From 60aa08b4918612224ae74d1c0e6f120d0950172a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Justin Wheeler Date: Mar 05 2026 03:45:26 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] 📝 docs(council): Rewrite Community Architect charter This commit is a complete rewrite of the Fedora Community Architect (FCA) charter page to better reflect core responsibilities. The Community Architect role was often misinterpreted as a broad "Community Manager" role, while the actual focus is on the stewardship of key project resources: the Fedora budget, the Flock contributor conference, and Fedora Council documentation. This change clarifies the role's priorities and aligns it with performance expectations. Signed-off-by: Justin Wheeler --- diff --git a/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc b/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc index 3ab56df..f9cc9ed 100644 --- a/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc +++ b/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc @@ -2,92 +2,86 @@ include::ROOT:partial$attributes.adoc[] = Fedora Community Architect (FCA) :page-aliases: fcaic.adoc +:description: The Fedora Community Architect (FCA) is responsible for the stewardship of key community resources, including the Fedora budget, the Flock contributor conference, and Community Initiative support. -The _Fedora Community Architect_ (FCA) is employed full-time by Red Hat to lead initiatives that grow the Fedora user and developer communities. -They also help make Red Hat and Fedora interactions more transparent and open. -The Fedora community budget comes to us through the Red Hat Open Source Program Office (OSPO). -This position facilitates decision-making on how to best focus that to meet our community's goals and objectives. -The FCA supports the xref:fpl.adoc[Project Leader] with all things "community" and works directly with the Fedora Leadership to help bring more Heat and Light to the project. +{description} +This role is a permanent member of the Fedora Council, focused on the effective management and utilization of resources that enable community growth and governance. +The FCA ensures the Fedora community has the necessary financial support, events, and community engagement to thrive. -The FCA is appointed to the Community Architect seat on the xref:index.adoc[{team_name}], Fedora’s top-level community leadership and governance body. -The {team_name} is responsible for stewardship of the Fedora Project as a whole, and supports the health and growth of the Fedora community. +[[roles]] +== Roles and Responsibilities -[[current]] -== Meet the FCA +The Fedora Community Architect has the following key responsibilities: -[.profile-picture] -image::https://jwheel.org/img/logo.jpg[Picture of Justin Wheeler.] +[[roles-budget]] +=== Budget Management -link:{url_wiki}/User:Jflory7[Justin Wheeler] (he/him) is a Free Software activist and open source advocate focused on community leadership and digital infrastructure. -As the Fedora Community Architect at Red Hat, he designs and maintains the core support structures that enable a global community of contributors to thrive. -His work is driven by a deep commitment to fostering global inclusion within technology. -This philosophy shaped his impactful tenure at UNICEF, where he mentored startups worldwide to become successful Digital Public Goods. -It continues to define his leadership within the Fedora Project, where he has been a key contributor for over a decade. -You can read more about his participation and history in Fedora https://jwheel.org/#fedora[on Justin's website]. +* Develop and manage the annual Fedora community budget in collaboration with the Fedora Council and the Red Hat Open Source Program Office (OSPO). +* Ensure transparent budget allocation and tracking. +* Provide guidance and oversight for budget requests related to community initiatives. +[[roles-flock]] +=== Flock Contributor Conference -[[roles]] -== Roles and Responsibilities == +* Plan and execute the annual Flock contributor conference, including logistics, content coordination, and community engagement. +* Work with community teams to ensure Flock meets the needs of diverse contributors. -[[roles-council]] -=== {team_name} === +[[roles-initiatives]] +=== Community Initiative Support -* Work with other {team_name} members to identify the short, medium, and long term goals of the Fedora community and to organize and enable the project to best achieve them -* Primary {team_name} member with responsibility for the development of the annual Fedora community budget -* Participate in decision-making about use of trademarks, project structure, community disputes or complaints, and other such issues +* Serve as an executive sponsor for selected Community Initiatives, providing guidance and support to community leaders to ensure successful adoption and implementation. +* Facilitate onboarding of Community Initiatives to the Fedora