At this Autumn’s QSA, the board and EAB worked on creating a leaner structure, reducing workload, and streamlining the decision-making processes of the TYPO3 Association. The EAB also looked at the 2018 budget.
New Board Structure
The EAB and board has a total of 12 members. Most tasks are shared between the two bodies, and the distinction between them has largely become a formality. To reduce costs and streamline the decision-making processes of the Association, the two boards have decided to recommend the General Assembly to merge the EAB and board. The new board will ideally have eight members, all elected directly by the members.
The QSA also provided an opportunity to asses the formal rules on how to replace board members who choose to step down, become indisposed, or unfit to serve during their term. The details will be reviewed by a lawyer and presented in a separate article well before the General Assembly.
Ensuring Member Trust and Involvement
To make sure the new board can focus on strategic decisions, it will rely more heavily on delegating tasks to formal committees. This will help increase member involvement in the Association.
The Business Control Committee (BCC) plays an important role in auditing and validating the operations of the Association and the TYPO3 GmbH on behalf of the Association members. The EAB and board voted to include one member from the BCC in the TYPO3 GmbH’s Supervisory Board. The supervisory board members will no longer be allowed to have any additional role within the TYPO3 GmbH.
The participants also stressed the importance of regular reporting between the TYPO3 GmbH and the Association’s board and members.
Processing the Budget Ideas
The new budget application process—where budget ideas can be submitted without the usual paperwork—has made the budget process more dynamic. It is now possible for the EAB to work with the submitted ideas within a larger strategic context.
At the same time, some members have criticized the delegation of the development budget to the TYPO3 GmbH. The EAB and board discussed this feedback, and recognize that openness and transparency is important when such a large budget is assigned to a single entity. The BCC and the TYPO3 GmbH Supervisory Board play an important role in ensuring that the budget is used and distributed correctly.
The Future of the TYPO3 Association & Project
The meeting included a workshop on priority focus areas for TYPO3 in 2018. A large number of topics were discussed.
We identified what we consider the most important tasks for 2018, for each of the five long-term goals:
- Increase number of people involved
- Keep up vibes and good feelings
- Increase market share
- Create confidence in our products
- Provide CMS insights
We found out, that the areas “increase market share” and “create confidence in our products” need the most attention.
A Positive Outlook
The meeting was characterized by a good mood, with honest discussions and concrete solutions to a number of important challenges. Thorough planning and effective leadership kept the meeting ahead of time.
The Board and EAB would like to thank bgm websolutions in Munich for welcoming us into their office and meeting rooms.