In The Future of Drupal Governance I proposed that we create a temporary working group which will work to define first steps in refinement of Drupal governance. The scope of the suggested group would be:

  • As a pilot project, develop new techniques for improving the productivity of the core issue queue. (Possible techniques: resolve blocked issues, delegate authority to resolve, grant early approval to specific issues.)
  • Define authority structure for core initiatives.
  • Define a method for creating, publishing, and maintaining policies in the Drupal Community.
  • Define a structure and process for technical and community conflict resolution.
  • Define a structure and process for changing and improving Drupal Community governance.

I proposed that Dries select two members of the working group (and participate himself, at least at the Portland meeting, below) and webchick and rfay choose three (and perhaps participate themselves). The choices would be based on but not constrained by community input.

The working group would be dissolved by Drupalcon Munich; It will probably have a major working session in July, most likely July 16-17 in Portland Oregon, just after the Community Leadership Summit and during OSCON. (It will not be part of OSCON, and OSCON registration is not required.)

If you have suggestions on how this working group should function, scope suggestions, or proposals of who should be involved, you can respond to this inaugural issue.

Comments

gdd’s picture

gdd
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Location Portland, OR
CreditAttribution: gdd commented

I am interested in participating in this working group. Since I live in Portland I'd be able to participate in the meeting easily as well. I will ahve to ponder ideas about how the group functions (to some extent the membership will probably influence it) but I wanted to throw my hat in now.

webchick’s picture

webchick
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Location Vancouver 🇨🇦
CreditAttribution: webchick commented

I'd also like to participate, and support Greg's nomination. I need to do some thinking about some of the bigger questions here.

zzolo’s picture

zzolo CreditAttribution: zzolo commented

Great initiative. I doubt I will have the time needed to be an active part in this.

I just want to push on the idea that this working group seems to be aiming to bootstrap Drupal governance, at least in part, and should consider defining specific governing bodies, how membership is determined, and what powers those bodies have (aka a constitution). I see these points sort of represented in the original list of goals, but hope they get added a little more explicitly.

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

We'll have an open meeting on our planning for Drupal Governance, the upcoming Portland sprint, and process issues in general on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 11am US MT (See this in your timezone and add to calendar)

The meeting will be in IRC and Conference Call/Skype.

IRC: #drupal-governance
Call-in: +1 (605) 562-3000 Participant Access Code: 273211#

Note that if you're outside the US you may want to use Skype to call in (for 2 cents/minute). I will be calling in via skype and can also add some people directly via skype.

Mile23’s picture

Mile23
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Location Seattle, WA
CreditAttribution: Mile23 commented

OSCON pricing between $645 and $1840 with early registration. Yikes.

Will this be *at* OSCON or nearby?

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

I won't be attending OSCON; too expensive for me as well. This will be *during* OSCON, but not a part of the event. We don't know where it will be held. Updating the node to indicate that.

LeeHunter’s picture

LeeHunter CreditAttribution: LeeHunter commented

I'll try and make it to the meeting. Over the last few years a big part of my job has been co-ordinating the governance activities for the enterprise architecture of a large government organization, so I probably know a lot about what NOT to do.

:)

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

The meeting announced in #4 is in about an hour and a half. See you there!

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented
Title: Form a governance working group » Governance Working Group and Portland Sprint

Here is the report from our meeting, attended by rfay, heyrocker, c-c-m, webchick, cweagans, August1914 (Thank you all!)

Resources: Piratepad notes and recorded call.

We agreed that governance in a nutshell consists of

1) Policy creation, enforcement, maintenance
2) Resolving conflicts
3) Creating shared direction

Our current focus is on #1 and #2, but #3 is a clear and important area.

Details and Tentative agenda for our meeting July 16-17

What: Governance sprint to establish basic parameters for the structure of Drupal governance. Dries' expectation is that this two-day sprint will result in concrete forward steps that we can offer to the community.
Where: Portland, Oregon, offices of the Drupal Association.
When: July 16-17, 2012 (Monday and Tuesday, right after the (free) Community Leadership Conference, and during OSCON which is also in Portland, but OSCON attendance or registration is not required or related to this meeting)
Who: Confirmed attendees Dries, Angie Byron (webchick), Greg Dunlap (heyrocker), Randy Fay (rfay). We have a couple of others we'll be working on; If you think you can make a contribution please nominate yourself in this issue. We really look forward to a broader group.