Council. +* Maintain documentation related to Fedora Council governance, policies, and procedures. +* Coordinate the creation and revision of Council documents, working with Council members to ensure accuracy and clarity. +* Coordinate the publication and communication of Council documentation to the Fedora community. -[[roles-special]] -=== Special Initiatives === +[[roles-commops]] +=== Collaboration with Community Ops -* Design and spearhead special initiatives to grow user and contributor bases +* Collaborate with the xref:commops::index.adoc[Fedora Community Operations (CommOps) Team] to align resource allocation, documentation efforts, and community engagement strategies with broader community communication and operational strategies. -[[roles-metrics]] -=== Metrics === +[[roles-coc]] +=== Fedora Code of Conduct Committee Chair -* Implement metrics for community engagement, participation, and satisfaction; create and execute projects to improve those metrics; report regularly on progress and adjust approach as needed +* Serve as the chair of the Fedora Code of Conduct Committee, overseeing the enforcement of the Code of Conduct and promoting a positive and inclusive community environment. -[[roles-opportunities]] -=== Opportunities === -* Identify opportunities to engage new contributors and community members; align project around supporting those opportunities - -[[roles-community-liaison]] -=== Liaise between Red Hat and FOSS Community === +[[current]] +== Meet the FCA -* Communicate community needs to Red Hat and participate in regular meetings with internal Red Hat stakeholders; align Red Hat participation in Fedora beyond platform engineering -* Represent Red Hat’s stake in Fedora community success -* Improve on-boarding materials and presentation of Fedora to new Red Hat hires; develop standardized materials on Fedora which can be used at Red Hat globally. +[.profile-picture] +image::https://jwheel.org/img/logo.jpg[Picture of Justin Wheeler.] -[[roles-budget]] -=== Budget === +link:{url_wiki}/User:Jflory7[Justin Wheeler] (he/him) is a Free Software activist and open source advocate focused on community leadership and digital infrastructure. +As the Fedora Community Architect at Red Hat, he designs and maintains the core support structures that enable a global community of contributors to thrive. +His work is driven by a deep commitment to fostering global inclusion within technology. +This philosophy shaped his impactful tenure at UNICEF, where he mentored startups worldwide to become successful Digital Public Goods. +It continues to define his leadership within the Fedora Project, where he has been a key contributor for over a decade. +You can read more about his participation and history in Fedora https://jwheel.org/#fedora[on Justin's website]. -The Fedora Community Architect works with the {team_name} and Red Hat Open Source Program Office (OSPO) to determine the annual Fedora Budget. -* Ensure that budget is published and tracked transparently, with a public page indicating how each year’s budget is earmarked and its current state. +[[decision-making]] +== Decision-Making -[[roles-events]] -=== Fedora Event Planning and Participation === +* The Fedora Community Architect works with the Fedora Council to make decisions related to budget allocation and Council documentation. +* Decisions related to Flock planning are made in collaboration with the Flock organizing team and relevant community stakeholders. -Participate in planning and organizing Fedora’s Flagship events each year, including: -* Flock, Nest, & Hatch -* Release Parties -* Fedora contributor hackfests +[[communication]] +== Communication -The Fedora Community Architect also represents Fedora at other major industry conferences and hackathons such as: +* The Fedora Community Architect communicates regularly with the xref:council::index.adoc[Fedora Council], xref:commops::index.adoc[Community Ops Team], Red Hat OSPO, and the broader Fedora community. +* Work with other {team_name} members to identify the short, medium, and long term goals of the Fedora community and to organize and enable the project to best achieve them +* Primary {team_name} member with responsibility for the development of the annual Fedora community budget +* Participate in decision-making about use of trademarks, project structure, community disputes or complaints, and other such issues -* All Things Open -* DevConf CZ, IN, US -* FOSDEM -* PyCon (and Sprints) -* LibrePlanet -* Red Hat Summit -[[roles-communications]] -=== Communications === +[[reporting]] +== Reporting -The Fedora Community Architect provides and facilitates regular communications to Fedora Magazine, the Fedora Community Blog, and other mass communication channels to talk about community goals/progress and general community boosting. +* The Fedora Community Architect provides regular reports to the Fedora Council on budget status, Flock planning progress, and documentation