FAQ - Topcoder Community Town Hall with Doug Hanson, Topcoder CEO
WHO IS THE COMMUNITY CONTACT PERSON?
- Becky (becky.embree@topcoder.com) will continue to be your point of contact.
ARE THERE PLANS TO HIRE A NEW HEAD OF COMMUNITY?
- Yes. We will hire a new Head of Community after we complete a strategic planning process to help us re-envision the member community and how we can better align it to Topcoder’s vision for the future. The community strategy process kicks off in March. We will keep you updated on the timeline and process.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR TCO23...WILL THERE BE AN EVENT?
- No, there will not be an in-person TCO (Topcoder Open) event. In 2023 we will sunset the traditional in-person TCO event with a final virtual event instead. We will share details in late March. TCO has been an important part of Topcoder’s history. However, the expense of planning, hosting and staffing to support the event no longer make good business sense in this economic climate. While TCO is a much-loved event by many members, the reality is the impact of TCO on our broader member community has continued to shrink over the last few years. As we implement Topcoder’s new business strategy and build a new strategic vision for a vibrant member community, we look forward to developing new ways for members to earn, learn new skills and connect with one another around the world.
WHY ARE THERE SO FEW CHALLENGES?
- The current economic slowdown has impacted the demand for challenges. Topcoder is ramping up sales and marketing efforts to create more demand for challenges. We will continue to post challenges as they become available. Visit our challenge listing page here.
WHAT IS THE GENERAL TIMELINE FOR CHALLENGES?
- Challenges have a 2–4-month window from contract to execution. This business cycle also plays a key role in the immediate availability of challenges and why there may seem to be limited activity.
WHY HAS GIG WORK SLOWED DOWN?
- Post-pandemic hiring has slowed down and some companies are managing their costs in this current economic environment. Our newly formed marketing team is focused on driving demand for Topcoder business. Current data says 80% of companies plan to use freelance talent to support their business needs. This is good for Topcoder and our industry in general.
I SUBMITTED A THRIVE ARTICLE AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. IS THE THRIVE ARTICLE PROGRAM GOING TO CONTINUE?
- We have a significant backlog of articles which the team is reviewing now. If your article is approved for publishing, someone in the marketing team will be in touch with you. The Thrive article program will continue, and article ideas can be submitted here.
WILL PAY AND FREQUENCY OF PAYMENTS BE AFFECTED AT ALL?
- Payments will continue as scheduled.