Tentative Agenda for the Sprint

  • Policy creation, maintenance, and enforcement: how to create, maintain, publicize policies, when to make them, and how to change them.
  • Resolving issue queue deadlock
  • Resolving issue queue technical/social conflict
  • Resolving community conflict
  • Rapid and appropriate response to major meltdown/community crisis moments
  • Updating the DCOC (policy, conflict resolution, Hoped-for social interactions? Conflict of interest, openness)
  • Dealing with Conflicts of Interest both within the community processes and also within the governance team
  • Deal with the open issues we have in the Governance queue so that everybody can participate. Work done there now will be reflected in the meeting.

We are open to additional contributors and the agenda is open to change as well.

For those who cannot attend but want to influence the outcome: Please, please read and get involved in the various issues in the Governance Issue Queue, or create new ones. We'll be using those issues and the community response there as a structure and prod for the sprint.

cweagans’s picture

cweagans
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Location Boise, ID, USA
CreditAttribution: cweagans commented

I could be in Portland at that time, pending approval by my employer. Basically, all I can offer at this point is another perspective on some of the bigger conflicts from the past couple of years.

If you think my presence would be helpful, then I can start making the arrangements.

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

Thanks, @cweagans.

David Strauss has also agreed to participate.

jaredsmith’s picture

jaredsmith CreditAttribution: jaredsmith commented

I would also love to participate, if you don't mind. I'm the former leader of the Fedora Project, and can give some insight on conflict resolution within the Fedora community. I'll already be in Portland for both the Community Leadership Shindig and OSCon. And since my employer is a diamond sponsor of OSCon, I might be able to get us a room to meet in as well.

Itangalo’s picture

Itangalo CreditAttribution: Itangalo commented

Hey, cool having a former leader of the Fedora Project in Drupal! (Just saying.)

LeeHunter’s picture

LeeHunter CreditAttribution: LeeHunter commented

I'm interested in contributing to the governance discussion and I'd be happy to come to the sprint however I'm not sure that what I have to offer fits with the agenda for this particular meeting. As I noted elsewhere in the issue queue my take, from being heavily involved in governance in a large enterprise, is a little different, more about achieving transparency, identifying stakeholder groups (i.e. not individuals), documenting their concerns at an early stage, and ensuring that those concerns are addressed in a timely manner, whereas looking at the agenda for this meeting, it's clear that the big priority for Drupal right now is resolving conflicts and personality clashes. At some point I think that the other side of governance will need to be addressed simply because it can do a lot to keep those conflicts from happening in the first place, but if it's not time for that particular discussion there wouldn't be much reason for me to be at the sprint (seeing as I know exactly squat about conflict resolution).

But I wanted to put the idea out there in case other people think that now might actually be a good time to talk about those other things.

willyk’s picture

willyk CreditAttribution: willyk commented

I could join if you think it would be helpful. I likely would not add much to the discussion, but I was thinking that I could assist in taking minutes and I could help prepare draft documents based on the vision the group set (e.g., I could prep some draft stuff Mon night for review on Tues). I'm a tech lawyer with a fair amount of commercial compliance and draft experience, so a decent writer.

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

@willyk, @LeeHunter, @cweagans, @Mile23, we appreciate your willingness *very* much, but are going to try to keep it smaller.

@jaredsmith, we'd appreciate if you could join us on Monday; we're going to try to have a few leaders of other communities speak to us. More information later. Perhaps you've already been contacted.

Mile23’s picture

Mile23
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Location Seattle, WA
CreditAttribution: Mile23 commented

@rfay: OK.

I'm going to CLS. The plan was to have that conversation with you there and then adapt. :-)

jaredsmith’s picture

jaredsmith CreditAttribution: jaredsmith commented

I have not been contacted yet, but I'm happy to help out however I can. Please let me know if you still need a meeting room -- I think I can arrange for a room to meet in through my contacts at O'Reilly.

rfay’s picture

rfay
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Location Palisade, CO, USA
CreditAttribution: rfay commented

@jaredsmith, the meeting will be at the DA office in Portland. Thanks!

webchick’s picture

webchick
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Location Vancouver 🇨🇦
CreditAttribution: webchick commented

I am slowly working my way through inbox 7,000 and finally sent out a formal invitation to you, Jared. :) Thanks a lot for the offer to join us!

webchick’s picture

webchick
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Location Vancouver 🇨🇦
CreditAttribution: webchick commented
Status: Active » Fixed

We had this sprint, and the write-up is at http://buytaert.net/creating-a-structure-for-drupal-governance.

Status: Fixed » Closed (fixed)

Automatically closed -- issue fixed for 2 weeks with no activity.

Anonymous’s picture

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Issue summary: View changes

Mentioned that we don't have to sign up for OSCON