What it tests

Genuine familiarity with open-source community culture, ability to create value for contributors (not just extract it), and practical community facilitation skills in a technical environment

Format

1Candidate is given access to a real (or simulated) GitHub repository or community forum with active contributors — they must observe for 24 hours before taking any action
2Over 5 days, candidate must: answer at least 3 community questions in the forum/GitHub Issues, identify one 'good first issue' and write contributor-ready documentation for it, draft a community digest summarizing the week's top contributions and discussions
3Deliverable: a written retrospective on what they observed, what worked in their interactions, what they'd change, and 3 specific program ideas to increase contributor retention
4Final interview: 30-minute conversation with the open-source community lead about the retrospective — focused on their philosophy about contributor motivations and how to run inclusive technical communities

What to look for

Did they actually engage authentically — or did their community posts read like managed corporate communication?
Do they understand the motivations of open-source contributors: recognition, learning, belonging, not just bounties?
Is the 'good first issue' documentation genuinely welcoming and technically accurate — or vague and generic?
Do their 3 program ideas reflect what they actually observed in the community, or are they copy-pasted from industry blogs?

Adaptation guide

For companies without open-source projects, use a public developer forum or Discord server in your product category. The key is that the assessment requires the candidate to operate in an environment they don't control — that's what reveals authentic community management instincts.

Full description

Format:

Candidate observes a real (or simulated) GitHub repository or community forum for 24 hours before taking any action
Over 5 days: answer 3 community questions authentically, write contributor documentation for one good first issue, draft a weekly community digest
Written retrospective: observations, what worked, what failed, and 3 specific contributor retention program ideas
30-minute closing conversation with the open-source community lead on philosophy, contributor motivations, and inclusion

Time: 1 week (async take-home)

What to look for:

Did they engage authentically, or does their communication read as managed corporate PR?
Do they understand open-source contributor motivations beyond financial incentives?
Is the contributor documentation genuinely welcoming and technically accurate?
Do the program ideas reflect real observation or recycled blog content?

Adaptation: For companies without open-source projects, use a public developer forum or Discord in your product category. The critical element is operating in an environment the candidate doesn't control.