Addressing OSS Community Managers' Challenges in Contributor Retention

TL;DR

This paper investigates the challenges faced by OSS community managers in retaining contributors, proposing a predictive, strategy-driven framework and a prototype tool to improve retention management based on empirical research.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, practical framework and prototype for diagnosing and supporting contributor retention, grounded in mixed-methods research and community feedback.

Findings

Identified key challenges in OSS contributor retention management

Developed actionable strategies for engagement and risk diagnosis

Validated a prototype tool with real OSS communities

Abstract

Open-source software (OSS) community managers face significant challenges in retaining contributors, as they must monitor activity and engagement while navigating complex dynamics of collaboration. Current tools designed for managing contributor retention (e.g., dashboards) fall short by providing retrospective rather than predictive insights to identify potential disengagement early. Without understanding how to anticipate and prevent disengagement, new solutions risk burdening community managers rather than supporting retention management. Following the Design Science Research paradigm, we employed a mixed-methods approach for problem identification and solution design to address contributor retention. To identify the challenges hindering retention management in OSS, we conducted semi-structured interviews, a multi-vocal literature review, and community surveys. Then through an iterative build-evaluate cycle, we developed and refined strategies for diagnosing retention risks and informing engagement efforts. We operationalized these strategies into a web-based prototype, incorporating feedback from 100+ OSS practitioners, and conducted an in situ evaluation across two OSS communities. Our study offers (1) empirical insights into the challenges of contributor retention management in OSS, (2) actionable strategies that support OSS community managers' retention efforts, and (3) a practical framework for future research in developing or validating theories about OSS sustainability.