official written documentation for DMB policies/rules/process/etc

[Dan Streetman]

On Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 5:05 PM Dan Streetman <ddstreet at ieee.org> wrote:
>
> I added this as a AOB discussion item to the agenda, but am also
> starting a ML thread for discussion. The specific line I added to the
> agenda is:
> "No single official source of DMB rules/procedures/policies, and KB
> wiki page is not complete or correct (e.g. this rule has been
> invalided and should never have been approved, apparently)"

re-raising this ML thread to keep it alive.

>
> I think the best way I can summarize my concern is to ask:
>
> To the new DMB members (who have not served on the DMB before), and
> presuming you have read all the existing DMB documentation[1], do you
> understand/know:
> - what your role in the DMB is?
> - what special abilities the DMB members have?
> - what the process for voting on applicants is?
> - what the process for changing rules is?
> - what rules can be changed by the DMB, and what rules can't?
> - what methods of communication does the DMB use?
>
> Those are only a representative sample of questions to try to
> illustrate that the DMB operates mainly on 'institutional knowledge'
> (or 'tribal knowledge') instead of clear, documented policies and
> rules. I personally think this impacts the DMB when administrative
> issues cause the DMB to be unable to meet its Mission Statement, at
> least partially because I don't think the DMB actually has a Mission
> Statement.
>
> Anyway, if I'm the only board member who thinks this is an issue, then
> please feel free to ignore me, as I have full confidence that the new
> board members will be very responsive, at least for the near future
> (the 'honeymoon period' after the 2020 election was roughly 1 year),
> and few if any administrative questions will need urgent action.
>
>
> [1] - by existing DMB documentation, I mean:
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DeveloperMembershipBoard/KnowledgeBase
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DeveloperMembershipBoard/Agenda
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DeveloperMembershipBoard/ApplicationProcess