Open source is finally reaching critical mass. It is no longer restricted to niche markets and early adopters, but is beginning to play a major role in the IT strategy of many companies. Successful, innovative software development with open source requires a new level of flexibility, quick thinking, and fast decision making.

In this article, first published in the Cutter IT Journal (Vol. 20, No. 10 October 2007), Dr. Jon Avotins, Florin Dragu, Alan Skorkin, and Adrian Cretu-Barbul suggest that innovative software development with open source is best achieved through the use of an agile process.

The authors suggest that an open source environment is one that is conducive to innovation. When we make the choice to invest in open source projects, we must find ways to take full advantage of their communities and dynamic processes. The use of open source is experimental and innovative by its very nature. Agile processes can help you utilize your open source tools/libraries more effectively and engage the community more fully. More importantly, using open source with an agile process in place can promote just the right environment to allow innovation to flourish within an organisation.

Experiences in ensuring successful agile adoption to promote innovation are discussed to provide the reader with organizational strategies for successfully using open source software and agile development to build an innovative environment.

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