Setting up Open Governance

Setting up Open Governance #

We believe that the full power of Open Source is unleashed when Open Source is followed not only by the letter but also in spirit. That’s why we require projects to not only adopt an Open Source license for the code but also an open and transparent collaboration model. We (and others) call that open governance.

Principles #

Following the statutes of the OpenRail Association and the charter of its Technical Committee we follow certain principles for open governance:

  • Neutral Ground. The OpenRail Association acts as the neutral ground where diverse contributors and contributing organizations meet on eye-level to work on a common goal.
  • Transparent Decisions. Decisions are taken in a transparent way. It’s clear who decides and how you can contribute to a decision.
  • Clear Contributor Path. There is a clear path to becoming a committer and maintainer of a project. That does not mean that everybody can become a committer and maintainer, but that the process and criteria are clearly defined.
  • Contributions based on Merits. Contributions to our projects are judged based on the merit of the contribution for the project not based on status or affiliation of the contributors.
  • Shared Ownership. No contributing party holds exclusive rights on any part of the project through trademarks or any other mechanisms. Ownership is shared by contributors. The OpenRail Association acts as a trusted host.
  • No surprises. Planning and decision making is taking place in public, so that people know what to expect from the project, and roadmaps are transparent. Surprises are minimized.

Implementation #

Projects are required to adopt an open governance model. The Technical Committee guides, advises and supports projects in doing so. The Technical Committee is responsible for shaping and running the incubation process which defines how projects can become part of the OpenRail Association and what requirements they have to meet to advance to more mature stages. Adhering to open principles is a significant part of this.

As a base for projects to define their governance rules the Technical Committee also maintains a set of templates for setting up a minimum viable open governance. These templates can act as a set of default documents, a starting point for defining more sophisticated models, and a baseline to check existing documents against.

When you are part of the OpenRail Association as a project, you will work with the Technical Committee to set up and refine your governance according to open governance principles, so that you can use the full power of Open Source.