Version 21.2 by Joseph Potvin on 2014/01/19 18:12
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1 = Working Group Process: Unlocking Member Passions =
2
3 {{toc start="2" depth="6" numbered="false" scope="page"/}}
4
5 == OSI Organizational Governance Model ==
6
7 === Model Prior to June of 2013 ===
8
9 * 11-member volunteer board
10 * Limited funding
11 * All actions Board actions
12 * Maximum achievement limited by Board volunteer time
13
14 === After June 2013 ===
15
16 * Roles
17 ** "OSI Constituents" (i.e. "[[Individual Members>>url:http://opensource.org/members]]," "[[Affiliate Members>>url:http://opensource.org/affiliates]]" and "[[Corporate Sponsors>>url:http://opensource.org/sponsors]]") provide general support (including funding) through contributions for OSI operations to further OSI mandate, administration, OSI Working Groups and Governance
18 ** "OSI Working Groups" project-oriented initiatives organized and managed by OSI Participants to facilitate OSI mandate
19 ** "OSI Participants" identify, plan and undertake a variety of OSI activities to further the mandate through project-oriented Working Groups
20 ** "[[OSI Board>>url:http://opensource.org/board]]" and "OSI Staff" ensure mandate alignment and facilitate "OSI Participant" actions and Working Groups to advance OSI Constituent objectives
21 * 10 member [[Board of Directors>>url:http://opensource.org/board]]
22 ** 9-member board elected by Constituents
23 *** 4 seats voted on by OSI Individual Members
24 *** 5 seats voted on by OSI Affiliates Members
25 ** 1 seat held by General Manager (ex officio)
26 * OSI annual funding subject to contributions of OSI Constituents
27 ** OSI Corporate Sponsors contribution level to OSI based on corporate revenue
28 * Staff may be salary-based or contract-based (part-time/full-time)
29 * Maximum achievement of OSI Working Groups limited by constituent vision, strategy, commitment, and available resources
30
31 == Project Working Groups: A Channel For Supporter Passions ==
32
33 * OSI Working Groups may be proposed for any project that advances OSI's mission
34 * OSI Constituents involved in OSI Working Groups are "OSI Participants"
35 * Project Working Groups are:
36 ** Board-chartered
37 ** Deliverable-focused
38 ** Time-bounded
39 * Working Group Life-cycle:
40 ** Propose
41 ** Charter
42 ** Deliver
43 ** Sustainability Plan
44 ** End-of-Project Transition
45
46 Anything in an OSI Working Group Charter that conflicts with requirements of the [[Bylaws of the Open Source Initiative>>url:http://opensource.org/bylaws]] is void.
47
48 Anything in an OSI Working Group Charter that conflicts with the parameters of this guideline on [[OSI Working Group Characteristics and Process>>url:http://osi.xwiki.com/bin/Projects/Characteristics+of+OSI+Working+Groups]] must be ratified by the OSI Board.
49
50
51 __General Approach:__ In support of reusing what works, and within the context of [[the OSI's own mandate>>url:http://opensource.org/about]], we generally model the OSI Working Group structure and governance upon the business patterns outlined in [[section 6>>url:http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/groups#GAGeneral]] of the [[World Wide Web Consortium Process Document>>url:http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/]]. ([[Here is a useful example.>>url:http://www.w3.org/2013/05/odbp-charter.html]])
52
53 == Working Group Charter Proposal Requirements ==
54
55 * Any OSI Constituent or Board Director may put forward a proposal
56 * Approach now in beta-test; your passions invited!
57 * Send proposals to osi@opensource.org
58 * Your feedback on this structure and process is welcome. Please contact the [[OSI General Manager >>url:http://wiki.opensource.org/staff:general_manager]]
59
60 The Initial Charter Proposal must include:
61
62 * Version control (e.g. v0.01);
63 * Start date
64 * Initial gro
65 * Resources needed by group (mailing list, virtual server, budget etc)
66 * Deliverable that will be created
67 * Description of how that deliverable satisfies a part of OSI's mission
68 * Target completion date
69
70 A full Working Group Charter must also include
71
72 * Version control (e.g. v1.21);
73 * Sustainability Plan
74 ** OSI staff responsibilities?
75 ** OSI infrastructure needs?
76 ** Ongoing Member community?
77 ** If ongoing costs involved, how they are met?
78 ** A working group deliverable plan accepted by the Board will be sustained by OSI
79 * End-of-Project Transition
80 ** Communications with Project participants and stakeholders
81 ** Suitable disposition of Project files, records, websites, URLs, etc.
