Guidance on Decision-Making

In general, Forums and Work Groups are encouraged to use the consensus decision-making process. The consensus decision-making process is a decision-making process that not only seeks the agreement of most participants, but also resolves or mitigates the objections of the minority in order to achieve the most agreeable decision. The consensus decision-making process is covered in detail in the Handbook for the Consensus Decision-Making Process (I121).

Voting

There are occasions when voting is required:

  • Decisions relating to approval of The Open Group Standards (which must use the approved Company Review process)

  • Elections of Officers

  • Elections of Liaison Representatives

When voting:

  • The consensus process must always be applied before a vote is taken

  • Keep a clear record of all decisions made with rationale (the Consent Log)

  • Votes are always one company, one vote

  • A super majority is required; that is, 75% of voting (not counting abstentions) for approval

Consensus

To promote consensus requires Chairs to ensure that Forums and Work Groups consider all legitimate views and objections, and endeavor to resolve them, whether these views and objections are expressed by the active participants or by others (e.g., another Forum or Work Group, or a group in another organization). Decisions may be made during meetings (face-to-face or distributed) as well as through email.

By default, the set of members eligible to participate in a decision is the set of Forum or Work Group members. The Open Group Standards Process does not require a quorum for decisions. Instead, the call for consensus is sent to all members eligible to participate.

Where unanimity is not possible, a Forum or Work Group is recommended to make consensus decisions where there is significant support and few abstentions. The Open Group Standards Process does not require a particular percentage of eligible members to agree to a motion in order for a decision to be made, but there must be sufficient evidence to demonstrate the consensus.

Consensus must be established over a time period sufficient to give any interested party an equal chance to participate. A single teleconference of one (1) hour is not sufficient for this. Electronic means – such as email, electronic vote, or Wiki discussions – may be used, or a series of teleconferences could be held.