How can I find open source projects in need of project management resources?

views:

answers:

How can I find open source projects in need of project management resources?

I'm a developer who wants to improve and exercise project management skills in order to improve my career path choices (better job offers, more varied potential positions). If I don't have opportunities to do this in my work, how can I find other projects that will allow me to exercise these skills?

Basically I want to find extracurricular activities that will give me the opportunity to show current and future employers a proven track record of PM skills.

+2 A:

The best thing to do is get on the mailing list of some of the open source projects that you like and offer your services. Offer to help with documentation etc. and you will quickly be adopted into the group and be able to take a more active role in the project. Just start with the mailing list where the active contributers are.

runxc1 Bret Ferrier 2010-06-18 17:52:27

The only problem I see with that is that either I'm getting on a lot of mailing lists, or I'm picking one project and hoping its in dire need of an unexperienced project manager. I assume many open source projects already have decent project management, so I want to find a way of seeking out the ones that might not, or especially ones that might need project management but not realize the needs.

Jherico 2010-06-18 17:55:28

I agree, go to sourceForge or GoogleCode to find some active projects. But you need to aware that resource management in open source project may have difference from business project. How about try some freelance project?

ZEAXIF 2010-06-18 17:58:44

+1 A:

Nearly every open source project needs project management; although, I imagine that most would chafe greatly trying to implement it.

Find an open source project that is interesting to you, preferably a product that you already use and approach the team about integrating your services.

Adam Crossland 2010-06-18 17:54:03

I suppose that naturally leads to another question of 'how do you offer project management to those who don't necessarily want it'

Jherico 2010-06-18 17:56:44

I wouldn't necessarily say that they won't want it, but my perception is that for most programmers, their open source work is the fun part of their day, and the un-fun part, by which they are likely earning their livings, is fraught with project managers who at least appear to be the enemy. If this is going to work out for everybody involved, you will have to adopt a pretty particular style of project management that will not chafe and will visibly add value to their process and productivity. As Bret noted in his answer, taking on documentation would be a huge win for an FOSS team.

Adam Crossland 2010-06-18 18:00:49

ansaurus

tags:

views:

answers:

How can I find open source projects in need of project management resources?

related questions