InnerSource helps when there are multiple teams at our company that have a shared need - business or technical. We want one shared project that all can leverage. This sharing allows each team to spend as much time as possible in their unique business area instead of reinventing what someone has done before.
We manage shared projects via InnerSource, meaning that we apply open source practices and principles to the way that they are run. These projects are open for reuse and contribution across the company. In theory, any project can be an InnerSource project, but you can find popular InnerSource projects listed in the company InnerSource portal.
InnerSource needs to be a part of the way we work. When delivering on your software roadmap, when you come across a need that is likely shared with other teams, stop and think. Has anyone else at the company already build something that (almost) solves this need? If so, on-board to that project, even if that means contributing to it first to extend it to meet your use case. If there is not an existing project, then build it in a sharable way with yourself as its first consumer, and then list it in the InnerSource portal.
Working in this way helps us to get the most as a company out of the engineering time that we all put in and enables us to spend more time on our unique mission as a company. Adopt The InnerSource Mentality.
