OSS Watch is funded to provide advice to projects, in most cases we do not engage directly with projects. However, occasionally we identify a project that is of significant interest to OSS Watch. In these rare cases we may opt to designate a project as a Strategic Project.
Our engagement with a strategic project is as a community member in an open development project. This means that we do not guarantee a given level of resource, instead we engage with the project if and when we feel that it serves the needs of OSS Watch and the project community as a whole. It is therefore helpful to indicate what OSS Watch seeks to gain from our involvement:
- Understanding of the application of open development processes in projects based in academic institutions
- Develop case studies of open development in academic based projects
- Understanding of activities within given communities
It is also important to stress the kinds of activities we do and do not undertake within strategic projects:
We will assist with the creation, documentation and implementation of a suitable governance model for the project
We will assist with the creation and management of an open development infrastructure
We will assist with community development activities
We will act as an evangelist for the project
We will help explore sustainability options
We will not engage with technical aspects of the project (e.g. design, programming, testing)
We will not provide financial support for the project
A typical Strategic Project will:
either be open development or intend to adopt open development
- be a software development project
- have potential to reach sustaianability either through community development or commercial exploitation
If you feel that your project could make an ideal case study then [info@oss-watch.ac.uk drop us a line].
This StrategicProjectTemplateLetter specifies the terms of our contribution to strategic projects.
