Burnout in Open Source: A Structural Problem We Can Fix Together
- Track: Community
- Room: UB5.230
- Day: Sunday
- Start: 16:35
- End: 17:00
- Video only: ub5230
- Chat: Join the conversation!
I'm a psychology researcher that has been moved by the extent of burnout in Open Source, and I've written what I believe to be the most comprehensive report to date on burnout among OSS developers. I reviewed the academic literature, conducted a qualitative analysis of online discussion in the OSS community, and interviewed OSS developers. I identified 6 factors that contribute to developer burnout: difficulty getting paid, workload and time commitment, maintenance work as unrewarding, toxic community behaviour, hyper-responsibility and pressure to prove oneself. I recommend 4 structural changes to address developer burnout: pay OSS developers, foster a culture of recognition and respect, grow the community and advocate for maintainers.
Speakers
| Miranda Heath |