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Why governance in open-source is important

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Room A

About this session

Talk outline:

Introduction

  • Speaker backgrounds and experience
  • Caveats of emotional bonds in open source software
  • The double edged sword of being productive

Governance

  • What is it?
  • How does your organization employ it already?
    • How do you make decisions
    • Who runs meetings, takes notes, files reports, responds to questions
  • How to use it to define healthy boundaries
    • Set expectations on results and time involvements
    • Clear is kind
  • How not having it can cause problems
    • People keep wanting to help others and run out of time, then feel guilty
    • Misunderstanding on expectations leads to resentment
    • People don't know what they are empowered to do and fear keeps them from doing anything

Implementation

  • Write it down and make it easy to find!
  • Revisit it at least annually
  • [individuals] Make a budget of your time
  • [individuals] Proactively communicate
  • Resource links

Presented by

  • Tim Schilling

    Tim Schilling

    I'm a Django/Python developer who has become very involved in the Django community over the past few years. I started by helping maintain the django-debug-toolbar library and have started helping in other areas, including Djangonaut Space, Django Commons, and the Django Steering Council. I also was a DEFNA director and a DjangoCon US organizer. Beyond community organizing I like to bake bread, brew beer, ferment hot sauce and as of 2025, roast coffee. If you see me around, come say hi!

  • Rachell Calhoun

    Rachell Calhoun

    Rachell is a Django developer with a profound passion for creating practical, user-friendly software tools and fostering inclusivity within communities where members come away with something better.

    Currently serving as a trustee for Django Girls and an organizer for PyLadies, DjangoCon US, and Djangonaut Space, she is dedicated to empowering individuals to delve their own boundaries, and find their own way out to accomplishing their goals.

    Rachell's advocacy for lifelong learning extends beyond technology, as she's currently taking her chances into the world of music composition and performance.