Propose Developer Experience project

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projects/developer_experience.md

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+# Developer Experience Project
+
+## Background and description
+
+Convenience as a SIG was initially proposed by [Ted
+Young](https://github.com/tedsuo) back in 2021. It was postponed to prioritize
+completion of signal specs and stabilization. A document was written at this
+time describing the intent to do user research and a brainstorming session,
+https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bjiw5L4E8FztRtfsy4Nu9A6qSP-BJlK6BBzl6Rea-Ds/edit#heading=h.b7qckyjgu28i.
+This brainstorm resulted in a list of some existing convenience functions
+languages have and proposed ones, like a `start` which takes the tracer from the
+active span in the current context, and proposals for defining annotations for
+easier instrumentation.
+
+### Current challenges
+
+We know users can find the API and SDK to be complex and daunting, the challenge
+is to collect actionable feedback on this issues. That information is spread
+across various languages' issues, blog posts and other online commentary.
+Performing an end user survey will help collect some of this knowledge into a
+central place that is actionable.
+
+When developer experience issues are encountered and addressed they are
+currently done in the various language implementations individually and this can
+lead to drift between different implementations and with the spec. An example
+would be how to handle marking a code block as `untraced` which has
+implementations in at least Java, Ruby and Javascript, each done differently,
+named differently and with no specification. This means users working across
+languages experience different results for similar features and other language
+SIG's aren't necessarily even aware of the pain point that their users may
+actually be experiencing.
+
+### Goals, objectives, and requirements
+
+With the 3 main signals going stable the time is right to circle back and
+address issues users may have faced over the years they've now been using
+OpenTelemetry.
+
+This project aims to identify developer experience issues with using
+OpenTelemetry, to select 3 that are concerns which can be addressed through
+updates to the specification and resolve them.
+
+## Deliverables
+
+The first deliverable will be the collection of experience in dealing with
+developer experience issues by each existing language SIG. This means not only
+additions to the API/SDK or libraries developed to enhance the experience for
+users but any that may be planned or are being thought about because of a
+frequent request from their users. A report of the findings will be shared with
+the whole community.
+
+Utilizing the knowledge gained from the first deliverable on potential areas of
+improvement the next deliverable will be an end user survey. Assuming the agreement and
+participation of the End User SIG this will be done in cooperation with them. A
+write-up of the results will follow, along with the group's decision on the top 3
+issues for the group to work on.
+
+Prototypes of resolutions will be developed and, depending on the scope of the
+identified problem, OTEP's will be created where appropriate before opening PR's
+to the specification.
+
+## Staffing / Help Wanted
+
+- Project Lead: Tristan Sloughter (MyDecisiveAI)
+
+- GC sponsors: 
+  - @austinlparker (Honeycomb)
+  - @tedso (Lightstep)
+
+- TC sponsors:
+  - @tedso (Lightstep)
+  - @lmolkova (Microsoft)
+
+- Maintainers, approvers and contributors:
+  - @dmathieu (Elastic)
+  - @julianocosta89 (Datadog)
+  - @martinjt (Honeycomb)
+  - @samsp-msft (Microsoft)
+  - @stevejgordon (Elastic)
+
+## Meeting Times
+
+Weekly meetings TBA.
+
+## Timeline
+
+Work with End User SIG: Weeks but start time of this depends on their
+availability.
+
+Identifying priorities: Weeks
+
+Working on priorities: Weeks to months per.
+
+## Labels
+
+TBA
+
+## Linked Issues and PRs
+
+TBA
+
+## Project Board
+
+TBA