82
83 ==== Decisions to Initiate, Approve and Amend the Working Group Charter ====
84
85 * To initiate a Working Group, the OSI Board
86 ** Reviews proposal
87 ** Determines viability, bona fides and mission match
88 ** Initiate and give tentative approval to a preliminary Working Group Charter, under version number 0.XX, which is sufficient for the Working Group to commence activities.
89 * Within 3 months of initiation a Working Group is expected to maintain a minimum of 5 participants during its active life.
90 * A Working Group must have at least 5 members to approve or change its Charter (e.g. goals, scope, deliverables). This requires a 2/3 majority of votes cast (more than 66%), followed by ratification by the OSI Board.
91 * The Working Group may make minor corrections to the charter (e.g. deliverable dates, list of dependences and liaisons) via the 3-layer decision process described below without the amendment process.
92
93 == OSI Working Group Decision Process ==
94
95 The OSI's Working Group Decision Process draws upon approaches used by [http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/activities.html#def-Activity W3C], [http://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/ IETF], and similar communities.
96
97 === Choosing a Chair ===
98
99 * A Chair's duties include:
100 ** Driving inclusivity, identifying consensus within the group, and recording decisions.
101 ** Ensuring compliance with all OSI rules applicable to the group.
102 ** Being a liaison between the group and all groups with which the group is coordinating.
103 ** Organizing the smooth operation of the group.
104 ** Engaging with current and potential partners and media, performing outreach, and ensuring the transparent operation of the group.
105 * Chairs are elected by the group for a 2 year term. There may be up to 2 Chairs at any given time. There are no limits to how often chairs can be re-elected by the group.
106 * For an individual to run for election, they must be nominated by at least 2 people (other than themselves or an acting chair) and agree to the nomination. The nomination period lasts 14 days. Once an election date is set, each candidate has one week to submit a position statement about their qualifications to chair the group. The voting poll will stay open for a minimum of 14 days and the candidate with the most votes wins. If there is only one candidate at the end of the 14 day nomination period, that person immediately becomes the chair.
107 * Chairs may be removed from their duties through a simple no-confidence vote, following the “Formal Vote” provisions below. A Chair who has been removed may stand for re-election.
108
109 === Decision Processes ===
110
111 OSI Working Groups conduct their work transparently on a public email list that is archived online, supplemented by various face-to-face, online chat or teleconference discussions. The decision making processes within the terms of a Working Group Charter may advance through three levels, and a decision is accepted as soon as it meets the requirements of any one of the levels, in the sequence described below. Decisions to initiate, approve or amend a Working Group Charter are handled separately (below).
112
113 ==== Three Levels of Decision Under a Working Group Charter ====
114
115 1. __Working Consensus:__ Routine decisions can be made via discussion on the email list, face-to-face, online chat or teleconference via straw polls with all either “in favour" or "abstained", but no members are "opposed". Decisions reached in non-archived venues must be confirmed on the email list. If working consensus cannot be reached, then proceed to the second level.
116 1. __Chair Decision:__ The Chair will propose that the matter be discussed further via the email list, face-to-face, online chat or teleconference. When the group discusses an issue and there is a request from a member to formally assess consensus, after due consideration of different opinions, the Chair should ask for votes, and record a decision together with any objections (with reasons if these have been expressed). If at least 3 members agree to take the matter to a formal general vote, then proceed to the third level.
117 1. __Formal Vote:__ If all efforts to achieve working consensus thus far have failed and yet at least 3 members consider that a determination must be made within limited time, the group may sets aside "working consensus" on an specific written issue, to initiate a simple majority vote. (This includes if they feel the Chair has not accurately determined the votes of the group or if they feel the Chair has refused to assess consensus.) Only members of the Working Group prior to the initial call for a formal vote may participate in the vote. Within 7 days of such a request, the Chair must announce the start and end dates, and the venue for the vote. Such a vote must be open at least 7 days and should be no more than 14 days, using a structured online voting solution, ensuring that no member votes more than once. In these cases, a decision shall be based on a simple majority of the votes cast (more than 50%).
118
119 The Chair is accountable to both the OSI Board and to Working Group participants to ensure that all deliberation and decision processes are fair, respectful, aligned with these guidelines, and neither favouring or discriminating against any participant or their associates (incl. employer).
120
121 == Deliverables/Outcomes ==
122
123 * Working Group
124 ** Collectively creates/advances deliverable
125 ** Presents deliverable to Board by end date
126 ** Includes sustaining/archiving plan
127 * OSI Board
128 ** Reviews new deliverable or version
129 ** Determines if deliverable/version require revision prior to publication as an OSI asset
130 ** Rejects or approves the deliverable/version as an OSI asset

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