Curiosity, Collaboration, and Innovation At Any Scale

Harness the power of open source and an innovative culture to drive creativity and collaboration within your team—inspired by Mozilla, GitHub, OddBird, Igalia, and Factorial.

Published on: 2025-02-13

Written by Schalk Neethling

I spent almost twelve years of my career as a developer at Mozilla, where I had the privilege of working on a variety of projects, from FirefoxOS to the Mozilla Developer Network (MDN). One of the most impactful experiences during my time there was witnessing the power of open source and the culture of innovation it fosters. This culture wasn’t just about building software—it was about empowering individuals to explore new ideas, collaborate across teams, and drive meaningful change.

This is not unique to Mozilla. There is the famous 20% time at Google (I am unsure of the state of this in 2025) and GitHub has a similar culture for Hubbers in addition to running a dedicated research and innovation team as part of GitHub Next. As part of GitHub’s Open Source Program Office (OSPO) Zack Koppert and team has released their policies as open source. These are well-structured and provide a framework for managing open source projects—both internally and externally.

But it is not only large tech companies. There are also smaller companies and agencies who have embraced a similar culture such as OddBird (OddBird on GitHub), Igalia (Igalia on GitHub), and Factorial (Factorial.io on GitHub), where I currently work.

What if you could harness your team’s creativity during slower periods to build tools and solutions that streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and eventually serve as market differentiators? In this post, we’ll explore just that by learning from some of the principles behind GitHub’s Open Source Program Office (OSPO) policies and how leaning on and embracing an open source culture can drive innovation at any scale.

GitHub’s OSPO Policies

GitHub is a prime example of how open source principles can drive innovation and collaboration at scale. GitHub’s OSPO policies offer a well-structured framework for managing open source projects—both internally and externally. At the heart of these policies lies the importance of clear governance, which includes establishing defined roles and decision-making processes. This structure ensures that contributions are managed efficiently and that everyone understands their part in the process.

The policies also emphasize the importance of licensing and compliance. Projects must adopt appropriate open source licenses and have mechanisms in place to ensure that all contributions, whether proprietary or third-party, meet legal standards. Alongside these foundational elements is a strong focus on community engagement and transparency, should you decide to take your project or initiative public. Detailed documentation, open communication, and an inviting code of conduct create an environment where both internal teams and external contributors feel empowered to participate.

Moreover, robust security and risk management practices are in place to identify vulnerabilities and protect sensitive information. Explore the detailed GitHub OSPO Policies and adopt what makes sense for you and your organization.

Adapting OSPO Principles for Smaller Agencies

For a small agency, where resources are often limited and client demands run high, the idea of dedicating time to innovation projects might seem daunting. Yet, adopting an internal open source culture can transform the way a small agency operates, delivering significant competitive advantages. Imagine empowering your team to explore projects that tackle recurring client challenges turning these into reusable components or even fully fledged products. Addressing internal pain points and improving internal tooling is another avenue worth exploring (take the origins of Slack as an example). These projects can act like mini startups, offering the freedom to experiment, iterate, and occasionally embrace failure as a valuable learning opportunity.

Furthermore, a culture of continuous innovation elevates the quality of work and could position the agency as a forward-thinking leader in the market. This proactive approach to innovation not only improves the final product but also boosts employee morale. When team members are encouraged to work on projects they’re passionate about, it enhances engagement and helps attract and retain top talent. Should an internal project evolve into a robust tool or product that you choose to share with the world, it can serve as a powerful differentiator in a crowded market—drawing new clients, partners, and potentially opening up additional revenue streams.

To make this a reality, it’s important to weave innovation into your agency’s fabric. Instead of confining creative efforts to one team, encourage collaboration among designers, developers, and other creative professionals. Set aside dedicated time—perhaps during slower project cycles—for these internal ventures to flourish. Establish simple, yet clear, guidelines that outline how projects are initiated, how team members can contribute, and what the review process will look like. Comprehensive documentation such as README files and project roadmaps not only bolster internal collaboration but also lay the groundwork for future public releases if the project evolves that way.

A lightweight governance model is also crucial. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities, paired with flexibility to adapt to the creative process, can keep projects aligned with overall business objectives while still nurturing an innovative spirit.

Weighing the Pros and Cons: A Pragmatic Approach

Before diving in, it’s important to consider both the advantages and potential challenges of adopting an innovative open source culture.

Pros

• Fosters Innovation:
  Provides a creative outlet for employees, leading to breakthrough ideas that can evolve into valuable products or process improvements.

• Enhances Collaboration:
  Encourages cross-departmental interaction, resulting in richer, more innovative solutions.

• Improves Efficiency:
  Developing reusable components can speed up client project delivery and reduce future development costs.

• Boosts Morale:
  Employees appreciate the opportunity to work on projects they’re passionate about, which in turn increases overall engagement and job satisfaction.

• Builds Competitive Edge:
  Unique, well-executed projects can set your agency apart in a crowded market—especially if these projects are later shared with the broader community.

Cons

• Resource Constraints:
  Diverting time from billable client work to innovation projects might affect short-term revenue.
  Mitigation: Balance innovation projects with client work and schedule them during slower periods.

• Risk of Failure:
  Not every project will succeed, which could lead to wasted time and resources. Mitigation: Treat failures as learning opportunities and keep initial projects small and experimental. Fail fast, fail early.

• Maintenance Challenges:
  Ongoing support for internal projects requires dedicated resources. Without proper prioritization, innovation projects may detract from core business activities. Mitigation: Set clear goals, timelines, and prioritize projects with clear long-term value and schedule regular reviews. Refer to the point above.

