From f99b2d8e4907d088cbd5e6ec72d34597c019f842 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rrrutledge Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2018 06:25:45 -0700 Subject: [PATCH 1/3] Create benefits.md --- introduction/benefits.md | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+) create mode 100644 introduction/benefits.md diff --git a/introduction/benefits.md b/introduction/benefits.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9013c86c --- /dev/null +++ b/introduction/benefits.md @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ +This file holds the text to accompany the [What Are the Benefits of InnerSource?](https://www.safaribooksonline.com/videos/introduction-to-innersource/9781492041504/9781492041504-video321609) video. +This accompanying text will appear as a part of the learning path (like [this example](https://www.safaribooksonline.com/learning-paths/learning-path-lean/9781491999738/9781491946527-/part01ch01.html)). + +# What Are the Benefits of InnerSource? + +There are many benefits to collaborating via inner source. +Inner source gives a company a scalable strategy for **guest teams to get feature requests when they need them** without the long-term burden of maintainance. +The company as-a-whole wins as the time of guest teams is put into code that others can use. + +While that result is a shining benefit of inner source, there are many benefits to hosts that receive regular inner source contributions. +Recall that, as part of the inner source process, the product owner on the host team agrees from the outset that contributed features are good and desirable. +Inner source allows the host team to receive **help in creating a better product** for its consumers! + +**Inner sourcing provides the host team a scalable strategy** for fulfilling the varying amounts of features requested from its many consumers. +Given the fixed capacity of the full-time members of the host team, it's likely that, at times, the combined business roadmaps of its consumers will require very (or even unreasonably) large amounts of work to be done in the host team's products. +Without inner source, this situation easily leads to a stressed, overworked team dealing with many feature requests escalated to its leaders. + +However, if the host team operates via inner source, the engineering resources required to build those features will appear in-proportion to their importance in the form of guest contributors. +**Inner source becomes a force multiplier** that allows a host team to temporarily act larger than its actual size during times of high demand. +When the demand has ended, the team throughput scales back to normal levels, all without any micromanagement of team headcount or work items. + +Beyond the raw work that the host team is able to accomplish in its system, regular inner source contributions give the host team **better requirements and prioritization alignment with all of its consumers**. +A host team can do its best requirements gathering on the work it produces, but when the consumer itself is the one submitting the work the chances are much higher that the resulting change is aligned to just what the consumer needs. +While it may be only one single guest team submitting the change, that team is likely representative of many other consumers. + +In addition to this alignment, there is also a general training and education of contributors as they work with and learn from trusted committers. +Having made a code contribution, they feel a stake in the host team project. +It's something that they recommend to their colleagues or new teams that they join. +They understand the project better and are able to answer questions about it to others, relieving the host team of some of some of that burden. +This learning and cross-team alignment over time serves to **break down traditional company silos**. From 53bedb97a525991df943dd435f407a89088fb60a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rrrutledge Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 04:05:43 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 2/3] PR feedback --- introduction/benefits.md | 7 +++++-- 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/introduction/benefits.md b/introduction/benefits.md index 9013c86c..1bea4f08 100644 --- a/introduction/benefits.md +++ b/introduction/benefits.md @@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ A host team can do its best requirements gathering on the work it produces, but While it may be only one single guest team submitting the change, that team is likely representative of many other consumers. In addition to this alignment, there is also a general training and education of contributors as they work with and learn from trusted committers. -Having made a code contribution, they feel a stake in the host team project. +This interaction helps contributors to learn and grow in their career, resulting in **higher job satisfaction**. +Project documentation improves to enable these contributions at-scale. +Contributors feel a stake in the host team project. It's something that they recommend to their colleagues or new teams that they join. -They understand the project better and are able to answer questions about it to others, relieving the host team of some of some of that burden. +They understand the project better and are able to answer questions about it to others, relieving the host team of some of that burden. +More people contributing to a project naturally cross-pollinates ideas from all over the company. This learning and cross-team alignment over time serves to **break down traditional company silos**. From 58394e778ffac53ac5f05b99a47252438e05a96f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rrrutledge Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2019 12:11:42 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 3/3] Update benefits.md --- introduction/benefits.md | 1 + 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+) diff --git a/introduction/benefits.md b/introduction/benefits.md index 1bea4f08..1c9a66ab 100644 --- a/introduction/benefits.md +++ b/introduction/benefits.md @@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Without inner source, this situation easily leads to a stressed, overworked team However, if the host team operates via inner source, the engineering resources required to build those features will appear in-proportion to their importance in the form of guest contributors. **Inner source becomes a force multiplier** that allows a host team to temporarily act larger than its actual size during times of high demand. When the demand has ended, the team throughput scales back to normal levels, all without any micromanagement of team headcount or work items. +Inner source allows engineering time to organically flow where the organization needs it at a given time. Beyond the raw work that the host team is able to accomplish in its system, regular inner source contributions give the host team **better requirements and prioritization alignment with all of its consumers**. A host team can do its best requirements gathering on the work it produces, but when the consumer itself is the one submitting the work the chances are much higher that the resulting change is aligned to just what the consumer needs.