Sophisticated software engineering alone is insufficient to foster sustained community engagement and stimulate the adoption of digital tools, even within open source frameworks. Substantive advancements in scholarly communication require a systemic incorporation of regular user consultation and iterative feedback mechanisms into software development processes. Although developers within this domain frequently contend that reconciling user-centric demands with technical execution is more easily conceptualised than realised, the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) has successfully demonstrated the viability of this dual approach. PKP has delivered high-performance infrastructure supporting Open Access publishing whilst concurrently cultivating an extensive, international community of researchers, publishers, data stewards, software engineers, and librarians. This post discusses their approach and workflow through the example of the first PKP 2026 technology sprint in Poland, held in Warsaw as a satellite event to the OPERAS 2026 and SCIROS conference.
Continue reading “Code and Engage, or how to build a vibrant community around open source software: the case of Public Knowledge Project Sprint”Code and Engage, or how to build a vibrant community around open source software: the case of Public Knowledge Project Sprint