updates. +* _This list is subject to be expanded over time_. [[previous]] @@ -103,7 +97,7 @@ link:{url_wiki}/User:Decause[Remy DeCausemaker]:: February 2015 – June 2016 (_Fedora Linux 22 to 24_) [[previous-titles]] -=== What about FCAIC and FCL? +=== Why so many titles? The title of this role evolved and changed over the years since its inception in February 2015. The creation of the role was largely envisioned and advocated for by xref:fpl.adoc#previous[Robyn Bergeron], then the Fedora Project Leader. @@ -119,10 +113,7 @@ Over time, more projects, organizations, and companies working on Free & Open So However, community work does not have an industry-accepted job ladder, as is more common with software engineering. Red Hat eventually settled on the title of _community architect_ for community work in its pioneering Open Source communities. -Fast forward to 2023. -The landscape has changed and evolved! -So, it was the ideal time to reflect on the title for this role. -The title was changed in January 2023 to *Fedora Community Architect* (FCA). -Ultimately, the goal of changing the name was to better describe the role and what the FCA does in Fedora. -The lengthy "FCAIC" title usually came with an explanation to others unfamiliar with Fedora and our community culture. -FCA is also a handy shortening of the longer FCAIC acronym too! +The title was changed in January 2023 to *Fedora Community Architect* (FCA) to reflect the changing landscape. +Ultimately, the goal of changing the name then was to better describe the role and what the FCA did in Fedora. +The lengthy "FCAIC" title often came with an explanation to others unfamiliar with Fedora and our unique community culture. +FCA was also a handy shortening of the longer FCAIC acronym too! From 92816a41c078dd69503e20b0f8d09f68aa5fa8d7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Justin Wheeler Date: Mar 05 2026 03:45:35 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] 📝 council(ROOT): Expand FCA responsibilities, decision-making, comms This commit provides a comprehensive update to the FCA role charter. The goal of these changes is to evolve the document from a high-level job description into a more detailed and actionable strategic charter. The revisions are based on a deep-dive into the core responsibilities of the role, aiming to provide clarity for the role holder, community members, and Red Hat stakeholders. The core motivation was to move beyond abstract statements and define the specific actions, accountabilities, and guiding principles of the FCA. This was achieved by systematically expanding each section to reflect the practical, day-to-day realities of the work. Key changes include: * **Decision-Making & Guiding Principles:** * Clarified the FCA's role as a bridge between Red Hat's interests and the community's health, explicitly acknowledging the sponsorship bias while establishing the Four Foundations as the primary ethical framework for decisions. * Refined the tone to be more professional and grounded, avoiding overly dramatic language while retaining the core principles of trust and responsibility. * **Roles & Responsibilities:** * **Budget Management:** Expanded to detail the full lifecycle of the role's financial duties, from strategic forecasting and proposal development to negotiation with OSPO and ongoing accounting. Explicitly added the FCA's permanent position as Chair of the Mindshare Committee. * **Flock Conference:** Rewritten to be action-oriented, defining the FCA's duties in data analysis, venue selection, committee leadership, and overall project management. * **CommOps Collaboration:** Redefined the relationship to reflect the FCA's designed role as the primary leader and strategic advocate for the CommOps team, specifying responsibilities in both community enablement and analytics. * **Code of Conduct Chair:** Detailed the specific duties of the chair, including facilitating meetings, acting as a liaison for new cases, coordinating transparency reports, and maintaining the Committee's official documentation. * **Communication:** * Overhauled the section to reflect the FCA's role as a project-wide communication hub, moving beyond a narrow focus on the Council. * Outlined the primary stakeholder teams (Mindshare, DEI, CommOps, etc.) and the purpose of the FCA's communication with each. * Specified the FCA's responsibility for proactive public communication through blogs, forums, and other channels. Signed-off-by: Justin Wheeler --- diff --git a/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc b/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc index f9cc9ed..84d3823 100644 --- a/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc +++ b/council/modules/ROOT/pages/fca.adoc @@ -1,8 +1,12 @@ include::ROOT:partial$attributes.adoc[] = Fedora Community Architect (FCA) +:page-authors: {author}, {author_2}, {author_3}, {author_4} :page-aliases: fcaic.adoc -:description: The Fedora Community