Introduction
CRESYM is a non-profit organization active in energy systems research and innovation, where open source plays an important role across many of our projects. As the number of open-source assets, datasets, and collaborative initiatives has grown, we identified the need for a more coordinated approach to open source management.
During the #cresroads2026 event, CRESYM announced the establishment of its Open Source Program Office (OSPO), operationalized through the Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC).
Why an OSPO for CRESYM
Open source activities already existed across the organization, but practices were largely project-driven and decentralized. The OSPO was created to:
- Coordinate open source activities across projects
- Improve visibility of our open source assets
- Promote common practices for development, maintenance, and collaboration
By centralizing these responsibilities in the OSCC, we aim to move from ad-hoc project decisions toward a shared, sustainable way of working with open source.
Learning from the TODO Group
The TODO Group has been an important source of inspiration throughout this process. Its guidance, maturity models, and the experiences shared by other OSPO practitioners helped us better understand where we stand today and what steps to prioritize next.
Using the TODO Group OSPO Maturity Model as a reference, we currently place ourselves between Adoption (Stage 0) and Legal Education (Stage 1). That honest self-assessment is what shaped the initial roadmap of the OSCC: rather than aiming for advanced practices from day one, we are focused on building the foundations first.
Initial Focus Areas
Over the coming months, the OSCC will concentrate on a small number of high-impact activities:
- Establishing the Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC)
- Defining OSPO responsibilities and scope
- Creating shared repository standards and templates
- Building an inventory of open source assets
- Raising awareness of open source practices across projects
These priorities are deliberately practical. They give CRESYM projects clearer expectations, make our open source footprint visible, and create the conditions for governance and community work to grow later on.
What’s Next
Our goal over the coming months is to continue maturing our OSPO capabilities and build a stronger foundation for collaboration, governance, and sustainability of open source assets within CRESYM. As the OSCC matures, we look forward to sharing what works, what doesn’t, and what we learn along the way — the same kind of open, practitioner-led exchange that helped us get started.
Wrap Up
We appreciate the support of the TODO Group community and look forward to contributing our experiences as we continue developing our OSPO. If you are on a similar journey — especially in research, energy, or other mission-driven non-profits — we would love to compare notes.
Geethu Joseph is IT Asset & Project Manager at CRESYM and part of the Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC)