Governance Document Management

This file lays out the process for creating, amending or removing key governance docs from the UK TRE Community.

The aim for this document is to make it transparent and easy for any member of the community to propose changes to the governance infrastructure of the community, keeping it dynamic, representative and decentralised!

Process

1. Suggesting

Open an issue on the community management GitHub repository using the ‘Governance document’ issue template, or submit this Google Form.

If you use the Google Form, the Community Management Working Group will create a GitHub issue related to what you submit.

You must provide:

• Name: The name of the document you want to create, amend or remove
• Type of change: Whether you want to create a new document, amend a pre-existing document, or remove a pre-existing document
• Size of change: Whether your change is editorial (does not change the underlying meaning or content of the document) or substantial (changes the underlying meaning or content of the document. Any suggestion to create or remove a document is by default a substantial change. Distinctions between editorial and substantial changes are loosely based on the W3C Classes of Changes.
• Detail: Any detail about the change you want to make
• Link: A link to an open version of the document. If you are suggesting creating or amending a document, this should also have permissions for anyone to add comments/suggestions.

If you are submitting a GitHub issue, you must also:

• Assign the issue the label governance
• Add the issue to the Project board TRE Community - project board

2. Agreed upon

The Community Management Working Group will discuss the proposal to:

• Ensure it doesn’t overlap with our Community Principles
• Ensure it doesn’t conflict with pre-existing proposals
  • This may include finalised initiatives, which may state that the specific Governance Document is currently closed for review

The Community Management Working Group may either:

• Reject the proposal, citing reasons
• Ask for amendments to proposal
• Accept the proposal

If the proposer is dissatisfied with the reasons for rejection, and cannot resolve these with the Community Management Working Group, they can submit an Objections

3. Drafted

Once accepted, the proposer works to draft the new or updated document.

This process must be done openly, allowing community members to comment on, suggest and review changes.

If you are suggesting removing a document, this step does not apply.

4. Open for review

Once drafted, the proposer alerts the Community Management Working Group.

They will review the document (to ensure it complies with our Community Principles), and open it for official review. The proposal will also be circulated with the community.

For editorial changes, the review period will remain open for 14 days, or whilst there are still outstanding objections, whichever is later.

For substantial changes, the review period will remain open for 28 days, or whilst there are still outstanding objections, whichever is later.

During this period, the document can be updated and amended as required.

5. Finalised

When the document has closed for review, the proposer can submit it for finalisation.

The proposer will submit the document to the Steering Group. The Steering Group will consider all community feedback and come to one of two conclusions:

• Reject the proposed change, providing reasons
• Accept the proposed change

If the Steering Group rejects the proposed document, the proposer can either close their suggestion, or return to step 3.

7. Tagged/released

If approved, the Community Management Working Group adds the document to the community management GitHub repository and to the UK TRE Community website.

Other notes

Appeal

If at any stage the proposer is unsatisfied with the reasons provided for objection, they can raise an Objection. Any appeals they raise will follow this process.

Outstanding discussion & objections

The above is the current live and used process. Any ongoing discussions about amendments to this process will be linked here!