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Program management for open source projects

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2023-05-10

Keeping your bug tracker simple

Don’t try to make the perfect system from the beginning. Start with the basics. Solve problems after they become problems.

Categories Posts
2023-05-05

To grow an open source project, give up control

If the project structure shares leadership outside the company, it becomes more appealing to people outside the company.

Categories Posts
2023-05-03

Do release-blocking bugs have to be new?

If a bug existed in previous releases, should it block the upcoming release? There’s a case for “yes” and a case for “no”.

Categories Posts
2023-04-28

The solution isn’t interesting, the problem is

Nobody wants to use a computer. They want to get something done. Focusing on the problem instead of the solution gets you better results.

Categories Posts
2023-04-26

Little ways program managers add value

Some contributions aren’t a make-or-break moment, they’re a way to reduce the friction for contributors and make processes run smoother.

Categories Posts
2023-04-12

Embrace the non-judgmental “why?”

People don’t make bad decisions on purpose. If you understand why a decision was made in the past, you make better decisions for the future.

Categories Posts
2023-04-05

Footnotes and asides are a warning

Overuse of footnotes, commas, em dashes, and parentheses suggest your writing may be unclear. Keeping sentences focused helps your reader.

Categories Posts
2023-03-29

Use a decision log to record context

A decision log is a record that you leave for the future. It shares the context to save time when revisiting a past decision.

Categories Posts
2023-03-22

Words mean things

Choose your words carefully. You want people to discuss the facts, not the wording.

Categories Posts
2023-03-08

A donation for every sale in March

I’ll donate $10 for every ebook sale of my book on 8 March to Girls Who Code. For the rest of March, I’ll give $5 for every paper or ebook sale.

Categories News

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About This Site

Learn how to get your ducks in a row, your cats herded, or any other animal metaphor you can think of.

2025 trends

Hand-drawn graphs on a sheet of white paper sitting on a desk.
Read my 2025 open source trends predictions.

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Cover of the book Program Management for Open Source Projects

Ebooks available from The Pragmatic Bookshelf. Print available from Bookshop and Amazon.

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Upcoming talks

Want to book me for your project or company? See the Speaking page for details.

Latest posts

  • Use reserved domains and IPs in examples2025-05-07
  • Facilitating decisions is more important than making them2025-03-19
  • Helping your project survive the loss of core contributors2025-03-12
  • Rules and policies are necessary to define good behavior2025-03-05

Except where noted, all content © Ben Cotton and provided under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license except where noted. Logo design by alexlexi.

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