While developing the SIG governance requirements, 3 distinct sets of responsibilities were identified:
- Setting technical direction and resolving technical discussions in subprojects of a SIG (e.g. intra-subproject escalation point)
- Setting pure-technical scope across the SIG and resolving technical discussions that span subprojects (e.g. inter-subproject escalation point)
- Managing the operational aspects of the SIG - defining and evolving process and structure. Identifying, or helping to identify, and defining additional SIG and subproject roles and responsibilities.
While in many SIGs individuals may continue to have all 3 roles concurrently, splitting out the responsibilities into multiple roles enjoys the following advantages:
- Doing so makes technical and non-technical leadership responsibilities unambiguous. Previously, the role of SIG Lead was not consistent across SIGs - in some cases it was a technical escalation point and in others the role had no ties to technical decision making. Calling out these responsibilities specifically makes the responsibilities of the roles clear across SIGs.
- Doing so provides a more diverse set of opportunities for community members to take on leadership roles. The new structure explicitly provides room and roles for both pure technical leadership AND leadership focused on critical non-technical work. Being the most senior technical contributor will no longer be a requirement for taking on a leadership role in non-technical capacities. Likewise, the most senior technical contributors may now be documented as the escalation points for technical issues irrespective of their non-technical responsibilities.
- Doing so provides SIG Leads an opportunity to scale themselves by sharing or transitioning parts of their workload to other members of the community that may be interested in taking on either pure-technical or non-technical leadership opportunities.