Foundation/AGM2022/Election to Board/Answers and manifestos/Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

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OSMF Strategic plan

Last year, the board approved a "Strategic Plan Outline". Based on what YOU believe important, do you believe it needs any adjustments?

Daniela Waltersdorfer J. - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

I would say that for the most part, I do agree with the Strategic Plan Outline. One thing I have some issues with, and perhaps it is just the wording and my comprehension of it is this: " Adherence to this core philosophy will ensure that OSM remains a free project, independent from influential donors." I of course believe OSM would not be what it is or where it is without its volunteers. We are OSM! However, I do not think accepting donations from companies (assuming that is what is meant by "influential donors" is a bad thing. Accepting donations does not mean, and SHOULD NOT MEAN, that we owe those donors anything, thus by that logic, their donations would not and should not be influential. If they are already using our data, and they want to give back (whether it is out of the kindness of their heart, or because they have to donate X amount annually), why not accept their donation?

Another thing I would like to bring up is the Strategy's goal of "Expand local chapters and communities". I love this and fully support this. But, I don't think the process for adequately expanding local chapters and communities is clear and feasible. As a Foundation we have to understand that everything cannot be black-or-white. All potential chapters are not in the same position as their peers, and as a Foundation aiming to represent the whole OSM Community we have to be open to properly understanding their needs and limitations. For instance, there may be chapters who have the privilege of taking time off for fun and just focusing on their OSM endeavors, as an individual, for instance, I am in a blessed position to have that privilege. This, however, is not the reality of all. As such, if we're looking to be a Foundation that is there to expand our world community, we must work to engage, learn, and understanding their needs first. And I would love to learn from the community ways in which you think the Foundation can help expand further the growth of local chapters and communities.

Arnalie Vicario - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

There is always room for improvement. I’d use improvement rather than adjustments. Personally reading it, some statements are broad and quite confusing. It will be good to start with the use of simpler terms as well as provide translations so it will be more readable by the community. A simple translation workflow is outlined in my OSM Diary: Findings: Localization as an Inclusion and Participatory Enabler.

Another improvement is to have action plan with ways to measure the success (e.g. Monitoring and Evaluation approach) of this Strategic Plan.

Włodzimierz Bartczak - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

It is the foundation for further work. One of my goals on the board is to reactivate Strategic Working Group (SWG). We should develop a strategic plan of action and ways to implement it. Regardless of whether I am elected to the board or not, I will do everything in my power to ensure that this WG is reactivated and that work on the future of OSM is resumed.

Ariel Kadouri - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

I want to thank the previous board members for putting together the strategic plan outline. It demonstrates a great overview of the challenges OSM(F) faces in protecting the project and pushing it forward. Several steps have been taken to execute on the plan and I think the board and community should continue to do so. As time passes, it may make sense for the board to issue a centralized update towards its progression the plan though many of those updates have appeared here and there.

Victor N.Sunday - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

Christian Shadrack - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

Yes, I think that the document will have to be amended in accordance with the evolution of the moment, in order to adapt and be ready to face any eventuality. But this will have to be done at the right time.

Sarah Hoffmann - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

A Strategic Plan can only be useful when it is a living and breathing document that is regularly consulted, reviewed and adapted. So, yes, of course, I fully support that it will be updated in the next year and would actively work towards it. There are also some parts of the plan which are still just outlines. These in particular we should finally tackle.

Logan McGovern - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

We need to take a crack at defining some of these nebulous commonly used terms, such as 'community'. Often corporate editors refer to 'very much needing the approval of the community' and when they seek it, it becomes difficult to determine who is and who is not a member. To give a real example, should the opinion of what a Turkish Cypriot has to say about a mapping proposal for the Greek portion of the island when there are only five respondents. Lets say I lived in Brasil, would I be included in this community when I begin my shared life with my partner there? More terms need to be defined to enhance the practicality of the document. A majority of the strategic plan either identifies existing problems or reads like a wish list. It aspires to a result without listing adequate solutions, which is always the problem with these types of documents.

Arun Ganesh - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

The only immediate adjustment that might be warranted is the reordering of sections to put the community strategy before the financial and technical strategy sections.

Its important to recognize and remind ourselves that the humans are at the core of the project and everything else is built up around a very basic human desire to build a collaborative map.

Otherwise the plan itself is very well thought out and does a good job to provide a starting direction in prioritizing resources. The community process to incorporate feedback will ensure that it will continue to stay releveant and adjust to the needs of the times.

Mateusz Konieczny - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

In general I agree with it - though as it is really general it can be interpreted in many ways.

For example, "we often hear the refrain that OSM should not become another opaque and inaccessible bureaucracy-heavy NGO, with large paid staff" may be implying significant transparency of income/spending that I mentioned in #Transparency Or may be not. That entirely depends on interpretation.

Craig Allan - Q06 OSMF Strategic plan

Last year, the board approved a "Strategic Plan Outline". Based on what YOU believe important, do you believe it needs any adjustments?

Adjusting the Stratplan:

The plan is good for what it is - an outline. I think it is now important to now fill the plan out much more detail, right down to individual tasks. In my opinion, if we want OSM and the OSMF to move into a new better future we need a plan to guide us, to manage risk and to allow us to evaluate success or failure in an objective way.

I have a long history of doing strategic plans in the public sector so I feel this intensely. Plans are an important management tool for several reasons and a good plan will help OSMF a lot. The plan as it stands is good work, having reached the stage of a identifying work streams. There is a lot of work still to do unpacking the work streams into discrete tasks and then assigning budgets, timescales and humans to carry out the tasks.

I'm happy to put a lot of time into picking up what Allan achieved and moving it further into the realm of implementation. I can lead, guide, or participate in developing the outline into a working plan.

A good plan also really helps fund raising efforts. Funders want to support recipients who know what they are want to achieve and have a plan to do it. Funders don't like applicants who are just muddling along.


OSM Foundation's board election 2022: official questions

All board candidates' manifestos

2022 OpenStreetMap Foundation's: Board election - Voting information and instructions - Annual General Meeting

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