[SeasonOfDocs] Proposed: Start a project decision log
Cameron Shorter
cameron.shorter at gmail.com
Wed Aug 14 14:52:12 PDT 2019
I've inserted an alternative table format at the bottom of:
https://github.com/thegooddocsproject/governance/wiki/Decision-Log-2019
Proposed changes:
* Table format, one row per decision.
* Links to email archive
* YYYY-MM-DD date digit format (which sorts easily if we need to sort later)
* Dropped reference to "Proposer" for two reasons:
1. It adds extra work, and we should try for simplicity.
2. Recognising the one proposer is usually not indicative of how good
decisions are made. The best decisions are typically made after input
from multiple people.
3. When we create something that can be measured (like who proposes the
most ideas), us humans have a tendency to "chase the points" which is
often at odds with the benefit of the community. (This is subtle
dynamics I've observed in open source communities, and also reflected in
the literature).
4. We can find out who raised motions in email threads if we really need
to look.
On 14/8/19 7:45 am, Jared Morgan wrote:
> I like the level of detail, Erin. I think the only thing missing is
> the link it to the related mailing list thread tying the two together.
>
> On Wed., 14 Aug. 2019, 07:19 Erin McKean, <emckean at google.com
> <mailto:emckean at google.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi folks!
>
> The decision log wiki page is here:
> https://github.com/thegooddocsproject/governance/wiki/Decision-Log-2019
>
> I figured we'd have to version it eventually so I thought yearly
> version is probably the right level of granularity. Please let me
> know if not!
>
> I'd love feedback on this. Is it readable? Does it capture what we
> need?
>
> If the consensus is yes, use the wiki pages, then I will move the
> rest of the stuff from the spreadsheet (
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fhYL7VqUAzL9_K22G6GS9leK-Yd-XRQdWh9IU1LLF9U/edit?pli=1#gid=0)
> to the log.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Erin
>
> On Tue, Aug 6, 2019 at 12:48 PM Cameron Shorter
> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Thanks Felicity,
>
> I reckon the success of a decision log in a volunteer project
> depends upon its ease of use. As such, I suggest simply to
> only include:
>
> * Date Decided (or "Pending")
>
> * Motion
>
> * Discussion (which links to email discussion, and optionally
> includes summary)
>
> In row 2 of your spreadsheet, I've provided more detailed
> suggestions:
>
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fhYL7VqUAzL9_K22G6GS9leK-Yd-XRQdWh9IU1LLF9U/edit#gid=0
>
> We can remove row after discussion.
>
> Cameron
>
> On 4/8/19 1:26 pm, Felicity Brand wrote:
>> Turns out making a decision log is really BORING - who knew?!
>>
>> I have made a start. Here is a Google Sheet:
>> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fhYL7VqUAzL9_K22G6GS9leK-Yd-XRQdWh9IU1LLF9U/edit?usp=sharing
>>
>>
>> It's got a lot of gaps. I will try and fill it in a bit more
>> when I get more motivation. If anyone feels like adding stuff
>> in, please be my guest.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Felicity
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 4, 2019 at 1:05 AM Clarence Cromwell
>> <clarencewcromwell at gmail.com
>> <mailto:clarencewcromwell at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> A decision log would be a much better history of the
>> project than searching through email. The email archive
>> is going to become large, and searching it for history
>> that you don’t already know about might seem like a
>> forbidding task.
>>
>> And the lack of historical info could discourage
>> newcomers by depriving them of any context.
>>
>> It would be better for future contributors if we could
>> explain the decision history in a log, and this is
>> important because the project is about better user
>> experience through better documentation.
>>
>> At the very least the decisions voted on over the
>> previous week should be summarized in the meeting minutes.
>>
>> It would be better to accumulate all the decisions in one
>> place, either by compiling the minutes or by having a
>> consistently formatted decision log.
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Aug 2, 2019, at 5:01 PM, Cameron Shorter
>> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com
>> <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>> +0 from me.
>>>
>>> I think it is a good idea, although I haven't seen it
>>> used in Open Source projects I've been involved in,
>>> which makes me question how important it is if open
>>> communities haven't picked it up.
>>>
>>> I'd be inclined to make it super light, to encourage
>>> use. Probably:
>>>
>>> Date, Motion, Pass/Fail result, a link to the final
>>> email in thread which calls the vote. (If interested,
>>> historians can dig through the email archive.
>>>
>>> On 3/8/19 7:52 am, Erin McKean wrote:
>>>> Thanks to a great suggestion from Ríona MacNamara, I'd
>>>> like to propose we start a decision log for the Good
>>>> Docs project.
>>>>
>>>> We are sending a lot of email and it might be hard for
>>>> people to find decisions there or in the meeting notes.
>>>>
>>>> General format is description, date, deciders,
>>>> rationale, alternatives considered, followup needed.
>>>>
>>>> Thoughts?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>>
>>>> Erin
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Erin McKean | Developer Relations Program Manager, Open
>>>> Source Strategy |emckean at google.com
>>>> <mailto:emckean at google.com> | she/her
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> SeasonOfDocs mailing list
>>>> SeasonOfDocs at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:SeasonOfDocs at lists.osgeo.org>
>>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/seasonofdocs
>>> --
>>> Cameron Shorter
>>> Technology Demystifier
>>> Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
>>>
>>> M +61 (0) 419 142 254
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> <mailto:SeasonOfDocs at lists.osgeo.org>
>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/seasonofdocs
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>
> --
> Cameron Shorter
> Technology Demystifier
> Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
>
> M +61 (0) 419 142 254
>
> _______________________________________________
> SeasonOfDocs mailing list
> SeasonOfDocs at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:SeasonOfDocs at lists.osgeo.org>
> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/seasonofdocs
>
>
>
> --
> Erin McKean | Developer Relations Program Manager, Open Source
> Strategy |emckean at google.com <mailto:emckean at google.com> | she/her
>
> _______________________________________________
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> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/seasonofdocs
>
--
Cameron Shorter
Technology Demystifier
Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
M +61 (0) 419 142 254
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