Board Face to Face Meeting 2016

Background

It is important for the OSGeo Board to meet in person to discuss and make changes to the foundation. The foundation is mature now, and many lingering topics must be dealt with, but are often to detailed to be handled in a one hour meeting or e-mail.

Goals of Meeting

The overall goal of the F2F meeting is to define the "OSGeo 2020 strategy plan". It imply to discuss and outline the vision of the foundation. Where are we today, and where do we want to be 5 years from now, and most importantly, setting tasks so that we get there. After this meeting the OSGeo Board, and OSGeo in general, should have a clear focus.

Restructured Draft Agenda

Strategic Map, based on identified goals and pillars it is possible to define strategic objectives which are clear to communicate, see for example strategic-plan

"Toward the OSGeo 2020 strategy plan"

0. Government

• evaluation of resignation of Jeff McKenna
• replacement of the President
• replacement of the Board member
• prepare related official board statement to be posted on OSGeo discussion list

1. Define vision, mission, values, ethics

• review mission statement and revise it if necessary
• develop core values of OSGeo to dictate behavior and action around open source GIS
• review foundation goals and set the vision of OSGeo
• review bylaws based on mission statement, core values and vision
• draft OSGeo Activities System Map

2. Identify a limited number of strategic objectives (SO) and the expected outcomes

• review relationships with external organisations based on mission statement, core values and vision
• review relationship with participants (contributors, members and sponsors)
• review projects
• review branding (website etc.)
• review finances
• review incubation progress
• review conference practice and procedure
• review elections process

3. Define a procedure for "OSGeo 2020 strategy plan" finalization

• define working plan (steps, votes, discussion time, etc.)
• define community involvement and procedures
• define assignments and responsibilities (who do what by when)
• define a budget plan for 2016
• revise OSGEO Activities System Map for publishing on OSGeo website

4. Practical questions

• analyse the need of having executive directors which helps to implements decisions
• Geo4All organization positioning
• analyse the need to guarantee representation of minorities in the OSGeo government bodies (e.g.: allocate board slots by geographical location is an option)

Draft Agenda

Mapping the activities of Ikea. We will draft our own version of this map for OSGeo and its activities. This exercise will force us to define our core activities.

See above the agenda items organized by topic - removed from here to avoid duplication

Desired Outcomes

• outline the strategic position of OSGeo (what separates OSGeo from others)
  • outline strategic themes and activities of OSGeo (see example map image)
• develop a vision for OSGeo (how does the future look like)
• set specific action items that help OSGeo meet its goals

Draft Schedule

Saturday January 30

8:00 - 9:00

• breakfast and informal introductions: getting to know each other

9:00 - 11:00

• 0. Government
  • select f2f meeting chair and lead person for each session
  • fill in the vacant board seat, decide on the process to elect the new president
  • prepare official board statement on board member changes
  • respond to message from Arnulf on Geospatial Media
  • define the 2016 board objectives and agenda

11:00 - 12:00

• review mission statement and revise it if necessary
• draft OSGeo Activities System Map to identify our current core activities

12:00 - 13:00

• lunch with informal discussion about values

13:00 - 14:00

• develop core values of OSGeo to dictate behaviour and action around open source GIS

14:00 - 15:00

• review foundation goals and set the vision of OSGeo

15:00 - 16:00

• review bylaws based on mission statement, core values and vision

16:00 - 18:00

• review relationship with participants (contributors, members and sponsors)
• review relationships with external organisations based on mission statement, core values and vision
• finalize and approve geo4all relations with OSGeo, see https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/GeoForAll_OSGeo_Relationship
• review current and proposed MOUs: UCGIS, GSDI, see https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/MOU_UCGIS
• discuss Location tech and geospatial@apache response http://thenewstack.io/apache-sets-geospatial-voyage/,

http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/discuss/2016-January/015547.html, OGC

18:00

• dinner with informal discussions

Sunday January 31

8:00 - 9:00

• breakfast and informal discussions

9:00 - 10:00

• review projects
• review incubation progress
• review elections process

10:00 - 11:00

• review branding (website etc.)

