Guerilla InnerSource in enterprises, during the AI hype

Many developers want to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and developer productivity—especially when those developers are their own colleagues. But do their companies really care? Despite the endless DevOps and developer productivity slidedecks, not everyone has a strategy beyond "let's form another task force" or "let's have another weekly meeting" from management. Can a single engineer actually introduce InnerSource and change how work gets done in a big enterprise? Maybe! Can they burnout in the process? Well, let's talk...

We'll discuss introducing an open collaboration culture, also known as InnerSource, inside rigid corporate structures that are not willing to change. The ongoing AI hype can be a great leverage—an excuse to form internal guilds, secure funding, and get executive attention for collaboration and productivity initiatives. How to get started without a budget or official blessing from higher ups? How to find allies and not burn too many bridges? And how to show impact when everyone's obsessed with KPIs?

Transcript

1. Guerilla InnerSource in Enterprises …during the AI hype Oleg Nenashev, PhD #OpenToWork
2. Disclaimer • This is not an AI talk • I am at this conference as independent, #OpenToWork • Opinions are my own • I am not talking about any my past or current companies speakerdeck.com/onenashev
3. About Me @oleg_nenashev oleg-nenashev Dr. Nenashev / Mr. Jenkins Serial Community Builder Developer Tools Developer / Maintainer DevRel consultant #RussiansAgainstPutin #StandWithUkraine
4. My Open Communities Time * Once a contributor, [almost] always a contributor
5. rts.ch/info/regions/neuchatel/12836885-la-population-neuchateloise-en-hausse-malgre-un-recul-dans-les-montagnes.html
8. Have you adopted DevOps?
9. Have you adopted DevOps?
10. Adopted From presentation bu Yuki Hattori: https://speakerdeck.com/yuhattor/innersource-for-developer -experience-and-competitive-advantages
11. About You Do you REGULARLY improve… • Your own productivity?
12. About You Do you REGULARLY improve… • Your own productivity? • Your team’s productivity?
13. About You Do you REGULARLY improve… • Your own productivity? • Your team’s productivity? • Your company’s productivity?
14. Have you read it?
15. TL;DR: My talk 1. DevOps collaboration culture is The Rebellion from the book 2. InnerSource culture is a core part of it 3. There are some tips how to adopt it
16. The Rebellion DevOps / DevEx Community * same, but HR friendly
17. Popular Synonyms in Organizations • Slack Channel • Guild • Community of Practice (CoP) • Interest Group • <Something> Council • // Your Options?
18. My Open Communities Time * Once a contributor, [almost] always a contributor
19. My Open [and not so] Communities Time * Once a contributor, [almost] always a contributor • Automation Guilds • Internal Services & Shared Documentation • Cross-University collaborations • Industry and Academia Partnerships
20. Open Source
21. InnerSource is a software development strategy in which companies adopt an open source approach and culture to collaborate more effectively. https://about.gitlab.com/topics/versi on-control/what-is-innersource/
22. Vestibulum congue Vestibulum congue Vestibulum congue DevOps Developer Experience & Productivity Agile Inner Source
23. InnerSource is a software development strategy in which companies adopt an open source approach and culture to collaborate more effectively. https://about.gitlab.com/topics/versi on-control/what-is-innersource/
24. My definition InnerSource is a <...> which companies adopt an open source approach to collaborate more effectively. • Strategy • Culture • Practices • Tools
25. InnerSource Commons https://innersourcecommons.org/
26. Adopted From presentation bu Yuki Hattori: https://speakerdeck.com/yuhattori/innersource-for-developer-experience-and-competitive-advantages
27. InnerSource Patterns patterns.innersourcecommons.org
28. Learning Paths innersourcecommons.org/learn/learning-path/
29. THAT’S ALL GREAT, BUT
30. Stereotypical “Enterprise Companies” • Resistance to change • Complicated Processes and Red Tape • Top-to-bottom decision making • Company Politics • Little exec support for REAL innovation https://barbaraburgess.com/2018/5-ne arly-free-guerrilla-marketing-tactics/
31. Adopted From presentation bu Yuki Hattori: https://speakerdeck.com/yuhattor/adopting-innersource-to-maximize-developer-experience-devex https://speakerdeck.com/yuhattor/adopting-innersource-to-maximize-developer-experience-devex
32. Choose Your Hero! VS Guerilla Gorilla Community Beaver
