Who we are

We are an initiative of four founding partners with classic organisational structures, multiple-level hierarchy, at the same time aiming to accommodate an “Open Source Community” with many volunteering contributors to deliver software-related products.

Why we need an organisational structure

In the beginning of the initiative, we started with a well-known best practice structure of three committees. The initiative is growing and we feel the need for adjusting the structures to improve efficiency and accountability. At the same time, we want to clearly define which parts of the initiative is driven by volunteers and therefore need dedicated community building (see also [link to community strategy]).

Unit 1: Team and Working Groups

We distinguish between Teams and Working Groups to meet our current initiatives reality of working bodies consisting of contributors the four founding partner or volunteering contributors of the GovStack community.

Common characteristics

• Have one accountable person (RACI model)

• Formulate and follow a mission statement and deliverables (see canvas)

• They prioritize their work according to mission and deliverables

• Use resources efficiently, avoid matrix structure (meaning do not become a member of too many teams to ensure you can focus your energy and resources)

• Accommodate additional representatives from founding partners, if requested

WG and Teams do not have to have meetings in order to exists!

The canvases can be revised, vetoed or requested by the respective Committee.

Everyone can propose a Team/Working Groups through:

1. Fill in the WG/Team Canvas

2. Present the Canvas in the respective Committee

3. Possibly adapt Canvas according to revision request/veto from the Committee

4. Publish Canvas on Confluence

See https://govstack-global.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GH/pages/193331287

See list of https://govstack-global.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GH/pages/192872508 and https://govstack-global.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GH/pages/193134685

Unit 2: Committees

The Committees are the unit in which the Working Groups and Teams come together (meeting frequency and format of which is determined by the committees themselves). The committees offer a format to exchange and inform each other about the work in Working Groups and Teams. Thereby, they are the place to reach consensus on decisions effecting many or all participating Working Groups and Teams (though even if a common decision was made in the committee, the team/WG are still accountable). The committee’s meetings are the format in which Teams and Working Groups can align on road maps or deliverables. The committee coordinator has not the power to top-down enforce decisions or micro steer activities - decision making in a committee can be done in consensus between the accountable persons from each team/WG.

Characteristics:

• Have one committee coordinator (+deputy)

• Are the format for domain exchange and best practices

• Are the format for mutual decision making (though teams/WG remain accountable for decision)

• Can request reporting of work status from Teams or WGs

• Revises, vetoes or requests mission and deliverables and Canvas for every Working Group/Team

• Enacts the authority and responsibility to resolve inter-dependencies between Teams/WG (also across committees)

We operate the following committees:

1. Product Committee: For all Teams/WG who leverage and expand initiatives‘s guidance portfolio of Digital Public Goods - also known as “GovStack Products”. In short: „every Team/WG publicly offering a deliverable to be used by everyone“ (e.g. Reference Use Cases, SDG Digital Investment Framework, Research Papers, Sandbox)

2. Tech Committee: For all Teams/WG who leverage and expand initiatives‘s technical portfolio of Digital Public Goods. In short: „every Team/WG publicly offering a specifications or related technical deliverables to be used by everyone“ (e.g. BB Specifications, Testing Harness, Sandbox). For more details, see

3. Country Engagement Committee: For all Teams who implement GovStack bespoke offerings for partner countries. In Short: „every Team offering services to a selected group in countries“. For more details, see

4. Governance Committee: For the founding partner to commonly steer the Initiative and its Teams/WGs. This committee is also for all Teams who form the operational backbone to ensure reliable, efficient core processes to support stable operation. On strategic decisions, once a month the Governance Committee meets only with the heads of the founding partners. For more details, see

Roles and Responsibilities depicted in the Organizational Structure

FAQ

Which meetings will be held?

Meetings are the last resort! Since they are one of the less efficient ways to collaborate, asynchronous ways of working together shall be prioritized.

Only the Committees have fixed dedicated meeting formats. The frequency is to be defined based on the units' individual needs.

Where are decisions being made?

• Teams/WG and Committees: Operational (Day-to-day, simple, routine) or Tactical (Medium-term, less complex):

  • Commonly in the teams/WG with accountable persons guidance (and possibly with guidance by Committee Coordinator).

  • After 2 attempts to reach a consensus in the team/WG, the accountable person of the team/WG can bring the topic to the belonging committee

  • Decisions are to be documented and traceable to avoid accountability or misalignment issues.

  • In practice, many points for decisions are discussed in Committees and a common consensus is found. The decision was made mutually in the committee, but each “Accountable persons” of each team/WG is still accountable for this decision.

• Committees: Tactical (Medium-term, less complex) or Strategic (Long-term, complex):

  • Teams/WG can escalate decisions with a proposals to the Governance Committee.

  • Decisions are to be documented and traceable to avoid accountability or misalignment issues.

  • Governance Committee can intervene with tactical decisions based on information from WG/teams.