HPSF Conference 2025

Open source software project sustainability is a sociotechnical endeavor that often extends beyond the efforts of individual projects. HPSF and the Linux Foundation offer rich resources of expertise across communities in industry, academia, and agencies. Leveraging this collective knowledge and experience is vital to enhance project practices, especially in early identification of challenges and potential issues. This lightning talk explores the value of leveraging liaisons — key individuals who are actively participating in cross-team networks, to accelerate project sustainability. Liaisons can bridge gaps, share tacit knowledge and incentivize collaborative efforts across communities, go assist in breaking down silos. The value of leveraging liaisons was identified during the DOE Exascale Computing Project to foster strategic project alignment and outreach. Whether a small team, or a larger network of teams of teams, identifying liaisons early on can foster trust and transparency both within and across teams.