Research Says.....Insights on Building, Leading, and Sustaining Open Source

How do we know when a project is struggling? How can we build communities to sustain open source projects? In this beginner-friendly talk, I will describe recent research findings about successfully sustaining an open source project and the lifecycles of these projects. We know that open source software is fundamental to global communication, business, education, and more. This software is often produced and maintained through dynamic organizations in which we have a great deal of flexibility to choose our own tasks. But what we choose to work on and what the global public most needs are not always in alignment. What organizational structures, governance practices, and technology choices are associated with increased risk? And given these circumstances, how might we work together to improve software quality and security? Let's look at what we know about signs of trouble and strategies for success, and then discuss how the research community can better serve the needs of open source. You'll walk away with: * new ideas for taking action personally and inside organizations * specific data-driven insights into how projects evolve over time