33. 33 Chop Wood, Carry Water Community Beaver
34. Steady Community Builder • Uphill battles • Have no budget? • Mostly spare time? • Red Tape everywhere? Community Beaver
35. * It is not about going against the company goals / values
36. Guerrilla marketing is an advertisement strategy in which a company uses surprise and/or unconventional interactions to promote a product or service culture investopedia.com/terms/g/guerrilla-marketing.asp
37. Guerilla InnerSource in Enterprises
38. * parody content
39. * parody content
40. Do you track Developer Productivity?
41. JetBrains Developer Ecosystem Survey https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/devecosystem-2024/
42. JetBrains Developer Ecosystem Survey www.jetbrains.com/lp/devecosystem-2024/
43. https://thenewstack.io/developer-productivity-whos-tracking-it-not-many/
44. Most companies can’t connect Developer Experience / Productivity & Culture
45. Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/ trojan-h-st-g4IINbx#/t/troj an_horse You can be realistic & rational, but…
46. What if 2025…?
48. * Enterprise
49. Reports on AI Adoption / RoI • DORA: https://dora.dev/research/ai/ • Reports by DX: https://getdx.com/resources/ • Lead Dev Summary https://leaddev.com/the-ai-impact-report-2025 TL;DR? Good Summary by Laura Tacho: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/measurin g-the-impact-of-ai-on-software
50. AI helps with Onboarding https://getdx.com/blog/ai-cuts-developer-onboarding-time-in-half/
51. DORA Report, Impact of Generative AI https://dora.dev/research/ai/
52. Some Keywords already go down… https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/hype-cycle-for-artificial-intelligence
53. AI-assisted development, not Generative AI Laura Tacho, DX / Atlassian: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/measuring-the-impact-of-ai-on-software
54. DORA Report, Impact of Generative AI https://dora.dev/research/ai/
55. Adoption Obstacles https://leaddev.com/the-ai-impact-report-2025
56. Advanced Organisations, with ±60% AI adoption Laura Tacho, DX / Atlassian: https://getdx.com/podcast/ai-impact-leaddev-conference/
57. “Non-AI Factors outweight AI Benefits” Laura Tacho, DX / Atlassian: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/ measuring-the-impact-of-ai-on-software
58. Your Recipe Is Developer Experience & Productivity Better Culture (InnerSource / DevOps) AI-Assisted Productivity
59. https://twitter.com/gAmUssA/statu s/1397255447720177665?t=n4n3 otyTvtRfltH5if8GFQ&s=19
60. You do not have to start from scratch InnerSource innersourcecommons.org
61. 61 One does not build a community alone, find people/champions
62. 62 Establish Channels
63. Build a tribe (or a guild) https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/the-gorilla-king-gorilla-family-dynamics/735/
65. https://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/gorillas-hand shake-lobo-loco/14173404 Build relations… with your kind or not
66. There are no enemies, just different cultures https://www.cultofmac.com/318994/king-kong-ain t-got-nothing-on-this-drone-fighting-chimp/
67. Source: www.standard.co.uk/business/markets/reddit-s-armchair-traders-invest-350-000-in-gorillas-b924894.html Mentor / Influence Juniors and Newcomers
68. TED Talk Gorilla https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ted-talk-gorilla Share learnings, internally and publicly
69. Show the Value. Keywords • Developer Productivity • Shift Left • Efficiency & Reuse • Time to Market / MTTR • DORA Metrics improvement • Marketing / DevRel / Product Led Growth • ...
70. THE END?
71. Building an Internal Community • Culture Change is slow but possible. DevEx / DevOps is a good entry point • Developer Productivity is a cross-functional effort • Think InnerSource • Do not go alone • Show value food for thought
72. Internal communities are great for YOU • Side projects!!! • Leadership practice • Learning new things together • Building Network • Influence in the company 72
73. Nobody is …
74. 1. Choose your Hero Balance the Approaches VS
75. 2. Do not burn out! https://theconversation.com/the-amazon-is-burning-4-e ssential-reads-on-brazils-vanishing-rainforest-122288
76. 3. Change the company or change company https://www.koko.org/kokopix-photo-blog/3245/is-th at-captain-ndume-at-the-wheel/
77. Resources • innersourcecommons.org • todogroup.org • dora.dev/research • getdx.com/resources • leaddev.com
78. One small step… 1. Join a productivity / DevX group in your organization OR 1. Start a new one
79. Contacts: E-mail: o.v.nenashev@gmail.com GitHub: oleg-nenashev Twitter: @oleg_nenashev QUESTIONS? 79 #OpenToWork