Skip to content

change-the-developers-mindset.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
56 lines (37 loc) · 2.28 KB

change-the-developers-mindset.md

File metadata and controls

56 lines (37 loc) · 2.28 KB

Title

Change the developers mindset

Patlet

Developers resist adopting InnerSource collaboration practices because they are comfortable with existing hierarchical workflows and middle management does not actively support the change. Combining visible recognition of InnerSource contributions, formalized training, clearer processes, and explicit management objectives creates the conditions needed to shift developer behavior.

Problem

  • How do you change developer mindset? It's difficult to push developers to do things.
  • Developers are resisting the change, they are in their comfort zone and it's hard to get them to go out of it.
  • Developer organization's maturity is high, so people are used to being in some hierarchy/rules.
  • Developers are formed in Agile, the shift from Agile is difficult.

Context

  • Top-down InnerSource support exists.
  • 3k population of developers.
  • Middle management is not supporting InnerSource.
  • There is already a successful InnerSource group in the early stages.
  • Code visibility is product dependent.

Forces

  • Managers are previous developers, so they like the way they were promoted and they want to proceed in similar ways.
  • Managers restrict what developers can spend time on, perhaps because of KPIs they have to meet and their belief in the best way to meet those.
  • The approach to the InnerSource initiative is top down - it is supported by top management.
  • Different teams within the company decide whether and how to proceed with InnerSource.
  • No formal training exists.
  • Processes are not clearly defined.

Solution

  • Show reward/recognition of the developer team that is engaged in InnerSource.
  • Formalize training.
  • Clarify more processes.
  • Give middle management specific objectives to make InnerSource successful.
  • Listen to manager complaints and fears and counter them.

Resulting Context

  • Software from several InnerSource projects is used across the several development teams.
  • There is improved collaboration within the same developer team (mentorship and so on).

Known Instances

TBD

Status

  • Initial

See Also