Keeping the Commons Open: Ensuring Drupal's Sustainability
Keeping the Commons Open: Ensuring Drupal's Sustainability
George DeMet (gdemet)
What happens when a digital commons reaches its breaking point? As Drupal grows, so does the risk to our shared ecosystem. Discover how systems theory can transform your organization's relationship with Drupal—creating a regenerative community where everyone contributes meaningfully and our commons thrives for generations.
Prerequisite
Participants should have experience with the Drupal community ecosystem and understand basic concepts of how open source projects are sustained. Familiarity with contribution systems and Drupal's governance model will help participants get the most from this strategic session.
Outline
This session applies systems theory design principles to address Drupal's sustainability challenges. We'll examine our current sustainability model, identify systemic gaps, and propose actionable solutions for community members at all levels.
Key topics include:
- Drupal as a common-pool resource system
- Critical analysis of our current contribution and recognition frameworks
- The maker-taker continuum and its impact on ecosystem health
- Effective boundaries, monitoring, and governance for sustainable commons
- Case studies of successful community-managed resources
- Practical sustainability strategies for organizations and individuals
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Apply systems theory principles to strengthen Drupal's sustainability
- Identify key leverage points within the Drupal ecosystem where small changes can have outsized impacts
- Evaluate their organization's current contribution patterns and develop strategies for creating more value
- Implement specific sustainability practices tailored to their role in the ecosystem
- Participate more effectively in Drupal governance conversations.
Experience level
Intermediate