The Open Knowledge Foundation Network (OKFN) exists to support a diverse set of communities, each focused on a different aspect of open knowledge
. These projects are united by a common set of concerns, and commmon traditions of both etiquette and process. These are explained in more detail below, but can be summarised as:
The Network has been organized by the Open Knowledge Foundation and there is significant sharing of infrastructure and personnel between the two (in particular members of the Foundation sit on the Network's Coord group). At the same time, the Network, and in particular its projects, are entirely autonomous.
The OKFN Executive ('Exec') Group consists functions as the 'Board' of the OKFN. Its responsibilities include incubating, approving and retiring projects, as well as the provision of all cross-project technical infrastructure.
When a proposal becomes an approved project, a Project Coord Group (PCG) will be created, including at least one member of the OKFN Coord Group and, typically, the project's originators. The Project Coord Group will have autonomy as regards the running of the project; responsibility is devolved. The Project Coord Group can also recruit as many project members as it sees fit, and is responsible for signing up further participants as the project progresses.
The Incubator is where projects begin life. It's open for people to contribute ideas and make suggestions to develop the existing ones. It is organized and run by the Exec Group.
The incubator is the place where project proposals are filtered, initial assistance with infrastructure is provided, and a volunteer base is built up. AT a suitable point a proposal can be put forward for full project status. At such a point it will either be rewarded such status, returned for further incubation with suggestions formodifications, or will be retired.
There are thus a number of levels of involvement in the Network:
supporter -> volunteer -> project member -> PCG member -> Exec Member
Projects are the chief decision-making organizations of the Network. This reduces friction and allows greater diversity to emerge than in a top-down monoculture model. Each project is delegated authority over its activities, and is given a great deal of latitude both in what it does and how it does it, but all share a similar core philosophy.
Open discussion allows the most promising ideas to come to the fore, and for decisions to be reached on a consensus basis. Communication within projects is typically carried out via mailing lists. These enable all individuals to contribute, at a time convenient to each. They also provide a record of the development process which is available to all users and project members.
The OKFN believes that authority must be matched by responsibility. Merit should be respected and encouraged. Concretely this means active and able contributors will have the greatest control over the project's activities; our governance structure is simply there to ensure that there is a solid institutional framework to support these activities.
A pre-condition for all projects, and essential to a meritocracy. Differences are recognised as a creative force: when discussed openly and without aggression, they allow a group's thinking to be clarified.
Many of the ideas for the successful open governance are dervied from those of the Apache Software Foundation. The OKFN greatly admires both their processes and their achievements.