Some of the attributes of successful open source projects include welcoming diverse viewpoints, lowering barriers to entry, being responsive to community contributions, and remaining transparent about decision making. When you are building a community for a company-based open source project, there’s no reason why you can not incorporate most (if not all) of these aspects.

Additionally, community members often decide to get involved in an open source community (whether it is company-based or otherwise) because they are passionate about the technology, culture, and/or other members of the community. So when you are building a community in a company-based open source project, it is important to understand your members’ (especially intrinsic) motivations and to focus on cultivating an environment where community members can have a fulfilling experience. In your community, you may also be able to provide opportunities for professional growth (e.g. in programming, leadership, collaboration, and other skills) that community members can benefit from.

There are of course differences between company-based and traditional open source communities, and you will need to adopt different approaches in areas such as communications, community governance, metrics, recognition, etc. The presenter will be sharing their learnings, including their transition from traditional open source communities to a (for-profit) open source company.