First draft of Contributor Journey Optimization pattern

Author: spier

assets/img/contributor-journey-stages.jpg

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+## Title
+
+Contributor Journey Optimization
+
+## Patlet
+
+New contributors often struggle to progress smoothly through the various stages of engagement in an InnerSource project, leading to high drop-off rates and underutilized potential.
+By systematically evaluating and optimizing the Contributor Journey, projects can identify and remove friction points, enabling a more inclusive and efficient path to higher-value contributions.
+
+## Problem
+
+Many InnerSource projects fail to retain and grow their contributor base because potential contributors encounter barriers at different stages of engagement.
+These barriers may include lack of awareness, unclear onboarding processes, missing documentation, or inadequate mentorship.
+Without deliberate intervention, these challenges reduce the number of contributors reaching the trusted committer stage, limiting the project's sustainability and impact.
+
+## Context
+
+This pattern applies to InnerSource projects that:
+
+- Seek to attract and grow an engaged community of contributors.
+- Experience a high drop-off rate of potential contributors at various stages.
+- Have contributors who struggle to transition from users to active participants.
+- Recognize that reducing friction in contributor onboarding and progression can lead to a healthier, more sustainable project.
+
+## Forces
+
+- **Awareness Barrier** – Many potential contributors are unaware of the project or do not understand how it aligns with their needs or interests.
+- **Onboarding Complexity** – The process of contributing is not well-documented or too complex, discouraging new contributors.
+- **Skill Gap** – Some contributors may lack the necessary technical or collaboration skills, requiring additional support.
+- **Lack of Mentorship** – Without guidance from experienced contributors, new contributors struggle to navigate the project and make meaningful contributions.
+- **Recognition and Retention** – Contributors may feel unrecognized or unsupported, leading them to disengage before reaching the trusted committer stage.
+
+## Sketch (optional)
+
+![](../../assets/img/contributor-journey-stages.jpg)
+
+A visual representation of the Contributor Journey stages and common obstacles at each transition could be useful.
+
+## Solution
+
+1. **Map the Contributor Journey** – Identify key stages in the contributor journey: awareness, usage, non-code contributions, code contributions, and trusted committer status.
+2. **Identify Friction Points** – Conduct workshops or self-assessments to document impediments preventing contributors from progressing.
+3. **Prioritize and Address Issues** – Create a backlog of improvement tasks, prioritizing high-impact changes such as better documentation, streamlined onboarding, mentorship programs, or automated contribution workflows.
+4. **Implement and Iterate** – Apply solutions in an incremental fashion, continuously gathering feedback and refining the process.
+5. **Measure Success** – Track engagement metrics, contributor retention rates, and qualitative feedback to assess improvements and adjust strategies as needed.
+
+## Resulting Context
+
+After implementing this pattern, projects experience:
+
+- Increased contributor engagement and retention.
+- A clearer, more inclusive onboarding process.
+- Faster transition from new contributor to active participant.
+- Higher rates of trusted committers, strengthening the project’s long-term sustainability.
+
+## Rationale
+
+By proactively identifying and addressing barriers at each stage of the Contributor Journey, projects can maximize both the value they gain from contributors and the value contributors gain from participation.
+An optimized journey fosters a thriving InnerSource community, leading to better collaboration and more sustainable projects.
+
+## Known Instances
+
+- Large software organizations with mature InnerSource programs have applied structured contributor journey workshops to boost engagement.
+- Open source communities often adopt similar strategies to improve contributor experience and retention.
+
+## Status
+
+- Initial
+
+## Author(s)
+
+- Guilherme Dellagustin
+- Sebastian Spier
+
+## Acknowledgments
+
+- TBD
+
+## Alias
+
+- Contributor Onboarding Optimization
+- Contributor Engagement Framework