• Legal/IP Risks:
  Prematurely open sourcing a project without proper legal review can expose your agency to intellectual property issues.
  Mitigation: Engage legal and compliance teams early and adhere to established open source guidelines. Don’t rug pull.

Framework for Identifying Internal Project Opportunities

You have weighed the pros and cons and decided you want to give this a try. When evaluating potential internal projects, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

1. Pain Point Analysis

• Frequency: How often does this challenge occur?

  • Daily operational friction
  • Recurring client requests
  • Regular workflow bottlenecks

• Impact Scope: Who is affected?

  • Multiple teams or departments
  • Client-facing processes
  • Development workflow

• Time Cost: What’s the current overhead?

  • Hours spent on manual processes
  • Time lost to context switching
  • Delays in project delivery

2. Solution Assessment

• Reusability Potential

  • Can be applied across multiple projects
  • Addresses common industry challenges
  • Potential for broader community adoption

• Technical Feasibility

  • Aligns with team expertise
  • Clear technical boundaries
  • Manageable scope

• Resource Requirements

  • Initial development effort
  • Ongoing maintenance needs
  • Training and documentation needs

3. Strategic Value

• Business Impact

  • Cost reduction potential
  • Revenue generation opportunities
  • Market differentiation

• Team Growth

  • Skill development opportunities
  • Cross-team collaboration potential
  • Knowledge sharing possibilities

Evaluation Matrix

Score each dimension from 1-5 and prioritize projects that score highest across categories:

Red Flags

• No clear owner or champion
• Requires specialized knowledge only one person has
• Highly coupled with proprietary client code
• Unclear success metrics
• Too broad or ambitious in scope

Guidance for Public Open Sourcing of Internal Projects

When an internal project begins to show promise, and you’re considering sharing it with the world, a deliberate transition plan is essential. Start by collaborating with your legal team to select an open source license that aligns with your business objectives and protects your intellectual property. Comprehensive documentation is a must—ensure that your project includes a detailed README, clear contribution guidelines, and a code of conduct so that external contributors know how to engage.

• GitHub’s OSPO has a template release policy document and a checklist of sorts to assist you when you are ready to release your project.
• Refer to Qilin as an example

Next, establish a governance model that outlines roles for maintaining the project and managing community contributions over time. Conduct thorough audits to ensure that no proprietary or sensitive information is inadvertently shared, and verify that all third-party components are properly licensed. Finally, develop a community engagement strategy by setting up channels like issue trackers and discussion forums, which will support ongoing collaboration and ensure the project’s long-term success once it becomes public.

• The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) has detailed guidance and documents for maintaining open source projects at any scale.
• Another project with a well-documented governance model is the MDN Web Docs Browser Compatibility Data project.

Conclusion

Innovation is the lifeblood of any forward-thinking agency. By adopting an internal open source culture inspired by the practices of larger organizations like GitHub and Mozilla, even small agencies can transform idle periods into opportunities for breakthrough ideas. This approach not only enhances cross-team collaboration and operational efficiency but also paves the way for developing tools and products that set your agency apart in a competitive market.

While there are challenges—resource constraints, maintenance overhead, and legal complexities—the long-term benefits of increased innovation, improved employee engagement, and enhanced market positioning far outweigh the risks. With careful planning, clear guidelines, and a pragmatic balance between client work and creative exploration, your agency can harness the power of an internal open source culture to drive growth and success.

Additional Resources

For those looking to dive deeper into the world of open source policies, project management, and innovation, here are some valuable resources:

Program Management for Open Source Projects by Ben Cotton

Program Management for Open Source Projects is a comprehensive guide that delves into the intricacies of managing community-driven open source initiatives. The book emphasizes the importance of intentional structure within open source projects, highlighting that while bureaucratic processes naturally develop, they should always serve the project’s goals. Cotton distinguishes program management from project management, focusing on facilitating effective communication between teams, managing project lifecycles, coordinating change processes, and conducting productive meetings. By applying the principles outlined in this book, open source projects can become more successful, predictable, and enjoyable for all participants.

Work in Public by Nadia Eghbal

Work in Public offers an in-depth examination of contemporary open source software development and its broader implications for online social dynamics. Nadia observes a shift from the collaborative open source models of the late 1990s to a present-day landscape dominated by individual developers whose code is utilized by millions. Drawing from interviews with numerous developers during her tenure at GitHub, she delves into the structures, roles, incentives, and relationships inherent in open source projects, emphasizing the often-overlooked maintenance responsibilities that creators bear. The book also critiques the role of platforms like GitHub, Twitter, and YouTube, which, while reducing infrastructure and distribution costs for creators, significantly amplify interactions with their audiences. Nadia argues that modern open source serves as a lens to understand the challenges faced by online creators, highlighting the evolving dynamics between individual contributors and the communities they engage with.

Business Success with Open Source

Business Success with Open Source is a comprehensive guide that explores how organizations can strategically engage with free and open source software (FOSS) to enhance their operations and achieve business objectives. The book delves into the fundamentals of FOSS, including its significance, the distinctions between free and open source software, and the role of community contributions. It addresses critical topics such as intellectual property management, licensing, and common business risks associated with FOSS, providing insights into supply chain awareness, license compliance, security, and sustainability. Additionally, the book discusses the establishment of Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) and the development of policies and procedures for both inbound and outbound FOSS engagement. By shifting from an accidental to an intentional FOSS strategy, businesses can drive innovation, reduce costs, improve security, and strengthen their brand.

By exploring these resources alongside the strategies discussed in this post, you can build a solid foundation for internal innovation and transform creative ideas into tangible competitive advantages. Happy innovating!