11:00 - 12:00

• review finances
• review/propose guidelines without imposing excessive regulatory burden
  • travel reimbursements
  • conferences
  • covering code/community sprints

12:00 - 13:00

• lunch with informal discussions

13:00 - 15:00

• 3. Define a procedure for "OSGeo 2020 strategy plan" finalization
  • define working plan (steps, votes, discussion time, etc.)
  • define community involvement and procedures
  • define assignments and responsibilities (who do what by when)
  • define a budget plan for 2016
  • revise OSGEO Activities System Map for publishing on OSGeo website

15:00 - 17:00

• summarize outcomes and set action items
  • outline the strategic position of OSGeo (what separates OSGeo from others)
  • outline strategic themes and activities of OSGeo (see example map image)
  • develop a vision for OSGeo (how does the future look like)
  • set specific action items that help OSGeo meet its goals

References

• Board Priorities (from OSGeo Board, December 2013)
• OSGeo is becoming irrelevant. Here's why. Let's fix it. - Darrell Fuhriman
• Vision for OSGeo from Jeff McKenna with comments from Cameron Shorter

Timing

Weekend of 30 & 31 January 2015. Please be sure to arrive at the latest Friday night, as we will start at 8am Saturday.

(original Doodle form: http://doodle.com/poll/yzk7qka3ethkm3eg)

Location: GeoCat office in Bennekom, Netherlands

Address of GeoCat

Veenderweg 13, 6721 WD Bennekom, Netherlands (OSM map)

From AMS (Schiphol) Airport

• 55mins by train from Schiphol

Accommodation

• at Jeroen's house (4 single beds and two double beds)

• Reehorst hotel (nearest option)
  • http://reehorst.nl/en/index.html
  • 60 EUR/night
  • in nearby town of Ede
  • The area is not very exciting though
  • There is a bus running twice an hour to Bennekom and it is five minutes walk from the train station

• Hotel de Wereld (in near university town)
  • http://www.hoteldewereld.nl/html/index.php?page_id=2&language_id=2
  • 125 EUR/night
  • in nearby town of Wageningen, on a walking street
  • If you are looking for something with more life around (bars & restaurants) Wageningen is a nice student city and it is close to Bennekom too. You can rent bikes at the train station for those that can cycle. Buses, trains and taxis are all available and affordable.
  • has only 15 rooms

Travel Schedule

• Anita Graser: Friday 19:15 to stay at Jeroen's house
• Helena Mitasova: Saturday morning, to stay at Jeroen's house
• Jody Garnett: Friday 08:25 to stay at Jeroen's house
• Massimiliano Cannata: Friday 22:30 taxi or share to stay at hotel
• Michael Smith Friday arriving 10:35 on WW 442 (Wow Air) to stay at Jeroen's house
• Sanghee Shin: Friday 18:40 to stay at Jeroen's house
• Vasile Crăciunescu: Friday 18:30 to stay at Jeroen's house or hotel
• Venkatesh Raghavan: Thursday 15:15 taxi or share to stay at Hotel de Wereld

Costs

Travel costs for each Board member will be covered by the foundation.

This meeting is so important to the foundation, that any cost is worth it. However, for estimates, with 9 board members and travel, costs could be approximately 15k.

Minutes

Attending:

• MS - Michael Smith
• VC - Vasile Craciunescu
• MC - Massimiliano Cannata
• AG - Anita Graser
• HM - Helena
• JG - Jody Garnett
• SS - Sanghee Sin
• VR - Venkastesh Raghavan
• DF - Dirk Frigne

Jan 30 Saturday Morning

• Chair: HM
• Notes: JG

Select f2f meeting chair and lead person for each session:

• sat morning: helena, Jody
• sat afternoon: Michael, Anita
• sun morning: Venka, Sanghee
• sun afternoon: Maxi, Vasile

Jeff's sent resignation request to board mailing list, this has not been accepted yet.

