User:DKinzler (WMF)/TechCom MO

Following up on the discussion about re-structuring TechCom, this document provides a loose collection of proposed changes to TechCom's mode of operation.

Purpose

• The charter should make it the primary responsibility of TechCom to instigate and facilitate conversations about technical and strategic topics within its scope. While TechCom makes binding decisions to conclude RFCs, its main purpose should be to ask questions, provide feedback, surface problems, instigate discussions, and facilitate communication.

RFC Facilitation

• Establish a "tech lead forum" consisting of tech leads from all teams. Members of the forum should be ready to invest time to be involved in TechCom meetings every now and then.
• For every RFC, TechCom should identify teams or stakeholders who SHOULD or MUST sign off on the RFC. The "tech lead forum" should cover most of this need.
• TechCom should make sure any last call gets some kind of feedback from outside TechCom. A last call with no feedback should be considered fails, not approved. The "tech lead forum" would be the primary place to look for feedback if none is forthcoming.
• Prefer discussion on Phabricator over IRC meetings. If we do IRC meetings, structure them better.
• Refine the RFC process to provide more guidance, specifically about 1) when to file an RFC and 2) what questions an RFC ticket should address and 3) at what point in the process action is needed from which party.

Structure

• The committee should not grow beyond 12 people, 9 is probably a more appropriate size.
• Continue experimenting with working groups. These do not need to be formalized, they associated with TechCom merely by the fact that a TechCom member is part of the group. Other working group members can be recruited from the "tech lead forum" and beyond.
• Have membership expire after one year if not actively renewed. Basically, we'd all have to say "yes, I will" once a year to stay on.
• The CTO should not be a "regular" member, but have a special role. The CTOs role should be define in the charter.

Strategy

• It should be the explicit responsibility of TechCom to surface to the CTO any strategic questions which block technical decision making, or are holding back development. TechCom should not just raise the question, but prepare decision making, by identifying alternatives and tradeoffs.
• TechCom should regularly take the time to discuss and push strategic and architectural questions and decisions.

Meetings

• Have a guest or two sit in on (nearly) every regular meeting.
• Establish a regular meeting cycle with the CTO, with a clear agenda.
• Perhaps have TechCom office hours on IRC instead of RFC discussion.