slim-governance

Project Governance Model Writer

Overview

This skill helps establish clear governance structures for open source projects, particularly those sponsored by government organizations like NASA. A well-defined governance model ensures transparency, encourages contributions, maintains technical standards, and provides clear decision-making processes.

The skill provides three specialized governance templates optimized for different team sizes and organizational complexity, each designed to foster healthy open source communities while meeting institutional requirements.

When to Use This Skill

• Starting new open source projects that need governance structure
• Converting private projects to open source with proper governance
• Establishing team roles and decision-making processes
• Meeting compliance requirements for government-sponsored projects
• Scaling team governance as projects grow
• Clarifying contributor pathways and responsibilities
• Setting up transparent development processes

Team Size Assessment Guide

Before selecting a template, assess your team size and organizational needs:

Small Teams (2-5 active contributors)

Characteristics:

• Direct communication between all members
• Simple decision-making process
• Minimal bureaucracy needed
• Close collaboration on most decisions
• Limited formal roles required

Best for: Early-stage projects, research projects, small utilities, proof-of-concepts

Medium Teams (6-20 active contributors)

Characteristics:

• Mix of direct and structured communication
• Need for some formal roles and processes
• Multiple areas of expertise/ownership
• Balance between flexibility and structure
• Growing external contributor base

Best for: Established projects, multi-component systems, growing communities

Large Teams (20+ active contributors)

Characteristics:

• Formal communication structures required
• Complex decision-making processes
• Multiple committees or working groups
• Diverse stakeholder representation
• High volume of contributions and decisions

Best for: Enterprise projects, multi-organization initiatives, mature ecosystems

Template Selection Workflow

Step 1: Assess Your Current State

Ask these key questions:

1. Team Size: How many active contributors do you have?
2. Growth Trajectory: How quickly is the team expected to grow?
3. Organizational Complexity: How many organizations are involved?
4. Decision Complexity: How complex are typical technical decisions?
5. Compliance Requirements: Are there government/institutional requirements?

Step 2: Choose Your Template

Choose Small Teams Template when:

• ≤5 active contributors
• Single organization primary
• Simple technical decisions
• Rapid iteration needed
• Minimal bureaucracy preferred

Choose Medium Teams Template when:

• 6-20 active contributors
• Multi-organization involvement
• Moderate decision complexity
• Balance of speed and process needed
• Growing external interest

Choose Large Teams Template when:

• 20+ active contributors
• Complex multi-organization structure
• High-stakes technical decisions
• Formal process requirements
• Established community governance needed

Step 3: Consider Special Requirements

Government/NASA Projects:

• Choose template one size larger than assessment suggests
• Ensure compliance sections are properly filled
• Include institutional copyright requirements
• Add security and export control considerations

Government Project Specifics

NASA/JPL Compliance Considerations

When working on NASA or other government-sponsored projects:

1. Institutional Requirements:

   • Include appropriate copyright headers
   • Reference institutional policies
   • Ensure export control compliance
   • Follow security guidelines

2. Role Definitions:

   • Include government oversight roles
   • Define contractor vs. civil servant responsibilities
   • Establish foreign national participation rules
   • Set up approval workflows for sensitive decisions

3. Documentation Standards:

   • Meet federal record-keeping requirements
   • Ensure transparency in decision-making
   • Maintain audit trails for key decisions
   • Follow accessibility standards (Section 508)

4. Contribution Guidelines:

   • Implement contributor license agreements (CLAs)
   • Set up IP clearance processes
   • Define acceptable contribution sources
   • Establish security review procedures

Customization Guide

Common Customizations

1. Project Information:

   • Replace [INSERT PROJECT NAME] with your project name
   • Update [INSERT PROJECT DOMAIN] with your domain area
   • Add your project's specific links and contacts

2. Role Modifications:

   • Adjust role names to match your organization
   • Modify permission levels based on your needs
   • Add specialized roles (e.g., Security Officer, Documentation Lead)
   • Define term limits for leadership positions

3. Decision-Making Processes:

   • Choose voting thresholds (majority, supermajority, consensus)
   • Define escalation procedures
   • Set meeting schedules and formats
   • Establish tie-breaking mechanisms

4. Communication Channels:

   • Specify your discussion platforms (GitHub Discussions, Slack, etc.)
   • Define which decisions require public discussion
   • Set up mailing lists or forums
   • Establish meeting cadences

