Operator involvement on OSS projects

You cannot simply have your end users give some specifications then leave while you attempt to build your new system. They need to be involved throughout the process. Ultimately, it is their tool to use.”
José Manuel De Arce
here.

As an OSS consultant and implementer, I couldn’t agree more with José’s quote above. José, by the way is an OSS Manager at Telefónica, so he sits on the operator’s side of the implementation equation. I’m glad he takes the perspective he does.

Unfortunately, many OSS operators are so busy with operations, they don’t get the time to help with defining and tuning the solutions that are being built for them. It’s understandable. They are measured by their ability to keep the network (and services) running and in a healthy state.

From the implementation side, it reminds me of this old comic:
Too busy

The comic reminds me of OSS implementations for two reasons:

  1. Without ongoing input from operators, you can only guess at how the new tools could improve their efficacy and mitigate their challenges
  2. Without ongoing involvement from operators, they don’t learn the nuances of how the new tool works or the scenarios it’s designed to resolve… what I refer to as an OSS apprenticeship

I’ve seen it time after time on OSS implementations (and other projects for that matter) – [As a customer] you get back what you put in.

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