• board members reached out Jeff clarification, resulted in second request that resignation be acknowledged
• motion: MS: "To accept Jeff's resignation". VR: second. Passed
• action: VR Draft blog post thanking Jeff for his service covering the above discussion. Send email to anounce@osgeo.org

Fill in the vacant board seat

• precedent - fill seat with next individual nominated. This year that is Dirk Frigne (138 votes) showing a lot of support form the community.
  • action: Jody: consider putting this precedent in the by-laws (or guidelines) during tomorrows discussion
• VC has contacted Dirk Frigne and he is willing to serve in this position :)
• Motion: VR "Nominate Dirk Frigne to fill the remain 8 month term" SS: second. Passed.

Decide on the process to elect the new president:

• Arnulf currently handling this role - accepting emails emails coming to the president
  • What do we need? Have a president cover the current term (until August)
  • VR: Considering the balance of a strong decision that selects for a longer period
  • DF: diverse discussion, mission, vision, ... save for later
• Anyone want to be president?
  • Discussion on President vs CEO and bylaws
  • What is expected of the president?
    • a lot of stuff assumed and done, this is not supported by by-laws
  • Arnulf and Jeff did a huge amount of work taking on multiple "roles" from our bylaws
  • Mike: this is not sustainable, and should not be expected in the future
• Can we factor out the chair of the board vs the president?
  • Balance between chair of the board, president, vice-president
• action: HM: "table until after we have some clarity on mission, vision,..."

Prepare official board statement on board member changes

• seperate this press release from thanking Jeff from his surface
• tabled: until tomorrow's decision

Respond to message from Arnulf on Geospatial Media

• DF / VR provided background
• Action: Venka will respond to email

Define the 2016 board objectives and agenda

• review https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Face_to_Face_Meeting_2016#Draft_Agenda
• HM: review and discuss with group (organize by topic, etc..), shuffle some schedule categories
• motion: JG: publish mission statement for Feb 4th (10 year anniversary), VR second, passed

review mission statement and revise it if necessary

• Extensive US 501(c)(4) legal status discussion
• mission statement feedback and discussion
• draft mission statement
• "Our mission is to foster open philosophy and global adoption of open geospatial technology by being an inclusive software foundation devoted to participatory community driven development."

review foundation goals

• guidelines: sanity check, remove the "to", use stronger language, remove examples
• discussion of each goal using the above guidelines
  • Keep "provide resources for foundation projects"
  • Recast the "promote geodata" into a goal on how we collaborate with allies rather than being data specific
  • ...
  • move specifics to foundation details section of the website (ie annual conference, sol katz award)
• resulting draft goals
  • provide resources for foundation projects
  • actively engage with the likeminded communities and organziations
  • foster the use of open source geospatial software
  • encourage interoperability with open and community standards
  • champion interoperability between the foundation projects
  • ensure/encourage a high degree of quality and reliability/excellence/stability/innovation in foundation projects
  • encourage open geospatial education through participation in open geospatial projects
  • enable communication and cooperation between OSGeo communities
  • champion community building through horizontal (local chapters) and vertical agreements with like-minded organizations
  • be a welcoming and inclusive worldwide organization at all levels
  • celebrate excellence, openess and service to the OSGeo community

lunch!

Jan 30 Saturday Afternoon

• Chair: MS
• Notes: AG

Jan 31 Sunday Morning

• Chair: VR
• Notes: SS

Jan 31 Sunday Afternoon

• Chair: MC
• Notes: VC

Revised mission statement and goal drafts

Draft mission statement 2016:

• Our mission is to foster open philosophy and global adoption of open geospatial technology by being an inclusive software foundation devoted to participatory community driven development.

Draft vision 2016:

what we will do: "empower (everyone/all) with open (source) geospatial (technology)"

Draft values 2016:

• open/openness
• collaborative
• passionate
• inclusive
• respectful

Draft goals 2016:

• provide resources for foundation projects
• actively engage with the likeminded communities and organziations
• foster the use of open source geospatial software
• encourage interoperability with open and community standards
• champion interoperability between the foundation projects
• ensure/encourage a high degree of quality and reliability/excellence/stability/innovation in foundation projects
• encourage open geospatial education through participation in open geospatial projects
• enable communication and cooperation between OSGeo communities
• champion community building through horizontal (local chapters) and vertical agreements with like-minded organizations
• be a welcoming and inclusive worldwide organization at all levels
• celebrate excellence, openess and service to the OSGeo community