The Red Tape Challenge: Designing Open Source GovTech
Session Abstract
A practical guide to the constraints and tradeoffs of building open-source products for government customers. Covers restricted access to end users, slow feedback cycles, legal and compliance restrictions, political turnover, and infrastructure gaps. Presents governance patterns, advocacy guidelines, and design rules that make open projects usable,
Session Description
From the perspective of a global humanitarian organization, this session examines the constraints and trade offs of building open source products for government customers. It covers restricted user access, slow procurement and feedback cycles, legal and compliance limits, political turnover, language barriers and uneven infrastructure. The talk presents governance patterns, procurement-ready artifacts, and design rules that keep projects usable, useful, and maintainable in government contexts.
