[Openmind 2012] How NOT to do open source - community manager's view by Jarkko Moilanen (Open Source Community Enabler, OSSOIL)

Openmind 2012 / Open Knowledge Festival 2012
http://okfestival.org/open-source-software/

Transcript

1. Communities.ossoil.com
   How NOT to do open source
   Jarkko Moilanen
   Open Source Community Enabler
   jarkko.moilanen@ossoil.com
   Community managers view
   

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2. Communities.ossoil.com
   “Living the open source”
   Long term research about Open Source
   Communities (Masters Thesis, now PhD candidate)
   Not just observing but inside Open Source
   

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3. Communities.ossoil.com
   Given task
   Right and and wrong way?
   Co-operation?
   might not be the least painful way
   Can be cumbersome, complex
   mesh
   Depends on situation
   ...but there are basic
   aspects to consider
   

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4. Communities.ossoil.com
   Choose your goal and values
   ●
   Lively, enthuastic and proactive community (Open and transparent
   communication and decisionmaking)
   ●
   Adapt to changes faster (live inside open source)
   ●
   Get innovative solutions and options (hacking is seen as positive)
   ●
   Get quick profit (Use open source efforts only for profit)
   ●
   Our internal work and teams are more creative than open source
   community
   ●
   Sharing skills and information (outside company) is to be avoided
   If you prefer option 2, you can leave now and skip the following slides...
   1
   2
   

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5. Communities.ossoil.com
   So you decided to stay...
   ... is not familiar with open source
   values and communities
   ... has no history in open source
   development
   Get help! Don't jump into ocean
   without knowing how to swim!
   If your staff...
   

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6. Communities.ossoil.com
   “We just use open source”
   Community
   Embrace organisational overlapping
   - Can be cumbersome
   - Can be a mesh (not clear cut)
   - At best combines two or more networks
   - Often requires organisational changes
   Instead try to live
   inside open source
   Company Company
   Community
   Mindset
   Contribute back to community
   

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7. Communities.ossoil.com
   Overlapping Developer Roles
   Support natural overlapping roles
   If your developers are not open source prone and your
   business is, time for HR replacements
   - 'turn' developers to open source
   in one night
   - give only one option in development
   - strict boundaries == no freedom
   - stick with one set op dev tools
   - hire open source people
   - educate existing developers
   - embrace freetime hacking
   - give credit for open source activities
   - enable dev tool selection
   

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8. Communities.ossoil.com
   “We hire just developers with
   certificates!”
   Developer types vary
   “9 to 5” -developer
   - does for the money
   - bind to office hours
   - does (internal) app
   development
   “Focused 24/7” -developer
   - not just for money
   - contributes to community
   - still in apps only
   “Spread 24/7” - developer
   - community as lifestyle
   - multiple areas (core, apps, tools)
   - contributes to community
   You need
   all types!
   + active users, hobby developers
   Commitment grows ->
   

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9. Communities.ossoil.com
   “Why aren't you coding?!”
   Adjust HR policy towards open
   source
   - 'turn' developers to open source
   in one night
   - give only one option in development
   - strict boundaries == no freedom
   - hire open source people
   - educate existing developers
   - embrace freetime hacking
   - give credit for open source activities
   - use community as dev pool
   - analyze (or buy) community
   - request 'Git' references
   

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10. Communities.ossoil.com
    “Values? We follow profit only!”
    Try to look beyond next quarter
    - Turn community efforts into cash
    - You shall not seek outside the box
    - Fixed plans and teams
    - Rely on internal skills
    - Fear of loosing control
    - Communities are bigger than
    individual companies
    - freedom, fun loving
    - Loves alternatives
    - make oriented
    - sharing (w/ altruism)
    

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11. Communities.ossoil.com
    Cracks in the shell
    Open communication & plans
    Transparent decisionmaking
    - Decisions in the background
    - Decisionmakers from company
    - Use only internal information flow
    - Only own (duplicate) bugtrackers
    - Code kept hidden and stall release
    - Dictate changes
    - Decisions in public
    - Involve all (relatively)
    - Use public methods
    - Use shared & public resources
    - Rely on discussion
    trust
    disbelief
    

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12. Communities.ossoil.com
    Conclusions
    Companies OSS communities
    - Fails to adjust company policies
    - Neglects open communication
    - Fails to see values of transparency
    - Fails to adjust own organization
    - Fails to understand that communities
    need skillful community manager
    - Lives too much on it's own
    - In some cases ideological
    boundaries
    - Sometimes chaotic
    - Slow changes
    - Unpredictable (failure or not?)
    Both need to understand
    each other more
    Meet half way and discuss
    

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13. Communities.ossoil.com
    What to do?
    Don't open source all
    Educate your staff
    Hire open source developers
    Evaluate communities constantly (outsource)
    Hire community manager from outside (acts as 3rd party)
    Engage staff to community
    Open up your communication and plans
    (regarding parts where community is involved)
    Company perspective
    Questions?
    

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14. Communities.ossoil.com
    How NOT to do open source
    Jarkko Moilanen
    Open Source Community Enabler
    jarkko.moilanen@ossoil.com
    Community managers view
    

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