State of InnerSource - Goals, Strategy, Response Rates

[claredillon]

At the Jan 2023 ISC board meeting - there was a discussion regarding the State of InnerSource Survey, response rate and value proposition. Saving some notes here for future review.

Started with observation:
It's surprising we got fewer submissions than last year, given other indicators show the community growing. It would be good if we can understand why we got fewer, and learn for next year. Maybe a timing thing (over Christmas/New Year)? Maybe different channels were used?

Some suggestions/thoughts/context were added:

• We're not getting many organic responses (we got less than <40 with all the asks pre-Xmas). It was the same slow start last year, though this year we actually used more channels and more frequent asks than in 2021. The timing/deadlines were also similar (though it was live earlier this year).
• Both years required significant personal reach-out (poking) to get folks to fill it in. That was easier this year because we could see who had already filled it in. Our goal was 100+ responses.
• Other researchers are busy with surveys in the field at the moment - some folks involved in InnerSource Commons and others. There could be some survey fatigue going on.
• Even though we significantly reduced the numbers of questions this year (from c.69 -> c.40), we got anecdotal feedback it it still too long.
• Our community is growing - but many are in the very early stages of InnerSource - perhaps they did not feel like they had enough experience to fill it in??
• Or it could be the opposite - many people in the community are early adopters and are past the initial excitement of InnerSource, perhaps slipping into the 'Trough of Disillusionment'?
• Could also be a Covid thing - maybe people had more free time last year if they were still under restrictions, or choosing to avoid gatherings because they were worried about Omicron etc.

It is noted it's hard to verify these ideas (I don't think we can survey now about the survey - it'd be a bit meta - but perhaps we should also include some feedback about the survey itself in future versions?)

For 2023 - it would be good to review the goals of State of InnerSource Survey. Some notes:

• with our reach, it is more a survey of ISC community than a market survey - should we partner with others with broader reach?
• Should we include more focus on ISC feedback?
• Should we radically simplify? If so - what are the areas of most value? (Reflections on what was valuable to folks from 2021 results will also help us frame 2022 final report).
• One question might also be one of "what's in it for me" and a "why should I fill that in yet again"...?

For reference, I use the survey results in presentations about InnerSource, with a focus on the results from the following questions:

• Why pursue InnerSource?
• Obstacles
• Is your project ready?
• Is your team ready?

Others are particularly interested in:

• Why pursue InnerSource (always good to know the various "pains" that surveyed orgs try to lessen with IS, they might be present in your shop w/o you knowing it)
• Obstacles