RACI Matrix for InnerSource Commons and FINOS - DRAFT
( Please note this document is in DRAFT and is yet to be finalized)
September 2025
Source document: Google Docs
The overarching theme is that InnerSource Commons will be "Responsible" for most execution tasks, as the primary organizer, whereas FINOS is "Accountable" to ensure those tasks meet the foundation's requirements and will provide support and resources. In many areas, both will collaborate (Consulted) and keep each other Informed.
The table below summarizes the Roles (RACI) for key activities needed to run a successful FINOS-InnerSource SIG.
Roles:
- R = Responsible (the party doing the work)
- A = Accountable (the party ultimately answerable/approving)
- C = Consulted (the party consulted for input)
- I = Informed (the party kept informed of progress)
RACI Matrix
| Task / Responsibility | InnerSource Commons (ISC) | FINOS |
|---|---|---|
| Define SIG Charter & Objectives | C (collaborate with industry co-chairs) | R (drafts content, proposes goals) / A (approves charter via Board) |
| SIG Leadership (Chair/Co-chair roles) | R (provides Chair/organizer personnel; leads the group) | A (formal appointment of Chair; oversight of leadership changes) — SIG Leads |
| Meeting scheduling & logistics (set dates, arrange virtual meeting room) | R (schedules meetings, sets frequency; coordinates timing) | C (assists with Zoom/venue setup as needed; ensures platform is FINOS-approved) — SIG Leads |
| Agenda preparation & circulation | R (drafts agendas for each meeting; circulates to ISC channels and sends to FINOS list) | C (reviews agenda if needed for compliance; helps distribute via FINOS mailing list/Slack) — SIG Leads |
| Meeting facilitation (chairing the meeting) | R (hosts the call, leads discussion, keeps time) | I (may attend as participant; observes) — SIG Leads |
| Antitrust & CoC compliance during meetings | R (reminds attendees of Antitrust Policy; displays required slides; enforces code of conduct in meeting) | A (accountable that meetings adhere to Linux Foundation antitrust rules and FINOS CoC; provides standard slides/policy text) — SIG Leads |
| Minute taking & attendance recording | R (records minutes and list of attendees for each meeting) | I (does not take minutes, but receives/archives them; monitors that attendance is logged for record) — SIG Leads |
| Publishing minutes to public repository | R (writes and posts meeting minutes to FINOS GitHub or wiki; shares link with both communities) | A (ensures minutes are publicly available; repository is under FINOS org) — SIG Leads |
| Promoting upcoming meetings to FINOS members | C (provides meeting info and promotional content) / I (stays aware of FINOS comms) | R (announces meetings on FINOS Slack, mailing lists, website; invites FINOS community) — FINOS Staff |
| Promoting upcoming meetings to ISC community | R (announces meetings on ISC Slack and mailing list; invites ISC members) | I (does not execute, but is aware and can amplify if needed) |
| Maintaining communication channels (Slack, mailing lists) | R (manages ISC Slack channel and mailing list for InnerSource topics; moderates per ISC policies) | R (manages FINOS Slack channel and mailing list for the SIG; moderates per FINOS CoC) — FINOS Staff |
| Creating SIG deliverables (e.g. best practice docs, case studies) | R (leads content creation, drafts documents with SIG volunteers) | C (consulted on content for alignment and legal approval; reviews drafts) — SIG Leads |
| Publishing deliverables on FINOS platforms | C (contributes content and agrees on final version) | A/R (FINOS to approve and officially publish the deliverable on its site or repo under CC-BY-4.0) — FINOS Staff |
| Marketing published materials to FINOS audience | I/C (provides input on key messages) | R (distributes through FINOS blog, newsletter, social media, etc.) — FINOS Staff |
| Marketing published materials to ISC audience | R (shares through ISC blog, website, community newsletters) | I (no action needed, though FINOS may cross-post or mention in FINOS context) |
| Presentations at FINOS events (e.g. OSSF) | R (prepares talk proposals and presentation content; delivers talks) | C/A (helps secure speaking slots; final approval of participation as event organizer) — SIG Leads |
| Presentations at ISC or other industry events | R (secures invitations in InnerSource Commons events or other conferences; prepares and presents) | I (generally just informed, unless co-presenting) |
| Overall SIG oversight & success tracking | R (monitors engagement, gathers feedback from participants; proposes improvements) | A (monitors SIG's alignment with FINOS mission; may require reports on SIG progress) — SIG Leads |
This matrix shows that InnerSource Commons takes on most of the hands-on responsibilities (Rs) in organizing and driving the SIG, while FINOS often serves as the accountable body (A) ensuring everything is done according to policy and providing necessary approvals or infrastructure. Both ISC and FINOS will consult each other and stay informed at each step to make this collaboration seamless.
