Presentation by Duane Degler (Design for Context), David Newbury (Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh), and Robert Sanderson (The J. Paul Getty Trust) at the American Alliance of Museums 2017 Annual Meeting & MuseumEXPO in St. Louis, MO, on May 10, 2017. Open-source software has transformed the technology industry, and the movement's goals of community and access align closely with our museums' missions. So why do our open-source projects so often fail to succeed? Three experienced panelists offer three different perspectives and discuss topics such as the role of community and how to foster it, the importance of maintenance and maintainers, Not-Invented-Here, reputation capital, alignment issues with grant-funded projects, business models for open-source projects, and long-term sustainability.

1. Duane Degler
Design for Context
@ddegler
duane@designforcontext.com
David Newbury
Software Developer
@workergnome
david.newbury@gmail.com
Robert Sanderson
J. Paul Getty Trust
@azaroth42
rsanderson@getty.edu
Perspectives on Open Source
for Museums’ Digital Projects
AAM • Wednesday, May 10, 2017

2. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
Photo of additiona
presenter here (in
grayscale)
INFORMATION
ARCHITECT, DESIGNER
Understand models that
make information tick to
help people do things.
Duane Degler
STRATEGIST,
DEVELOPER
Building tools that help
make impossible things
merely difficult.
David Newbury
LINKED DATA
STRATEGIST
Maintaining strong
communities in support
of open standards.
Rob Sanderson
2

3. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
u What is Open Source, and Who Funds It?
u Using Open Source
u Creating Open Source
u Maintaining Open Source
SHARING PERSPECTIVES
3

4. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
WHAT IS OPEN SOURCE, AND WHO FUNDS IT?
4

5. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● An individual who “scratches their itch”
● Corporate development
● Often growing out of a bespoke project
● Reputation and mind-share
● Community project
5
“There are three main ways that OSS
is created…”
What is Open Source? Who Funds It?

6. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● In an individual’s spare time
● Corporate consultancy – services around the “product”
● Cloud-based services and hosting
● An OSS project becomes fundamental infrastructure
6
“There are four main ways that OSS is
sustained…”
What is Open Source? Who Funds It?

7. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
USING OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
7

8. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Software is a Tower of Babel – there is always a need for
translation and integration.
● You do it, or a contractor does it. Either way, you own
the effort.
● You have greater flexibility – but with it comes responsibility.
8
“Your institution is committing to
become an integrator.”
Using Open Source Software

9. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Open Source works well for developers
… But that means you need developers
● Are you willing to be your own support team?
9
“Open Source is not ‘Free’ –
It’s just a different cost model.”
Using Open Source Software

10. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● How do you manage the impact that changes have on users?
● You – not a product vendor – manage updates.
● Within one product (e.g. WordPress, Drupal), individual
modules upgrade at different rates.
● The process needs to be managed, and communication
with the development community is important.
10
“Keep up with evolving code bases?”
Using Open Source Software

11. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017 11
Your
thoughts?

12. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
CREATING OPEN SOURCE APPLICATIONS
12

13. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● OSS makes the world a better place…
… but in a different way than museums do.
13
“Intrinsic motivation?”
Creating Open Source Applications

14. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● What are standards? Norms? “Best” practices? e.g.
● Code syntax – HTML, CSS, JSON…
• Implementation will rarely be “standard”
● Data models and formats
● Accessibility
● Device dependence / independence
14
Creating Open Source Applications
“How to interpret ‘standards-based’?”

15. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017 15

16. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Projects have specific needs
● Your goal will not rarely be: create a generalizable application
● Is “custom open source” a thing? Or a myth?
16
“There’s no such thing as a generic
design.”
Creating Open Source Applications

17. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Step 1: Build your project.
● X = time and $ required
● Step 2: Generalize for a range of uses/environments.
● 3X
● Step 3: Document and build community
● 3X
17
Creating Open Source Applications
“What would a process look like?”

18. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017 18
Your
thoughts?

19. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
MAINTAINING OPEN SOURCE PRODUCTS
19

20. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Benevolent dictator for life (continuing the hobby/passion model)
● “Corporate” support (large companies & consultancies)
● (are CH institutions “corporations”?)
● Fundamental infrastructure (supported by, or establishing, foundations)
● Community-driven
20
Maintaining Open Source Products
“There are four main ways that OS is
maintained…”

21. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● Portfolio and community management
● Retaining knowledgeable staff
● Retaining budget / management commitment
● Preparing (not planning) for (inevitable) disruptions
21
Creating Open Source Applications
“Sustaining commitment…”

22. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
● That ol’ “I can do it better and faster” lament…
● Reinventing 80% is easy
● The specialized 20% is hard
22
Maintaining Open Source Products
“Keep… or Reinvent?”

23. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017 23
Your
thoughts?

24. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017 24
What can we learn from
this discussion?

25. @ddegler @workergnome @azaroth42 #AAM2017 AAM St. Louis, MO – May 10, 2017
Know how you’re going to fund it.
• Allow your developers time
• Join a consortium
• Create an institutional program
• Look to grants for seed money
25
Know what kind of software you’re making.
• One-off Software
• Custom Software
• Published Software
• Open-Source software
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

26. Duane Degler
Design for Context
@ddegler
duane@designforcontext.com
David Newbury
Software Developer
@workergnome
david.newbury@gmail.com
Robert Sanderson
J. Paul Getty Trust
@azaroth42
rsanderson@getty.edu
Perspectives on Open Source
for Museums’ Digital Projects
AAM • Wednesday, May 10, 2017