Skunkworks
Description
1: A “skunkworks” (all one word) describes a small and nimble technical team, deliberately and self-consciously and (yes) quite unfairly freed from much of the surrounding bureaucracy of the larger organization in which it finds itself. This enviable cutting of slack and tolerance of the renegade is offset by placement, on the shoulders of the skunkworks team, of greatly raised expectations of innovation.
2: It’s about collectively – in true partnership with the digital humanities community – getting, together (while the getting is good), down a diametrical and simultaneous path of: iterative, unfettered, informal, (gonzo?) development; mature, responsible, formal continuous integration; and above all collaborative imagination of the work of the modern research library as we can make it operate on its very best day.
3: The tension here is in keeping developers disconnected enough to do good work – and connected enough that their work can do good.
See: https://nowviskie.org/2011/a-skunk-in-the-library/
Recommended Roles & Skills:
- Roles should be flexible.
- Breadth of skills over depth.
- Shared, overlapping competencies in web development, CI/CD, UI design, communication and project management.
- Should have a manager buffer / advocate for team
- Ability to balance innovation with minimalist, lean principles
Notes & Gotchas:
- Continuity is important, cluster hires are a good idea to build capacity
- Beware relying on dual-reporting structures to increase collaboration with other Library/IT departments! This is not the only way to prompt communication and shared interest
My Notes
ad hoc roles on projects but with continuity as a group similar to a lab
has flexibility away from core library / IT but stays in conversation
contributor:
Marii Nyrop (New York University)
last update: 2021-08-04