Open Questions and Areas for Clarification
Official Communication Channel: What will be the primary collaboration channel for the SIG's day-to-day discussions? Will FINOS's mailing list and Slack be the main forum (with ISC members encouraged to join there), or will we attempt to monitor and use both organizations' channels equally? For example, can FINOS member representatives join the InnerSource Commons Slack workspace for SIG talk, or should all substantive SIG discussion happen on FINOS infrastructure for compliance reasons?
[JG] FINOS has a mailing list, and while we do have Slack, many FIS organizations are prohibited from joining it, so it's not the most effective comms channel. I'd assume the same would hold true for ISC Slack.
Role of FINOS Staff in Meetings: Will a FINOS team member (community manager or facilitator) attend each meeting to help with notes or monitor compliance, or is ISC fully handling meetings with FINOS just in the background? In other words, do we expect any FINOS Community team support during calls (e.g. to start the Zoom, record sessions, or enforce the CoC), or will that duty fall entirely to the ISC organizers?
[JG] FINOS can start off the series as part of training the meeting hosts how to run the calls according to policy, but FINOS staff cannot do this on continuous basis, we expect the call leads to be trained and also to take care of agendas and meeting notes.
SIG Leadership Appointments: Since the InnerSource Commons Foundation is co-organizing, should an ISC representative be formally listed as a co-chair or secretary of the SIG within FINOS? Confirm who the official SIG Chair or co-chairs are going forward and if any additional process is needed (FINOS Board approval) to formalize changes.
[JG] No Board approval needed to appoint another co-chair.
Handling of Action Items: How will the SIG track ongoing action items or work streams (outside of meeting minutes)? Will we use the GitHub issues in the FINOS InnerSource repo to log tasks or decisions?
Main Contacts: Personal email addresses vs shared mailboxes.
FINOS Governance Requirements for SIGs
When operating a joint Special Interest Group (SIG) under FINOS governance, certain rules and best practices must be followed to ensure compliance and a successful collaboration. Key FINOS requirements include:
Formal Charter & Leadership: Every FINOS SIG needs a publicly documented charter defining its purpose, and an appointed SIG Chair (with possible co-chairs). The FINOS Board approves the SIG (including its charter and initial chair), and any changes (new chairs or charter updates) should be formally recorded.1 This ensures clear objectives and leadership structure from the start.
Compliance with Policies: All SIG activities must abide by FINOS and Linux Foundation policies, notably the Antitrust Policy and the Community Code of Conduct.2 This means meetings and collaboration should avoid any anti-competitive behavior and maintain a welcoming, inclusive environment. In practice, organizers must present an antitrust compliance reminder (e.g. a slide) at the start of each meeting and ensure discussions stay within permitted boundaries.3
Meeting Procedures: FINOS has specific guidelines for running meetings. Organizers should schedule meetings well in advance (at least 7 days) and use approved channels (FINOS Zoom conferencing, etc.) for calls.4 An agenda must be prepared and circulated beforehand to the group's mailing list or Slack.5 Meetings should be open to all interested participants and ideally held at a time accessible to most of the community.
Record-Keeping (Minutes & Attendance): For transparency and legal compliance, minutes must be taken for each meeting.6 Minutes should include a list of attendees, key discussion points, any proposals or decisions made, and action items. Notably, FINOS advises not to attribute comments by name in minutes without permission, to encourage open dialogue.7 After the meeting, organizers must publish the minutes publicly (for example, in the SIG's GitHub repository or FINOS wiki) so that both FINOS and InnerSource Commons communities can access them.8 This also helps record attendance over time.
Open Outputs and IP: Any documentation or outputs produced by the SIG (e.g. white papers, guides) should be made available under an open license. FINOS specifies that SIG contributions are made available under CC-BY-4.0 license.9 This allows both FINOS and InnerSource Commons to share and re-use content freely. (For software code contributions, FINOS would require CLAs and Apache 2.0 licensing, but since this SIG is focused on best practices, code contributions are less likely.)
Collaborative Principles: FINOS expects SIGs to follow open collaboration best practices. This includes using public communication channels, responding to community inquiries, and ensuring all interested parties (regardless of FINOS membership) can participate meaningfully.1011 In this joint context, it means balancing the use of FINOS and InnerSource Commons channels to include everyone, while ultimately operating under FINOS's "safe harbor" environment for any official joint work.