Public Sector Open Source Program Offices -- Archetypes for how to Grow (Common) Institutional Capabilities

2022-06-29 · Source: cs.SE updates on arXiv.org · Field: Government & Public Sector — Digital Government & E-Government, Public Policy & Governance, Regulatory & Compliance · Depth: Expert, extended

Summary

This study identifies six distinct archetypes of Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) within Public Sector Organizations (PSOs) across the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland. Analyzing 16 cases through interviews with 18 OSPO representatives and two follow-up focus groups, the research explores how these organizational support functions enable the adoption, development, and collaboration on Open Source Software (OSS). OSS is critical for over 90% of digital infrastructure, yet PSOs face challenges like outsourcing reliance and regulatory hurdles. The archetypes provide insights into OSPO structures, responsibilities, and contributions, offering guidance for PSOs and policymakers to design OSPOs tailored to their specific contexts, resources, and policy goals, ultimately fostering digital sovereignty and service quality.

Key takeaway

For policymakers and public sector leaders aiming to accelerate digital transformation and achieve digital sovereignty, establishing a tailored Open Source Program Office (OSPO) is crucial. Your OSPO will act as a policy enabler and change agent, translating strategic objectives into actionable OSS adoption and development. You should formally incorporate OSS into digital agendas, invest in specialized training, and foster cross-sectoral collaboration, including civil society, to overcome skepticism and resource limitations, ensuring sustainable, interoperable, and high-quality public digital services.

Key insights

Public sector OSPOs, categorized into six archetypes, are crucial for enabling OSS adoption and achieving strategic digital transformation goals.

Principles

• OSPOs translate high-level policy into practical OSS implementation.
• Centralized platforms and communities amplify OSS adoption support.
• Open collaboration is generally preferred over Inner Source in public sector.

Method

A qualitative research approach involved interviewing 18 OSPO representatives from 16 public-sector cases, cross-analyzing findings into six archetypes, and validating with two focus groups.

In practice

• National governments should establish OSPOs to coordinate OSS strategy.
• Local governments can pool resources via associations for OSS projects.
• Universities should provide clear policy on OSS for research outputs.

Topics

• Open-Source Software
• Open-Source Program Offices
• Public Sector Digitalization
• Digital Sovereignty
• Software Governance
• Community Collaboration

Code references

• ibrahimhaddad/publications
• todogroup/ospodefinition.org

Best for: Policy Maker, Research Scientist, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by cs.SE updates on arXiv.org.