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This guide explains how organizations can build leadership and influence within the open source projects they’re involved in and on which they are commercially dependent. Learn about leadership culture and roles within a project, how decisions are made, how an organization can build leadership, and tips for being a good leader in open source communities.

Open source development requires a different approach to software engineering than many organizations are accustomed to. It becomes easier if you have a clear plan to follow. Fortunately, many companies and individuals have already forged a path to success by contributing to significant open source projects in strategic ways. This practical guide will help you and your company improve your internal development process and prepare you to contribute to the open source projects that matter most to your company.

Open source program managers must demonstrate the ROI of their efforts. This guide provides an overview of some of the standard ways that organizations evaluate their open source programs, projects, and contributions. Learn what to measure, how to define success, and how to best use this information to advance your open source program objectives, demonstrate effectiveness, and gain support.

So what is an open source program office (or "OSPO")? It is the hub of an open source program. The OSPO is a designated place where open source is supported, nurtured, shared, explained, and grown inside a company. With such an office in place, businesses can establish and execute on their open source strategies in clear terms, giving their leaders, developers, marketers, and other staff the tools they need to make open source a success within their operations.

This guide covers what it means to contribute to open source as an organization and how to become a good corporate citizen. Learn how open source projects are structured, how to contribute, why it’s important to devote internal developer resources to participation, and why it’s important to create a strategy for open source participation and management.