Recommendations of the Standard Stewardship Working Group (SSWG) [draft]

[stevieflow]

Thanks to @robredpath & @Bjwebb we've made an attempt to draft out the recommendations from the SSWG, according to the needs of the ToR and also the direction of our threads via the meetings and forum.

We hope this is in the spirit of our work on the SSWG, and would appreciate all forms of feedback!

Note - the placeholders for the [principles] and [template] will be updated in due course - but we don't think they negate from the recommendations

[stevieflow]

Recommendations of the Standard Stewardship Working Group (SSWG)

In terms of the IATI standard change control processes, the SSWG recommend:

• Moving to a state where the IATI standard is in a continual process of incremental change considerations, rather than stop/start
• Creating processes that are led by the user need and impact assessment of any proposed change.
• Keeping the current versioning arrangements for numbering the standard (1.04; 2.03; moving to semantic versioning as of version 3.0.0).
• Adopting a set of principles that inform and guide any IATI change control process. [see principles]

In terms of the mechanisms via which the community can engage and take part in change processes, the SSWG recommend:

• Standardising templates that help detail the evidence, use cases and impact assessment for any potential change to the IATI standard [see initial template]
• Establishing a dedicated public channel to provide authoritative information on any type of change.
• Creating a standing item on the quarterly Governing Board agenda, to explicitly check for any planned upgrades that may be in need of authorisation.
• Ensuring opportunities for participation in the change control process are clearly documented on the IATI website and through other channels

In terms of the actions for 2025, the SSWG recommend:

• Updating and upgrading relevant parts of the IATI standard, so that further delay or stagnation is avoided.
• Actively identity and engage with affected users of the IATI Standard to ensure that their needs are incorporated into proposals
• Iteration of the processes and templates, to help develop through practical experience
• Proposing updates to the IATI Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) at the 2025 Members’ Assembly, in line with the learning from the work throughout the year