Finding the Wheel at Disney

Open Source

Nigel Simpson discusses the transformative power of open source within Disney, highlighting how it enables collaboration and innovation. He explains that 80% of a typical application is open source code, allowing developers to work together seamlessly across different teams. This approach, initially called internal open source and now known as inner sourcing, helped break down silos within the company 1.

We can achieve efficiencies in software development by not reinventing the wheel and build a community where the developers consider themselves to be Disney developers, not Lucasfilm developers or ABC or ESPN developers.

--- Nigel Simpson

Simpson also tackled the challenge of convincing Disney's legal team to release code to the public, establishing a review process to ensure IP protection while contributing to the open source community 2.

   

Inner Sourcing

Simpson's initiative to break down silos within Disney involved the Developer Productivity Enablement Initiative, which identified common pain points among developers. By introducing GitHub into Disney, he facilitated better collaboration and visibility of technology across the company. This approach mirrored the open source community's success in fostering collaboration 3.

We can solve this problem of wheel reinvention by surfacing technology in a way that makes it visible to everybody.

--- Nigel Simpson

Simpson emphasizes the importance of contributing back to the open source community, not just consuming it, to create a positive impression and foster innovation 4.