How we decide

The framework.

We borrowed what has been shown to work for peer groups and communities of practice for a long time, and the members can change anything that does not work.

What it is

A community of practice. Operators who share a craft and get better by meeting regularly.
Member run, no profit, bottom up. It belongs to the members, not to a sponsor.

Decisions

By consent, not majority. A proposal passes when no member has a reasoned objection, so there is no losing side.
In rounds. Everyone speaks in turn, so no one dominates.
Objections have a reason. They are about the proposal, not the person, and the group works them in.

Roles

They take turns, and they rotate. The operators take turns moderating, and the workshop leads are picked by the group, so no one owns the room.

The rules themselves

The members can change the charter. Those who live under the rules get to change them.
Membership is clear and open. You know who is a member, and it is open to join.
Breaches get a proportionate response. A word first, then the group decides, and the same rule applies to founders.
Disputes have a simple, cheap path. Settled in house before anything escalates.
Others can host their own, same rules. Bigger systems work as smaller groups nested together.

Staying independent

No selling, ever. A convener seen to profit from what's said loses the legitimacy the whole thing depends on.Cash 2003

Money and information

Costs only, invoices shared. Everyone sees what the day actually costs.
What is said here stays here. Outputs only by consent, with no names.

Why three of us

Relevance, credibility and legitimacy, in balance. Each one held by a different partner, and each accountable to the others.Cash 2003

Charter

Ground rules.

01Purpose

Operators sharing what works on operations, from the ground up, with no profit.

02Members

Operators take part as peers, and membership is open to join.

03No selling

No suppliers, no OEMs, no sales pitch and no sponsors. Tipspeed organises but never presents its own work or is mentioned in presentations. Members can vote to invite a supplier or OEM to a specific session.

04Fair competition

Nothing on pricing or customer-specific terms, standard practice for a peer group whose members compete with each other.

05What is said here stays here

Nothing is repeated outside with a name on it unless the person agrees.

06Outputs

A short write up follows each forum, to share with the industry. Everyone in it agrees to what's included first.

07Topics

The members pick the topics, by vote.

08Decisions

Decisions are made by consent, so a proposal passes when no member has a real objection. The operators take turns moderating, and the workshop leads are picked by the group and rotate.

09Presentations

You present what you want, in the way you want: a challenge, a question, a half-built idea, or something that already works. Nothing is selected.

10Conduct

If the charter is broken, the group decides what happens, and the same rule applies to everyone, founders included.

11Money

Real costs only, with no profit, shared and invoiced, and aiming under 150 euros a head.

12Hosting

Any group can host a forum, in any country, as long as it keeps to this charter.

13Changes

The members can change this charter.

These ground rules follow the precedent set by the PCWG and the WRA group.

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