Example Customizations by Team Size

Small Teams:

• Combine Product Manager and Technical Lead roles
• Use informal consensus for most decisions
• Weekly team check-ins instead of formal meetings
• Direct GitHub issues for most governance discussions

Medium Teams:

• Separate Product and Technical Steering
• Establish Working Groups for specialized areas
• Monthly steering committee meetings
• Formal RFC process for major changes

Large Teams:

• Multiple specialized committees
• Formal governance board
• Quarterly community meetings
• Structured proposal and review processes

Deployment Workflow

Step 1: Check for Existing Governance

ls -la GOVERNANCE.md GOVERNANCE/ governance/

If governance documents exist:

• Review existing structure
• Plan migration strategy
• Consider versioning the transition
• Communicate changes to community

Step 2: Select and Customize Template

1. Copy the appropriate template:

   cp assets/governance-[small|medium|large].md GOVERNANCE.md
   

2. Review and customize:

   • Search for all [INSERT...] placeholders
   • Replace with project-specific information
   • Adjust roles and permissions as needed
   • Add any missing sections for your context

Step 3: Team Review and Approval

1. Internal Review:

   • Share draft with current team members
   • Gather feedback on roles and processes
   • Ensure institutional requirements are met
   • Test decision-making scenarios

2. Stakeholder Approval:

   • Get sign-off from organizational sponsors
   • Review with legal/compliance teams if required
   • Ensure alignment with institutional policies
   • Document any required modifications

Step 4: Community Introduction

1. Announce the governance model:

   • Create issue or discussion explaining the new governance
   • Highlight benefits and opportunities for contributors
   • Explain transition timeline if replacing existing governance
   • Invite community feedback and questions

2. Update project documentation:

   • Link to GOVERNANCE.md from README
   • Update CONTRIBUTING.md with role information
   • Add governance references to project websites
   • Include in new contributor onboarding

Step 5: Implementation and Evolution

1. Put governance into practice:

   • Start using defined roles and processes
   • Hold first governance meetings
   • Begin contributor onboarding process
   • Establish regular review cycles

2. Monitor and iterate:

   • Collect feedback on governance effectiveness
   • Adjust processes based on real-world usage
   • Scale governance as team grows
   • Document lessons learned

Best Practices

Starting with Governance

1. Start Simple: Choose the smallest viable governance structure
2. Grow Gradually: Add complexity only as team size demands it
3. Document Everything: Keep clear records of governance decisions
4. Regular Reviews: Assess governance effectiveness quarterly
5. Community First: Prioritize contributor experience and transparency

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• ❌ Over-engineering: Starting with too complex a governance structure
• ❌ Under-communicating: Not explaining governance changes clearly
• ❌ Rigid Processes: Making governance too bureaucratic
• ❌ Unclear Roles: Defining overlapping or ambiguous responsibilities
• ❌ No Evolution: Failing to adapt governance as team grows

Assets Available

This skill includes three complete governance templates:

• governance-small.md: Streamlined governance for small teams (2-5 contributors)

  • Simple role structure: Contributor → Committer → Product Manager
  • Lightweight decision-making processes
  • Focus on direct collaboration and rapid iteration

• governance-medium.md: Balanced governance for medium teams (6-20 contributors)

  • Expanded roles including Technical Steering Committee
  • Structured decision-making with multiple approval paths
  • Balance of flexibility and formal process

• governance-large.md: Comprehensive governance for large teams (20+ contributors)

  • Complex role hierarchy with specialized positions
  • Formal committees and working groups
  • Detailed procedures for large-scale collaboration

All templates include:

• Role definitions and responsibilities
• Decision-making processes
• Contribution guidelines
• Conflict resolution procedures
• Template placeholders for easy customization

Additional Resources

• Open Source Governance Models
• NASA Open Source Agreement
• Contributor License Agreements
• GitHub Community Guidelines
• SLIM Governance Documentation

Troubleshooting

Q: Which template should I choose if I'm between sizes? A: When in doubt, start with the smaller template. It's easier to add complexity than remove it.

Q: What if my organization has specific governance requirements? A: Use the closest template as a starting point, then customize roles and processes to meet your organizational needs.

Q: How often should governance be reviewed? A: Review governance effectiveness quarterly in the first year, then annually or when significant team changes occur.

Q: Can I mix elements from different templates? A: Yes! The templates are starting points. Customize by mixing and matching elements that work for your specific context.