From Idea to Impact: Clan 2’s DevRel Guide Strategy in DX Mentorship

Building More Than Buzz.

When Clan 2 was given the reins of the DX Mentorship Community for the week, we asked ourselves a simple but bold question:

What can we build that will outlast our time?

In a space full of threads, sessions, and classes, we wanted to create something that could grow beyond us. That spark led us to one of the most underestimated tools in developer relations: documentation. But not just any docs — a living, collaborative, community based open-source DevRel Guide built with Mintlify.

What began as a strategic idea quickly became a cornerstone resource for the wider DX mentorship community.

The Problem We Saw

For many new and aspiring DevRel professionals, the question isn’t whether to learn — it’s where to start?.

The internet is full of scattered advice, job tips, and open-source opportunities, but the content is fragmented and overwhelming.

Our community had talent and curiosity, but few entry points to contribute to something real.

Clan 2 saw this as both a challenge and an opportunity. We realized that by creating a centralized, user-friendly guide covering resumes, portfolios, open-source tips, and more, we could:

• Offer a platform for low-barrier contributions

• Provide hands-on, real-world experience

• Help members build public proof of work

• Lay the foundation for a resource future clans could grow

And the best part? Anyone in the community could contribute — not just Clan 2.

Why Documentation? Why Mintlify?

We chose Mintlify for two simple reasons:

1. Ease of use — It’s as simple as writing Markdown. No complex setup.

   The learning curve was low, and contributions could be made via GitHub without needing deep technical know-how.

2. Professional output — It looks clean, elegant, and ready to share.

Most importantly, documentation is the beating heart of developer experience — yet it's often overlooked in DevRel programs. By involving the community in creating the guide, we turned the act of documentation into a shared experience.

The Engagement Strategy (1-Week Plan)

We rolled out a 7-day plan that combined storytelling, daily prompts, reminders, and virtual connection.

Throughout the week, we encouraged async updates, talked about it, and gently nudged people to add or edit pages. The entire experience was designed to be low-friction but high-impact.

Badges as Social Proof and Motivation

To recognize every contribution — no matter how small — Clan 2 issued digital badges through Canva.

• Contributors got custom-designed badges after adding pages or improving documentation

• These badges were publicly announced on Discord

• Members added them to their profiles, LinkedIn, and portfolios as proof of contribution.

• We launched a Wall of Fame for ongoing recognition

  

Why it worked: People love visible wins. Badges gave contributors a tangible artifact to show their work — something often missing in early DevRel or open source journeys.

Mini-Events to Drive Collaboration

While async contributions worked, real-time collaboration sparked momentum. On Day 3, Clan 2 hosted a virtual co-working event via Google Meet. Six members showed up, collaborated live, and made meaningful contributions during the session.

No speakers. No pressure. Just a shared space to do the work together.

Tip: You don’t need big turnouts for events to matter. Small focused sessions often create deeper engagement and higher output.

Impact Highlights

• 10+ new Discord messages (organic conversation growth)

• 8 GitHub contributors

• 20+ pages added to the Mintlify DevRel Guide

• 6 forks, 4 stars on the repo

• 8 community badges awarded

• Collaboration with Clan 3 (who used our guide during their own focus week)

A special moment? Seeing members of Clan 3 contribute to the guide after we proposed it as a shared resource for their resume and job search week. True DevRel spirit.

Collaboration with Clan 3

When Clan 3 began their week (focused on DevRel careers and personal branding), we extended an open invitation to build on the guide.

They contributed a new section on Portfolios and Job Search Tips, and even earned badges as contributors. This wasn’t just a handoff — it was a real example of community compounding over time.

Why this mattered: It allowed for continuity of effort between clans, made the resource richer, It showed that DevRel is stronger when it’s collaborative, not competitive. Each clan's work can inspire, shape, and grow the next.

What Our Contributors Are Saying

The response from the community was incredible. Here’s what some of our contributors had to say about the project and their experience:

What We Learned

• Make it easy: Markdown + GitHub + Mintlify lowered the barrier to contribution.

• Recognition matters: Badges gave members social proof.

• Think long-term: A lasting resource > fleeting engagement.

• Cross-clan collaboration is powerful: We’re stronger together.

What could be improved

• Not all Clan 2 members went public about the guide

• We could’ve sent weekend reminders to keep up momentum

• More mentor engagement could’ve deepened contributions

Still, for a one-week initiative, the outcomes speak volumes.

What’s Next?

The DevRel Guide remains open for contributions because it’s a community based guide that would forever be open and monitored by members of clan 2. Future clans can build on this foundation.

We believe this model — using documentation as a contribution and community strategy — is something more tech communities should explore.

Final Reflection

In DevRel, everyone talks about community. But community isn’t just about gathering; it’s about building.

Clan 2 chose to build. And we invite you — wherever you are in your DevRel journey — to build with us.

🔗 Check out the DevRel Guide: https://dxmentorship-docs.vercel.app

🛠 Contribute on GitHub: https://github.com/devrelcollective/dxdevrel_guides