Architect (FCA) is responsible for the stewardship of key community resources, including the Fedora budget, the Flock contributor conference, and Community Initiative support. +:description: The Fedora Community Architect (FCA) is responsible for the stewardship of key community resources, including the Fedora budget, the Flock contributor conference, and Community Initiatives. +Remy DeCausemaker; Brian Exelbierd; Marie Nordin; Justin Wheeler +// Article content last reviewed and verified by a human on… +2025-07-07 {description} This role is a permanent member of the Fedora Council, focused on the effective management and utilization of resources that enable community growth and governance. @@ -17,15 +21,22 @@ The Fedora Community Architect has the following key responsibilities: [[roles-budget]] === Budget Management -* Develop and manage the annual Fedora community budget in collaboration with the Fedora Council and the Red Hat Open Source Program Office (OSPO). -* Ensure transparent budget allocation and tracking. -* Provide guidance and oversight for budget requests related to community initiatives. +* Serve as the permanent Chair of the Fedora Mindshare Committee, the primary body for reviewing and approving community funding proposals. +* Analyze previous fiscal year spending and event impact to inform future budget strategy. +* Lead the annual budget planning process, gathering requirements from the Fedora Council and community stakeholders. +* Develop the annual budget proposal, creating forecasts based on strategic priorities and anticipated event costs. +* Negotiate the final budget with OSPO leadership, aligning community needs with corporate financial realities. +* Oversee the public processes for event funding requests and other community initiatives throughout the year. +* Maintain accurate accounting of all expenditures, providing regular financial reports to both the Fedora community and OSPO. [[roles-flock]] === Flock Contributor Conference -* Plan and execute the annual Flock contributor conference, including logistics, content coordination, and community engagement. -* Work with community teams to ensure Flock meets the needs of diverse contributors. +* Analyze post-event feedback and survey data to set strategic goals for the next conference. +* Lead the venue selection and negotiation process based on community needs and logistical requirements. +* Assemble and lead the Flock organizing committee, defining clear roles and responsibilities. +* Serve as the overall project manager for the conference, ensuring all functions remain synchronized and on schedule. +* Curate a conference program that addresses key project challenges, showcases innovation, and creates a welcoming environment for all contributors. [[roles-initiatives]] === Community Initiative Support @@ -39,12 +50,20 @@ The Fedora Community Architect has the following key responsibilities: [[roles-commops]] === Collaboration with Community Ops -* Collaborate with the xref:commops::index.adoc[Fedora Community Operations (CommOps) Team] to align resource allocation, documentation efforts, and community engagement strategies with broader community communication and operational strategies. +* Serve as the primary leader and advocate for the xref:commops::index.adoc[Fedora Community Ops Team]. +* Set the strategic direction for Community Ops to ensure its work in community enablement and analytics aligns with broader project goals. +* Act as a primary advisor for Fedora teams seeking support from CommOps, connecting them with the appropriate resources. +* Provide ethical and community-centric guidance for all Community Ops data analysis initiatives. +* Facilitate trusted Community Ops members' access to the data, tooling, and resources required to support the health of the community. [[roles-coc]] === Fedora Code of Conduct Committee Chair -* Serve as the chair of the Fedora Code of Conduct Committee, overseeing the enforcement of the Code of Conduct and promoting a positive and inclusive community environment. +* Uphold and champion the psychological safety of the Fedora community. +* Facilitate the xref:project:code-of-conduct:committee.adoc[Code of Conduct Committee]'s operations and regular meetings. +* Present new cases to the Committee and act as the primary liaison between the Committee and the reporting party. +* Coordinate the publication of official Committee responses and annual transparency reports. +* Maintain the Committee's charter, membership records, and official documentation. [[current]] @@ -64,24 +83,58 @@ You can read more about his participation and history in Fedora https://jwheel.o [[decision-making]] == Decision-Making -* The Fedora Community Architect works with the Fedora Council to make decisions related to budget allocation and Council documentation. +The Fedora Community Architect (FCA) is a Red Hat employee, and this context is a primary factor in their role. +The FCA has professional