Add blog post: Calling New Contributors research study

content/en/blog/2025/calling-new-contributors/index.md

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+---
+title: Calling New Contributors: Help Us Improve the OpenTelemetry Onboarding Experience
+linkTitle: New Contributor Research Study
+date: 2025-12-05
+author: >-
+  [Amy Super](https://github.com/amy-super)(Grafana Labs)
+issue: 7966
+sig: Contributor Experience
+---
+
+If you've ever thought about contributing to OpenTelemetry but weren't sure where to start, you're not alone. In a [recent community](https://opentelemetry.io/blog/2025/contribex-survey-results/) survey, we heard that people were excited to contribute but got stuck taking those first steps. Contributing to open source can feel daunting, and we want to change that.
+
+That's why we're launching a new research study focused on the *new contributor
+experience*. We want to understand what's working well, where people are having issues,
+and how we can better support community members who want to get involved.
+
+## Why We're Doing This
+
+As an open source project, OpenTelemetry thrives on community
+contributions. If new contributors struggle to get started, it's frustrating for them and 
+ slows down the overall project.
+
+The recent survey results uncovered some challenges: from finding the right documentation, to setting up
+their environment, to figuring out where to ask for help. We're grateful that the data helped us understand *what* is challenging, but now we'd like to learn more about *why* those things are challenging.
+
+## What the Research Study Involves
+
+We're looking to talk with people who:
+
+* Are new to contributing to OpenTelemetry, or
+* Have tried to contribute but found the process difficult.
+
+Through short interviews, we'll learn about what worked, what
+didn't, and what could make it easier for you (and others) to get started.
+
+Every experience matters, whether you've already submitted multiple pull requests or never
+got past the "I want to help" stage.
+
+## How to Participate
+
+If you're interested in joining the study, we'd love to hear from you!
+[Sign up here](https://calendar.app.google/YRgmzf8zJDSKYaj49)
+
+Participation involves a short interview with our research team, and your
+feedback will be used to improve the OpenTelemetry contributor experience for
+everyone.
+
+## Help Build the Future of OpenTelemetry
+
+Open source is strongest when it's inclusive and accessible. By sharing your
+perspective, you'll play a direct role in shaping a smoother path for future
+contributors.
+
+We can't wait to learn from you and make
+contributing to OpenTelemetry a more welcoming journey.