Open Source Public Policy
Version 3.1 by Deborah Bryant on 2015/07/08 01:59
Public Policy Working Group
Status: Proposing
- Description: OSI is often approached for assistance with questions and expressed interests and need from the public sector about policy for free and open source software, but has not been consistently resourced, nor have they been the ideal body, to respond.
- Inquires includes a range of expressions of policy. Examples of requests for help historically have included:
- Model policies for government agencies, operations, contracts and procurement policies
- Public policies for broad adoption of free and open source software
- Executive orders and other high-level policy guidance
- National referendums
- Economic Development initiatives which rely on free and open source software as a strategic element of the plan
- Inquires includes a range of expressions of policy. Examples of requests for help historically have included:
- A working group is proposed to be established to extend the Open Source Initiative's resources to create an international collaborative effort to create a network of policy practitioners for the purpose of sharing best practices, documentation, and general knowledge and support for individuals and organizations with an interest in or responsibility for creating and implementing effective policies. In phase one of the project, we will identify a network of the willing and informed and create a sustainable inventory of existing policies (implemented). Phase two will be defined by the group based on what is learned along the way as opportunity and challenge.
- Approach: In the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in the public sector with regard to adoption of free and open source software. The nature of open source brings inherent value and at the same time has created a need for shifting traditional approaches to IT/ITC and with it a underserved need by a range of government agencies - small to large - for assistance in getting started. A somewhat fragmented community of policy practitioners and advisors exists who can help identify much of hard work that has been done, make that work accessible and discoverable as a starting point. OSI can assist by helping identify and connect those practitioners, and by providing basic infrastructure and sustained stewardship of a collection/reference library of such policy.
- Commitment: We're seeking volunteers with experience in this domain to help create a collaborative virtual team. In Phase one, commitment is one 60-90 minute meeting per month along with low level email correspondence between meetings; to help create a vision for the resource library (or help give it a better name) and assistance with identifying and providing access to polices, documents, and other artifacts that may assist a public entity seeking to develop its own policies and plans; and to make recommendations to the OSI board as to any next step for the working group based on what they discover along the way. The working group may request OSI assistance for outreach to promote its work. Estimated length of time for phase one is 5-6 months.
- Current Status and Plan:
- Deb Bryant, current board director has volunteered to convene the group under the auspices of OSI (Working Group Sponsor)
- Proposal to board to authorize working group at month OSI BOD meeting set for July 8, 2015 as well as seek additional OSI director participation
- If approved, new working group will be presented to Open Source for America to solicit that organization's participation on July 10th, 2015.
- Additional outreach through existing networks to establish a core group in the later half of July
- Working Group public kickoff at OSCON in Portland Oregon July 22, 2015
- First virtual meeting in August 2015 to establish the working group's interested parties (volunteers) and how we'll tackle the work and publish the work.
- Tentative plan to return to the OSI board in December of 2015 with results and recommendations for any follow-on work.
- Personal note from the sponsor: I've focused much of my volunteer effort with the OSI board helping make our way through governance reform and a move to a membership-driven organization, as well as helping drive organizational development to preserve and sustain OSI, because I knew it was the right thing to do. The one thing I've remained passionate about throughout the years has been helping the public sector grow into a major consumer of and contributor to open source software. We've come a long way in the past decade in many countries. I'd like to amplify that effort; public service is no walk in the park and open source adoption is hardly the garden path of least resistance. I know because I've walked in those shoes. If you're interested too, I hope you'll join me in spinning up a useful effort and make some new friends along the way.