful panel discussion on building tech communities.
Burhan Qaddoumi, Community Manager at Ultralytics, Bart Farrell, Content Creator at Learnk8s, and Harpreet Sahota, Hacker-in-Residence at Voxel51, shared their insights on the art of building a tech community. They spoke about cultivating a culture of support, collaboration, and growth for tech enthusiasts.
Harpreet Sahota opened the session by saying, "Just make sure you are setting example behaviors or modeling the behavior that you want your community members to take on.” The importance of creating a positive and welcoming environment for tech communities quickly became the focus of the discussion.
In this article, we will explore the key highlights from this panel from YOLO Vision 2024. We will also explore how building strong tech communities can drive growth and collaboration.
Joining a tech community can positively impact both your personal and professional growth. The members of a tech community can learn from each other and create a culture of shared knowledge. Burhan Qaddoumi mentioned this and said, "Communities are always a lot of fun. I think it brings people together in a different way, and it helps build that culture to lead by example."
The panelists also pointed out that a well-designed space, whether online or in person, can make it easier for members to ask questions, connect, and feel comfortable. Casual chat channels and sharing memes can help create a fun environment, bringing everyone together.
Another reason to join a tech community is in-person events. The panel members emphasized this by saying that there’s no real substitute for face-to-face gatherings. In-person events let members come together to share, exchange ideas, and learn from each other. Harpreet Sahota noted that everyone always has something interesting to share, so it’s important to provide platforms where people can showcase their expertise.
Next, the panelists discussed choosing the right tech community platform that fits your goals. Considering there are many tech communities and platforms out there, it can be tough for newcomers to find the right one where they feel heard and can make meaningful contributions. Whether it’s Slack, Discord, or GitHub, the right place lets you ask questions, get involved, and grow. What matters most is being in a space that supports your development and interests.
Joining a community is just the start. The right leaders play a critical role in shaping a welcoming, inclusive environment where people feel encouraged to participate and contribute. As Bart Farrell jokingly commented, “You need to be going out and not just expecting them to come to you. It needs to be very, very clear that I’m the guy in the chili pepper shirt, I’m really easy to find.”
Also, remember that you may not get immediate attention when you first join. Instead, observe, ask questions, and take part in smaller conversations to get a feel for how the community works. This helps you build confidence and comfort.
The panelists also talked about the importance of community managers in setting the right tone for the group. Harpreet Sahota said that community managers need to lead by example and show the right behavior for new members.
Burhan Qaddoumi agreed by saying it’s important to give people space to share their thoughts and have fun. Bart Farrell also explained that getting feedback is crucial for making the community better over time.
The panel then moved on to talking about contributing to open-source product development.
Why is it important to contribute? The significance of contributions goes beyond individual efforts. Nowadays, many large organizations also recognize the value of open-source participation. This shift highlights the growing role of tech communities in driving innovation and collaboration.
Harpreet Sahota shared that the Voxel51 library, an open-source project under the Apache 2.0 license, is a great example of how community contributions can improve a project. He also stressed the importance of making it easy for new members to get involved by providing clear instructions and adding "good first issue" labels to help them get started.
Bart Farrell added that vanity metrics, like the number of stars on GitHub, can sometimes be misleading. While it’s easy to focus on these numbers, he said the real value comes from actual contributions, where people are truly involved. "It’s not just about clicking and adding a star," he noted. He also showcased the need to balance open-source work with business needs.
"You need to build trust with your community. If your community does not trust you, they will not come back, they will not show up," shared Burhan Qaddoumi. He elaborated that even small actions, like admitting uncertainty or pointing someone in the right direction, can go a long way in building trust. These efforts show that you’re genuinely trying to help, even if you don’t have all the answers, which is crucial for keeping the community engaged.
Going further, Bart Farrell highlighted another challenge many communities face: the risk of coming across as too “salesy.” “Enterprise tech audiences hate anything that feels or smells or looks like sales,” he said. The panel agreed that communities work best when they feel authentic and not driven by corporate agendas or constant promotion. Simply put, trust in a community can quickly erode if members feel they’ve been misled.
Shifting gears, the panel focused on the importance of handling challenges in growing a tech community. Bart Farrell said that building a community is not easy and often involves trial and error. He pointed out that it's normal not to get things right the first time, but it is important to be patient throughout this process. He also added learning together as a community is more important than forcing a solution and expecting everyone else to follow it.
Here are some key points from the discussion on tech community-building challenges:
Building thriving tech communities requires time, effort, and the right balance of content, engagement, and empowerment. Toward the end of the session, the speakers shared how communities like Learnk8s, Ultralytics, and Voxel51 have transformed into vibrant ecosystems, offering valuable resources for all members.
Here’s a closer look at each of them:
Building a tech community isn’t just about bringing people together on a platform; it’s about creating a space where ideas can thrive, people can connect, and everyone has a chance to learn and grow.
The Ultralytics community is a great example of this. Members of all levels, from beginners to experts, work together, share insights, and tackle AI and machine learning challenges. It’s a place where collaboration is key, and the focus is always on helping each other, whether by answering questions, providing guidance, or discussing the latest innovations.
Join our community and check out our GitHub repository to learn about AI. Explore various applications of computer vision in manufacturing and AI in healthcare on our solutions pages. Also, take a look at the available licensing options to get started today!
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