This space is being used to develop a response to the Ford Foundation's, "Digital Infrastructure Research RFP".

Problem Being Addressed (summary & interpretation of Roads & Bridges report - not a element in the Concept Notes template):

Much of the digital infrastructure on which commerce depends has been generated and is maintained through Open Source Software (OSS) projects and open communities. Open Source Software tends to be initiated, created, and maintained through social modes of production, rather than traditional capitalist modes of production in which the creator makes proprietary claims of ownership to maximize profits. Instead, the project freely distributes code and other resources under open licenses with the hope of maximizing social value through use not restricted by proprietary intellectual property claims. The process of social modes of production has generated significant innovation and in-turn has lowered the barriers for cycles of creativity and innovation through the development of gratis and libre digital infrastructure including frameworks, languages, standards, applications, development tools, etc. These intellectual assets have been used extensively by for-profit and public organizations as critical elements of their value chain and operations. Social modes of production frequently struggle to resource continuing maintenance of digital infrastructure products and services as the demand for their software product increases without corresponding levels of resources to supply maintenance and development. This problem is endemic to the mixing of production models, as traditional for-profit companies and corporatized public agencies prioritize maximization of profit, there is the tendency toward free-riding on OSS to increase profit margins and pass the additional revenues on to equity holders. It is in part the financial Free-Riding effect of start-ups, venture capitalists, and for-profit companies that has put the sustainability of OSS digital infrastructure at risk and along with it, the well being of the organizations that rely on it. The conundrum facing OSS communities and the users of OSS digital infrastructure is how to preserve and nurture the benefits of social modes of production, while also ensuring that corporate free-riding is reduced to a level that allows for product sustainability and growth.

Narrative Questions (from Concept Notes template)

What is your research question? (100)

Most organizations considering OSS are unfamiliar with authentic open models of production, or how to assess the relative health of OSS communities. Decision makers lack resources to responsibly determine the reliability and sustainability of infrastructure which they depend upon. With such resources, “business readiness,” could be assessed while project success could be furthered.

How do potential investors assess the readiness of open source software projects and the communities that support them: What characteristics and behaviours are most beneficial--and are they present--to ensure the successful formation and operation, as well as long term sustainability of open source communities of practice?

Why is this question important to answer? (200)

What research method(s) will you use to answer this question? (200)

What data or other resources will you use to answer this question?  (200)

What is your vision of success? (200)

Guiding questions: Who is the audience for this work? What do you hope the near and long-term impacts of this work are on the digital infrastructure field? How will this work address the needs marginalized and under-represented communities?

Tell us more about the project team and collaborators. (200)