Some of the most valuable ideas in a project start with one person sharing a thought, asking a question or suggesting an improvement. Others join the conversation, contribute their perspectives and help shape what comes next. But not every idea is ready to become a work package straight away. Teams need a place to explore ideas together, find answers and turn discussions into action when the time is right.
This idea of collaboration is also at the heart of the OpenProject Passion Time 2026. What starts with one person’s enthusiasm can grow into something much bigger when others get involved. That’s exactly what happened when David teamed up with Julia and Kabiru to take the Forums module to the next level. Together, they improved the experience of discussing ideas, finding solutions and connecting conversations with everyday project work.
The results will be part of OpenProject 18.0, scheduled for December 2, 2026. Let’s take a look at what’s coming.
What’s new in OpenProject Forums?
With OpenProject 18.0, the Forums module gets more than a visual refresh. Its interface has been redesigned using Primer design system to bring it in line with the look and feel of other OpenProject modules. At the same time, new features make it easier to collaborate, find solutions and turn conversations into concrete project work.
Here’s what’s new:
- A refreshed interface: A modernized design based on Primer, topic previews, new sorting options and easier navigation through longer discussions.
- Better collaboration: @Mentions let you involve project members directly in discussions and notify them by email.
- Work packages from discussions: Create work packages directly from forum messages, with links connecting the tasks to their original context.
- Accepted solutions: Mark helpful replies as solutions so others can find answers more easily.
Image: Forum discussion in OpenProject 18.0 showing the message actions menu with options to accept a reply as a solution or create a work package.
Turn conversations into work packages and find solutions
Imagine your team is collecting feedback on a feature. Someone suggests an improvement, others share their experiences, and eventually a concrete task emerges. Instead of copying information into a separate work package and losing track of the original discussion, you can now create a work package directly from a forum message. OpenProject automatically uses the topic title and message content to prefill the new work package, which you can adjust before saving.
The connection works both ways: The created work package appears in the forum discussion, while its activity history links back to the original message. This makes it easier to understand why a task was created, revisit the feedback behind it and keep discussions connected to the work that follows.
Image: Work package in OpenProject 18.0 showing an activity entry that links back to the forum discussion from which the task was created.
Of course, not every discussion leads to a new task. Sometimes, the most valuable outcome is simply an answer to a question. That’s why the Forums module also lets topic authors and authorized project members mark replies as accepted solutions. A green check mark makes topics with accepted solutions easy to recognize, and a link below the opening message takes readers directly to the accepted answers. Multiple replies can be marked as solutions, so helpful knowledge remains accessible even as a discussion grows.
Image: Forum discussion in OpenProject 18.0 with a green banner linking to an accepted solution and a check mark indicating that the topic has been solved.
Conseil
Want to see OpenProject Forums in action? We use them ourselves on our public Community instance, where users and contributors ask questions, share ideas and discuss OpenProject. Explore the OpenProject Community Forums and learn how to participate to join the conversation!
The passion behind the project
For OpenProject developer David, the potential of forums lies in connecting informal conversations with structured project work. As he explains:
“Forums are a lightweight way to start a conversation before its outcome turns into a real thing, with more traceability than a chat room.” – David Friquet, Senior Software Engineer at OpenProject
By connecting discussions with work packages and accepted solutions, the improved Forums module creates what David calls “a valuable bridge between people and projects”. This is also a good example of what makes Passion Time special at OpenProject: While one person often drives an idea forward, bringing it to life is always a team effort. Projects gain momentum when others share the same enthusiasm and contribute their skills and perspectives.
There were even more ideas for the Forums module, including threaded replies, emoji reactions and creating meeting agenda items directly from discussions. These could not all be completed during Passion Time, but they show how much potential there is to make forums an even more useful part of project collaboration.
Discover the new possibilities in OpenProject Forums
OpenProject 18.0 is scheduled for December 2, 2026, bringing the improved Forums module and many other features to your project work. Once your instance has been updated, you can explore the new possibilities yourself. If Forums isn’t already enabled in your project, activate the module in your project settings and start a conversation with your team.
Whether you’re collecting feedback, discussing ideas or looking for solutions together, we hope the new Forums experience gives your team a place where one person’s idea can grow into something meaningful through the contributions of many.
