December 2017

This document summarises the composition and responsibilities of the governance bodies within the OpenWIS® Association.

This is intended as a supplement to the Articles of Association and Internal Rules. In the event of any discrepancy between the intentions noted in this document, meaning and governance shall be sought from the Articles of Association then the Internal Rules over this document.

An overview of the governance roles and resposibilities is provided here.

Board

Defined in ARTICLE 12: BOARD

Composition

Representatives (one per Member organisation) Chair, Vice-chair and Treasurer (Managing Directors, elected from Representatives)

Responsibilities

  • Ensure the purpose of the OpenWIS® Association is clear
  • Ensure that the governance framework is fit for purpose for the OpenWIS® Association to meet its goals
  • Ensure that risks to the Association are being adequately managed; intervene where necessary
  • Approval of OpenWIS® Association policy - including amendments to Articles of Association and Internal Rules
  • Approve annual budget, budget amendments and extraordinary expenditure; set membership fees
  • Approve initiation of Projects and amendments to Project Charters recommended by SC
  • Approve the terms on which OpenWIS® deliverables are licensed
  • Approve appointment of new Partners and Members
  • Appoint Managing Directors
  • Publish a record of Board meetings, listing Recommendations and Resolutions made

Steering Committee (SC)

Defined in ARTICLE 13: STEERING COMMITTEE

Composition

Delegates (one per Member and Strategic Partner organisation) Chair and Vice-chair (elected from the Delegates)

Responsibilities

  • Determine if proposed Partners and Members meet the joining criteria for the OpenWIS® Association
  • Conduct out-reach to encourage organisations to join as Partners
  • Coordinate initiation of new Projects (determine if proposed projects fit the purpose of the OpenWIS® Association; review Project Charters; establish the PMC for the Project; appoint Project Leader; help determine the License under which the Project will operate; commission technical resources (from TC) required by the Project etc.)
  • Hold Projects accountable for delivering to their schedule and quality plan (PMC must agree release criteria with SC); assess whether they are ready to move from Incubation to Mature phase
  • Approve release strategy for OpenWIS® deliverables and hold PMCs accountable for adherence to their approved strategy
  • Review Project’s requests to amend their Charter
  • Recommend amendments to Articles and Internal Rules to Board
  • Arbitrate where Project-level issues cannot be resolved by the PMC or TC
  • Review Project requests for financial support; approve where these requests are within existing budget and less than €10,000 [EUR]
  • Coordinate legal & financial issues for portfolio of OpenWIS projects (e.g. contributor license agreement)
  • Ensure compliance with OpenWIS® Association processes
  • Manage risks to the OpenWIS® Association; act as point of escalation for Project-level risks
  • Appoint SC Chair and Vice-chair
  • Appoint TC Chair and Vice-chair
  • Publish a record of SC meetings, listing Recommendations and Resolutions made

Technical Committee (TC)

Defined in Article 14: TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

Composition

TC members («any person qualified by training, skills and/or experience, as judged by the SC or TC Chair») Chair and Vice-chair (elected by vote of SC)

Responsibilities

  • Plan, manage & operate the technical infrastructure and resources required to support portfolio of OpenWIS® Projects
  • Manage CLAs from Contributors
  • Define, and ensure compliance with, the Code of Conduct)
  • Define, and ensure compliance with, the general Technical Rules) applying to all Projects (coding standards, software packaging policy etc.)
  • Provide technical oversight for Projects (e.g. “design authority”); monitor, guide, and influence the technical approach and its implementation within Projects
  • Provide release management oversight for Projects
  • Recommend follow-on actions or Projects for consideration by SC
  • Mentor Projects in Incubation phase
  • Define technical standards that Projects must adhere to; verify compliance
  • Recommend to SC budgeted proposals for infrastructure necessary to support portfolio of OpenWIS® Projects
  • Advise SC on highlights, risks and issues pertaining to individual OpenWIS® Projects

Project Management Committee (PMC)

Composition

Project Lead(s) (initially appointed by SC, otherwise elected by vote of PMC) TC mentor (appointed by TC) PMC members («any person qualified by training, skills and/or experience, as judged by the SC or Project Lead» = one per sponsoring Member of Partner organisation, membership may change over time through election from the active Contributors by vote of the PMC)

Responsibilities

  • Ensure all Contributors have completed a CLA for the Project
  • Run the Project, approve work-packages, collect requirements, set milestones, define quality criteria / release criteria
  • Engage with TC to review the technical approach for the Project
  • Develop plan for user and developer community engagement
  • Communicate with individual Contributors
  • Define, and ensure compliance with, Technical Rules for the Project
  • Appoint PMC members and elect new Project Leaders
  • Agree Project quality criteria, milestones, release schedule and usage license with SC
  • Prepare Project releases and, where necessary, seek release approval from SC
  • Report annually to SC on Project status vs. quality criteria, milestones, release schedule, community engagement, summary of interactions with TC (technical details not required) and any specific activities receiving financial support from the OpenWIS® Association (as outlined in Rule 12.8)

Project teams

Composition

Contributors (anyone considered to be an «upstanding member of the OpenWIS community», e.g. they agree to abide by the Code of Conduct) and have submitted a Contributor License Agreement)

Note: there are no restrictions on organisationl affiliation for Contributors - while they will often be from Member or Partner organisations, they do not have to be.

Responsibilities