This document proposes an alternative approach called Collective Feature Purchasing (CFP) for funding new features in CiviCRM and other open source software. With CFP, several organizations would collectively contract a developer to implement a set of features they all need. This would have lower costs than custom development and greater accountability than the Make it Happen program. The document outlines pros and cons of CFP compared to other options. It suggests CFP could work through a framework on a site like UserVoice to specify feature requests.

1. Collective Feature Purchasing
for CiviCRM and FOSS
Alternative to MIH
Dominik Lukes,
Learning Technologist
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk
@techczech

2. With contributions and advice
from
http://www.alt.ac.uk
Maren Deepwell, Operations and Services Manager
Seb Schmoller, CEO
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

3. Tweet comments
@techczech with
#civicrm

4. Outline
Options for sponsoring
development
Pros and Cons of MIH
Collective purchasing
Some practical ideas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vijo/1231276186
Discussion
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

5. How do new features get into
CiviCRM?
Somebody pays for them or
contributes time via SYOI (Scratch
Your Own Itch) or during Code
Sprint
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

6. Sponsoring custom
development in CiviCRM Now
Custom code developed
Sponsor release of
custom code to public
Contribute to MIH (Make
it Happen) http://civicrm.org/mih
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

7. Custom code developed
Pros Cons
• Quick • Expensive
• Running site with code • Difficult to maintain
implemented (upgrade)
• No shared expertise
benefit
• No public code review
• Often hardcoded
options to save cost =
low customizability
• Variable documentation
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

8. Sponsoring sharing of code
Pros Cons
• Long-term support • More expensive (more
• Benefit of public review / development needed)
shared expertise • Benefit of public review
• More customizable / limited if no support
generic interface offered (for modules not
• Better documentation core)
• Easier maintenance / • Possibly less flexible
upgrading
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

9. Contribute to an MIH
Pros Cons
• Cheap • No precise control over
• Long-term support features
• Benefit of public review / • Functionality only
shared expertise available with upgrade
• More customizable / cycle
generic interface • Difficult to fit in with
• Better documentation organizational
• Easier maintenance / accounting
upgrading
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

10. Alternative:
Collective Feature
Purchasing
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

11. Collective
Feature Purchasing (CFP)
Several organizations get together around
specific feature (feature set) that they identify as
having in common, contract with a developer
(company) who will implement the features
taking into account specific implementation
needs of individual contributors.
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

12. Collective
Feature Purchasing (CFP)
A CFP collective can also work with the Civi
Core team to determine roadmap synergies and
needs for future maintenance. E.g. will the
features be modules or rolled into core code
base?
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

13. Collective
Feature Purchasing (CFP)
CFP collectives can be ad hoc or more
permanent. Members can join or opt out of
specific CFP rounds.
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

14. Collective
Feature Purchasing (CFP)
Key difference between CFP and MIH is greater
transparency and accountability on both sides. A
successful CFP round would end up with all
contributors running actual code on their
website.
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

15. CFP – Pros / Cons
Pros Cons
• MIH < Cost < others • Potential contractual
• Control over features framework complexity
• Benefit of shared • Agreement on features
expertise among CFP partners
• New features translate
to immediate site
functionality
• Easier maintenance /
upgrading
• Easier accounting
(hopefully)

16. CFP Spec Framework
(Uservoice)
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

17. Anybody wants to work on
Events?
CiviEvent Wishlist (#CiviCRM)
Posted on September 1, 2011 by Dominik Lukeš http://bit.ly/civieventwishlist
We have been using CiviCRM for event management for over a year. This list covers the sort of things that might be
needed by an organization running a wide range of events and courses of different types.
Event management
1.Easier search: There should be an equivalent of the quick search bar for contacts for events. We run close to a
hundred events at any one time and it would be nice if we could access them from the front screen. The
workaround using Views/Finder works but doesn’t provide access to all the event functionality.
2.Configurable event dashboard: The dashboard as it is now is pretty much useless for us since it only shows
about a dozen events (we need a quick overview of many more) without any clear indication which events make it
there. Also, it would be nice to be able to choose the columns displayed. E.g. event type is irrelevant to most admins
but they would appreciate more granular registration count display. This could be built in Views in Drupal except,
Views don’t seem to have access to counts of users. Plus the links provided by views to event configuration and
participant listing appear to be broken.
3.Multiple changes to event configuration: Often we have lots of events that need to have a small change
made to them – e.g. the event price or location or default profile. It would be nice to be able to make those changes
at once. Also, it would be nice to be able to edit event dates and things like registration status inline without having
to go to the whole edit interface.
4.Participant info: Better access to participant info would be really great. It would be great to be able to
configure what is visible at a glance or have the participant profile expand similarly to what happens on case
listings.
Event functionality
1.Multiple registration paths: We need to register tutors, volunteers and students for the same event and it
would be nice if we could have a different registration page for each. Particularly for paid events where only
internal staff get to attend free. Showing a free option on the registration page is unprofessional and confusing.
2.Internal/hidden prices: At the very least, it would be nice if we could have internal/hidden prices for events.
At the moment, if we want to give somebody a special price we have no way of accounting for it in the database.
Some of this could be accomplished by CiviEvent discount http://drupal.org/project/civievent_discount
3.Post registration contributions/Partial payments: We have a number of events where the participants
have to go through an approval process before they are asked to pay. It would be nice if we could associate
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk
contribution pages with specific events and have those show up as fees. Even better, it would be nice if multiple
associated contributions would add up to an event’s fee (for instance, deposit and full payment).

18. Anybody wants to work on
Events?
http://bit.ly/civieventwishlist
4.Internal/external event titles: This is a small but annoying feature. We would like to be able to refer to
events with internal titles that would be used for internal listings and long descriptive titles that would be displayed
to students. This way, managing events is cumbersome within the existing interface.
5.CiviAdmissions: Many of our events require the student to go through an admissions process. We use CiviCase
for this at the moment but it is a big too big of an overkill for the job. It would be nice to have some sort of an event
admissions workflow to manage event status. Perhaps per event type event status list with notes on each status and
a record of event status changes on the event screen. Or an integration with CiviCase where a case status would
trigger an event status.
Profile behavior
1.Multi step profiles: This has been mooted elsewhere before. Here’s a nice way of how this can be accomplished
but it would be nice to have this as core functionality:http://civicrm.org/blogs/kurund/using-civicrm-profile-
survey
2.Private profile titles: The profile titles show up on the registration form as is which makes it impossible for us
to manage over 100 profiles effectively since we can’t name them in a descriptive way: “Short event initial info –
Version 2 since May 11″
3.Profile field logic: This has also been discussed. But we could really use “If you check X, Y becomes
available/compulsory” kind of logic on profiles.
4.Multi value fields in profiles: This is also not new and is standard functionality on most
forms. http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php?topic=11563.0
5.Contribution/participant fields on non-event related profiles: Very often we want to have participants
submit additional details that we want associated with their participant profile and/or a contribution. It would be
nice to be able to associate specific profiles with particular events and their related contributions.
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

19. Discussion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktylerconk/3045268759
training.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

20. Tweet comments
@techczech with
#civicrm