These are DRAFT guidelines for a new approach to making significant strategic decisions for the PSF, in cases where neither confidentiality nor an urgent response are required. It builds directly on the more inclusive membership model introduced in the 2014 revisions to the Python Software Foundation By-laws.

Folks familiar with the Python Enhancement Proposal process used by groups such as the CPython core development team and the Python Packaging Authority to resolve significant design decisions should not find any surprises in the philosophy behind these proposed guidelines, although the exact mechanics involved are quite different.

Approval process for these guidelines

These draft guidelines are currently posted for discussing with the full PSF membership on the psf-members list. They will be amended as appropriate based on that discussion, and then placed before the Board for formal ratification through the Board resolution process.

The mechanics of that process will be in accordance with the guidelines below.

(DRAFT for discussion with full PSF Membership)

PSF Strategic Decision Making Process

The primary mechanism for strategic decision making in the PSF is resolutions of the PSF Board. Members of the PSF Board of Directors are elected annually in accordance with the PSF Bylaws, and bear the ultimate responsibility for determining how the PSF pursues its mission to:

• ... promote, protect, and advance the Python programming language, and to support and facilitate the growth of a diverse and international community of Python programmers.

However, some proposed clarifications of or changes to the PSF's strategic objectives are of sufficient import that they will benefit from a period of open discussion amongst the PSF membership prior to presentation for a Board resolution.

Similarly, new Working Group charters (as described in the Bylaws) will likely benefit from a period of collaborative discussion on the details of the charter prior to their presentation to the Board.

Non-binding polls of PSF Voting Members

At their discretion, the PSF Board may choose to include non-binding polls in ballots issued to PSF members. This may be appropriate in situations where a policy decision with no obviously correct answer needs to be made, and the Board is unable to find a clear reasoned consensus. In these cases, the collective opinion of the broader PSF membership is likely to provide an additional valuable data point that individual Directors may take into account when voting on any associated Board resolutions.

Formal Proposals

Proposals for Discussion

Any PSF member that is eligible to vote on PSF ballots may use the private PSF wiki to submit a proposal for discussion with the full PSF membership. Such proposals should be filed under the ProposalsForDiscussion section of the wiki, which will also be flagged for public read access so that PSF Basic Members will also be able to read any submitted proposals.

Proposals for Resolution

Any PSF Director may determine that a particular proposal is ready for resolution and move it to the ProposalsForResolution section of the wiki. As with proposals for discussion, this part of the PSF wiki will be readable by the general public.

Proposals submitted for resolution will be resolved either directly by a Board resolution, or, at the Board's discretion, by a full binding vote of eligible PSF Voting Members.

Archived Proposals

If a proposal is resolved unfavourably, or is otherwise withdrawn from consideration, it will be moved the PSF Secretary, any PSF Director, or the author of the proposal, to the ArchivedProposals section of the wiki.

Active Programs

Any proposal which is resolved favourably and is not amending an existing program will be moved by the PSF Secretary or any PSF Director to the ActivePrograms section of the wiki.

Proposals to amend an existing program will instead be used to appropriately update the relevant program page.

Retired Programs

If a previously active PSF Program is retired, then it will be moved by the PSF Secretary or any PSF Director to the RetiredPrograms section of the wiki.

Technical Notes

When "moving" proposals between categories, a redirect from past locations to the new location should be put in place using the MoinMoin #redirect directive.