goals and responsibilities within Red Hat's Open Source Program Office (OSPO). +This sponsorship by Red Hat is a bias the FCA must remain aware of and transparent about. + +However, the FCA's primary objective is to ensure the long-term health and success of the Fedora Project and its global community. +This requires acting as a bridge between Red Hat's interests and the broader community's needs, advocating for the community's perspective within Red Hat while communicating Red Hat's context back to the community. + +Decisions are made through the following collaborative processes: + +* Decisions related to budget allocation and official project documentation are made with the xref:council::index.adoc[{team_name}]. * Decisions related to Flock planning are made in collaboration with the Flock organizing team and relevant community stakeholders. +[[guiding-principles]] +=== Guiding Principles + +The FCA's core responsibilities provide a framework for day-to-day decisions. +However, situations will arise where these responsibilities conflict, or where the best path forward is unclear. +In these moments, the FCA must navigate the complexity by relying on a deeper set of principles. + +This is a role of significant influence and trust within the community. +That influence should be used intentionally and with care. +The FCA has a fundamental responsibility to the community of contributors and the long-term health of the Fedora Project. +When faced with a difficult choice, the FCA should use Fedora's xref:project::index.adoc#_what_is_fedora_all_about[Four Foundations] (Freedom, Friends, Features, and First) as the primary framework for their reasoning. +These are the core values of the project and should consistently inform the FCA's judgment. + [[communication]] == Communication -* The Fedora Community Architect communicates regularly with the xref:council::index.adoc[Fedora Council], xref:commops::index.adoc[Community Ops Team], Red Hat OSPO, and the broader Fedora community. -* Work with other {team_name} members to identify the short, medium, and long term goals of the Fedora community and to organize and enable the project to best achieve them -* Primary {team_name} member with responsibility for the development of the annual Fedora community budget -* Participate in decision-making about use of trademarks, project structure, community disputes or complaints, and other such issues +The Fedora Community Architect (FCA) acts as a central communication hub for the project. +The FCA is responsible for maintaining strong lines of communication with key stakeholder groups and the community at large. + +*Serve as a liaison to key stakeholder teams:* +* *Fedora Council*: + Report on the status of key responsibilities and provide context for community needs. +* *Mindshare Committee*: + Lead budget discussions and guide outreach strategy. +* *DEI Team*: + Champion diversity and inclusion initiatives and integrate DEI principles into community-wide planning. +* *CommOps Team*: + Guide strategic direction and enable the team's work in community support and analytics. +* *Mentored Projects*: + Promote internship programs and support both mentors and interns. +* *Docs Team*: + Advocate for the team's needs and facilitate documentation onboarding for new initiatives. -[[reporting]] -== Reporting +*Communicate regularly and transparently with the broader community:* -* The Fedora Community Architect provides regular reports to the Fedora Council on budget status, Flock planning progress, and documentation updates. -* _This list is subject to be expanded over time_. +* Proactively share updates and progress related to the five core responsibilities of the role. +* Utilize various channels, including the Fedora Community Blog, Fedora Discussion, and Matrix, to reach different audiences. +* Create structured opportunities for community participation and feedback on relevant topics. [[previous]] @@ -111,7 +164,7 @@ Later, in October 2016, the role title was changed to *Fedora Community Action & This title was lengthier but better captured what community engagement means in a large, globally-distributed community like Fedora. Over time, more projects, organizations, and companies working on Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) introduced new roles in community management and leadership. However, community work does not have an industry-accepted job ladder, as is more common with software engineering. -Red Hat eventually settled on the title of _community architect_ for community work in its pioneering Open Source communities. +Red Hat eventually settled on the title of _community architect_ for a career path in community management in its pioneering Open Source communities. The title was changed in January 2023 to *Fedora Community Architect* (FCA) to reflect the changing landscape. Ultimately, the goal of changing the name then was to better describe the role and what the FCA did in Fedora.