Incubation Process

= Document Status =

IncCom Document Number: 1

Version: 1.0

Status: development

= Purpose =

The purpose of the Project Submission Process is to ensure that the procedure for getting new projects into the Incubation Process is well defined. This process is to be used for all new projects wishing to enter into OSGeo.

The process should be followed as is for most projects. The steps have been selected to best serve your project and to integrate it into the foundation. These steps have been chosen with great deliberation and evaluated as we run new projects through the process. Should your project find parts of this process either impossible or do not apply to your project, please inform the incubation committee and request removal or modification of parts of the process according to your needs.

= Terms and Definitions =


 * Project : The project wishing to enter into OSGeo
 * IncCom : The Incubation Committee
 * Incubation Process : The process by which a project becomes a full member project of OSGeo
 * Mentor : A member of the Incubation Committee chosen to assist a Project through the Incubation Process
 * PMC : Project Management Committee

= Process =


 * 1) The Project completes the Incubator Application Questionnaire and sends it to 
 * 2) The IncCom reviews pending Incubation Applications at the next regularly scheduled IncCom.  Each Incubation Application is evaluated based on the Project Evaluation Criteria.
 * 3) For Projects that meet the Project Evaluation Criteria, an Incubation Mentor is chosen.  Incubation Mentors are selected based on willingness to act as a Mentor for a particular Project.  If no Mentor is chosen, the Project is placed on hold until a Mentor can be found.  It is acceptable (and desireable) for a Project to recruit a Mentor for itself as part of the Project Submission Process.
 * 4) The chairman of the IncCom presents projects selected for Incubation to the OSGeo Board of Directors for acceptance or deferral.
 * 5) The Incubation Mentor reports incubation progress to the IncCom periodically using the Project Status Template.
 * 6) Incubation Projects remain in incubation until the Incubation Mentor and the IncCom agree the project is ready for full status based on the Project Graduation Checklist.
 * 7) The Chairman of the IncCom presents projects ready for graduation at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the OSGeo Board of Directors.  The OSGeo Board of Directors accepts or rejects a Project's graudation from the Incubator.
 * 8) Upon graduation, a member of the project's PMC is selected to report to the foundation board periodically on project status.

= Related Documents =


 * Incubator Application Questionnaire
 * Project Evaluation Criteria
 * Project Status Template
 * Incubation Graduation Criteria