The Open Source Software Project Lifecycle: Challenges and Opportunities

Paula Hunter, Executive Director

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

Project Lifecycle

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

An Idea is bornPrototype Share ideas

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

Go public with projectLook for input / participationShare code

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

Looking for a few good codersAppoint committersIdentify gaps in code and coders

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

DocumentationForumsGovernance“Commercial” Support

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

People/companies are using the codeNew features, bug fixes Create a business

Wash, Rinse, Repeat!

Concept

Launch

Build Communit

y

Sustain Support

Adoption

People/companies are using the codeNew features, bug fixes Create a business

DocumentationForumsGovernance“Commercial” Support Looking for a few good coders

Appoint committersIdentify gaps in code and coders

Go public with projectLook for input / participationShare code

An Idea is bornPrototype Share ideas

Typical Software Company

CEO

Product Management

Product Requirements, Pipeline, Customer

feedback

Engineering

Development, QA

Sales and Marketing

Market and sell product, increase adoption, engage

customers

Services and Support

Installation and deployment, support,

bug reporting

IT, Operations, Legal and Finance

Manage company operations, finances,

and infrastructure

Typical OSS ProjectProject Leader *

Project Committer(s)

Project Contributor(s)

* Or team

Project Leader

Project Committer(s)

Project Contributor(s)

Project Leader

Project Committer(s)

Project Contributor(s)

Project Leader

Project Committer(s)

Project Contributor(s)

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Project Leader

Project Committer(s)

Project Contributor(s)

Looking Better?

CEO

Product Management

Product Requirements, Pipeline, Customer

feedback

Engineering

Development, QA

Sales and Marketing

Market and sell product, increase adoption, engage

customers

Services and Support

Installation and deployment, support,

bug reporting

IT, Operations, Legal and Finance

Manage company operations, finances,

and infrastructure

How Foundations Help

• Operations• Governance• Legal• Finance• Marketing• Mentorship

Orders

of

magnitude

Committers+

Code

Developers

Committers+

Code

Developers

Users

Committers+

Code

How do you encourage developers?(How do you make it easy to build/test/experiment?)

How do you make it easy to contribute?(What do you communicate to your community)

How do you increase your user base?(How do you make it easy to install/configure/use the software?)

An Open Source Project Framework

Software ConstructionCommunity Development

IP Management

Open Source Project FrameworkPr

ojec

t Exe

s pu

blis

hed

Proj

ect B

uild

Au

tom

ated

I

Proj

ect I

nsta

ll Au

tom

ated

Com

plet

e Sr

c pu

blis

hed

Proj

ect B

ug

Trac

king

Proj

ect B

uild

Au

tom

ated

II

Proj

ect T

est

Auto

mat

ed I

Proj

ect T

est

Auto

mat

ed II

Basi

c Ar

ch

Des

crip

tion

Software Construction Maturity

Open Source Project FrameworkPr

ojec

t Li

cens

e

Mis

sion

Stat

emen

t

Code

of

Cond

uct

Foru

ms,

Em

ail

Com

ms

Platf

orm

FAQ

s, H

ow to

Gov

erna

nce

Cont

ributi

on

Gui

delin

es

Even

ts

Community Development

Open Source Project FrameworkPr

ojec

t Li

cens

e

Prov

enan

ce

Trac

king

Repo

sito

ries

Prot

ecte

d

Dep

ende

ncie

s D

ocum

ente

d

Cont

ributi

ons

Audi

ted

Prov

enan

ce

Man

agem

ent

Com

mitt

ers

Inde

mni

fied

Com

mitt

er

Gov

erna

nce

Trad

emar

k M

anag

emen

t

IP Management Activities

Questions?Thank you.phunter@outercurve.org

@Outercurve, @huntermktwww.outercurve.org