Linux Foundation Yocto

The Yocto Project is a global open source effort maintained by the Linux Foundation to create an easy way to create custom Linux builds, especially for embedded systems.

Challenge

Up until early 2012 using Yocto was entirely done through the command line. We had to examine the developer experience in detail, then research and design a method where any user with an understanding of Linux could create their own builds online.

Process

• Review of analysis of current tooling (Linux desktop version, etc.)
• Conducted interviews and user research and worked with teams from the US, UK, Romania and China to come up with a web based networked version that would allow developers to work collaboratively to create incredibly small and efficient custom versions of Linux

Result

• An intuitive, easy to use interface to an incredibly complicated process, taking the user trying to build Linux images through a logical process to build images in teams

With help from Konstantinos Papagiannopoulos.