A model for creating and sustaining information services platform communities: Lessons learnt from open source software

Many research institutions are building cloud-based information services platforms (ISPs) that enable their researchers, scientists, and the general public use information assets, share knowledge and experience, and create sustainable communities. However, there is no guarantee that when you build an ISP this will happen. Part of the problem is because ISP providers lack the model to help them facilitate the building of sustainable communities. In this paper, we present a model for creating and sustaining communities on the ISP being developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) of Japan. Inspired by the way Open Source software communities operate, we describe the model concept, its settings, and the tools ISP communities may need to support their contribution towards the development of products and services. Our experience in the design and implementation of the model provides useful insights into emerging ICT trends and the means for ISP providers to identify, at an early stage, the requirements for creating successful products and services ecosystem.