This document outlines the process for establishing and running Hyperledger working groups.  We begin with information on the process for creating a new working group. Then we define the standard process that all working groups are expected to follow. It ends with  the steps necessary after a working group is approved by the TSC.

Creating a New Working Group

Following are the steps to create a new working group:

1. Create a new working group proposal
2. Look for other interested parties who would like to see this working group created
3. Send an email to tsc@lists.hyperledger.org with a link to the proposal that you created
4. Represent the proposal at the next TSC meeting

Process of the Group

Participation is open to everyone in the community. Meetings will be held weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly (as determined by the chair) via teleconference. When needed a task force can be created and have separate working sessions to discuss specific work items.

Chair Term

The chair of the working group will serve for as long as they still want to lead the working group. At which point, they will inform the TSC of their desire to step down from the position. The TSC will then appoint another chair with input from the community and existing chair.

Transparency

Meeting details, meeting notes, and documentation shall be made publicly available. The following proposed items will be created:

• Wiki Space

• Mailing List

• Hyperledger Chat Channel

• Meeting Recordings will be stored in the Hyperledger Community Google Drive

Amendments

Changes to the charter may be proposed by active group members and, if it obtains rough consensus as determined by the chair, can be brought forward to TSC.

Disbanding

Should the scope reach completion or conversely the traffic on the various conversation forums and the teleconference activity wither to very low levels, then the chair of the WG may ask the TSC to disband the WG.

Running the Working Group

Responsibilities of a Chair

The chair is responsible for the following items:

• Sending agendas for meetings to make meetings more productive

• Ensuring that minutes are taken, including capturing list of participants. This does not mean that they will be responsible for taking the minutes, but rather that someone is taking the minutes

• Leading the meeting

• Sending out cancellation notices prior to the meeting

• Ensuring that working group updates to the TSC are done on a quarterly basis

• Facilitating the group and helping ensure that the goals and objectives are set

• Enforcing the Working Group’s adherence to the Hyperledger Code of Conduct

Minutes

Minutes for each meeting should be kept and accessible from the working group's wiki page on wiki.hyperledger.org. Members of the working group will need to decide who will keep notes.

Meeting Cadence

Working groups typically meet on a bi-weekly basis. However, each working group chair should determine whether they will meet on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.

Agendas

In advance of every meeting, the chair should send out an agenda to both the chat and mailing list to ensure that attendees know what will be discussed.

Cancelling a Meeting

Meetings are placed on the Hyperledger Community calendar. To ensure that the meeting can be removed, please send an email in advance of the meeting to zoom@hyperledger.org. In addition, please notify the mailing list and Rocket.Chat.

After Approval of Working Group

When a new working group gets approved, Hyperledger staff will ensure the following checklist is completed:

• Set up real-time chat channel for the working group. Channel should be named #{working-group-name}-wg.

• Set up the mailing lists for the working group in groups.io. The mailing list should be named {working-group-name}-wg.

• Set up a wiki page for the working group. Create a new space for the working group. Use the template "Home Page for Working Group" to create the home page within this space.

• Set up a community folder within the Hyperledger Community folder to store meeting recordings and other documents. Give permissions to the working group chair to edit.

• Set up the quarterly working group reports for this working group. Add to the working group's calendar a reminder and to the TSC calendar a reminder of the dates that the update is due.

• Send Welcome Email Template

• Work with the working group lead to ensure that the community calendar is updated (Hyperledger Community calendar) to include the date/time of the meeting. IMPORTANT: Ensure that the meeting day/time does not conflict with an existing community meeting.

• Have the lead of the working group send out a calendar invite to both the WG mailing list and to linuxfoundation.org_nf9u64g9k9rvd9f8vp4vur23b0@group.calendar.google.com so that it is included on the Hyperledger Community calendar.