[OpenID board] April 5, 2010 OpenID Board Meeting Minutes

[Mike Jones]

April 5, 2010 OpenID Board Meeting Minutes

Present in Person:
Don Thibeau, Executive Director
Mike Jones
John Bradley
Tony Nadalin
Brian Kissel
Chris Messina
Andrew Nash
David Recordon
Luke Shepard
Joseph Smarr
Nat Sakimura
Pamela Dingle
Dick Hardt
Nico Popp
Eric Sachs
Raj Mata
Allen Tom

Present on the Phone:
Nataraj (Raj) Nagaratnam
Mike Ozburn
Daniel Jacobson
Rob Harles
Dermot O'Mahony

Absent:
Marc Frons

Visitors:
John Ehrig, Global Inventures
Mike McIntosh, Azigo
Ravi Srinivasan, IBM (on the phone)


1.       Corporate Representation Changes
Nico Popp has replaced Gary Krall as VeriSign's corporate representative.  Gary will remain involved in VeriSign's OpenID activities, including PIP.

[Allen Tom joined the meeting at this point.]


2.       Review of 2009
The foundation achieved many of its core goals and deliverables that it established for last year.  That included both "plumbing" issues to get the foundation on a sound organization and legal footing, as well as RP adoption.  International participation remains a work in progress.  There was some turnover in individual memberships, but with a net gain in membership.

During 2009 we tackled a number of things that took more resources than expected, including updating the bylaws and IPR process, doing a non-profit status filing, trademark due diligence, and web site work.  Furthermore, the successful US government initiative consumed substantial resources not originally budged for.  (The government initiative also resulted in new resources coming to the foundation.)


3.       OIDF Priorities for 2010
The foundation is focused on things that only the foundation can do.  Priorities are:  address "product concerns", build adoption momentum, update website content and functionality, update membership structure, improve marketing, support international adoption, promote education, leverage community assets, evolve foundation (grow community and corporate leadership, empower committees, ensure firm financial footing via an updated membership structure).


4.       Goals Meta-discussion
A meta-discussion occurred about the high-level goals of the organization.  We agreed that we now are on a firm enough footing to have the long-term goals discussion.  Dick made the point that unless there is clear ownership for each priority that they're unlikely to happen.   Don will get back to us with a revised 2010 plan including these goals.


5.       Operating Guidelines
We will continue to operate using a "start-up" approach.  Our overall budget this year is approximately $550,000.  We will not make capital investments or take on debt.  We will operate with a balanced budget.  We will continue to leverage community resources wherever possible (for instance, by holding sponsored summits, such as those recently sponsored by Sears, Google, and Microsoft).


6.       Operating Assumptions
We are operating in a steady state mode.  We are using a general counsel for legal expenses.  We do not anticipate any bylaws or IPR changes.  We are operating at arms length relative to OIX.

Some raised a question about buying domain names.  There is currently no money budgeted for buying domains.


7.       Technical Committee Presentation
Dick gave a presentation for the technology committee.  The committee set a theme of "OpenID v.Next".  This theme was chosen because OpenID as it exists isn't meeting many constituents' needs, motivating the need to evolve OpenID so that it can meet a broader set of needs.  There will be presentations about problems and solutions at this week's summit, leading to working groups.  The end goal is evolving the OpenID product so that it meets a broader set of needs.

The technology committee's $50K budget ask breaks down as follows:

  *   There is a $20K committee request to produce an interop test suite.  (Google and Facebook plan to also contribute matching funds to this effort at $10K each.)
  *   The tech committee proposes to manage the technical aspects of the web site (as opposed to the content).  There is $10K associated with this.
  *   There is $10K requested to producing written content for the technical committee related to how to implement OpenID.
  *   There is a $5K request for supporting and building open source software that implements OpenID.
  *   There is a $4K request for swag for summits.
  *   There is a $1K request for community outreach.

In the overall budget spreadsheet, $40K of the requested $50K was allocated to the technology committee.


8.       Adoption Committee Presentation
Daniel presented for the adoption committee.  Their budget request was for $50K.  Their proposed allocation is:

  *   25% for market research
  *   10% for multi-platform support research, including mobile
  *   25% for to support community coding of future libraries
  *   20% for development/deployment kits
  *   10% for web site development
  *   10% for getting the word out (conferences, seminars, etc.)

In the budget spreadsheet, this was also reduced to $40K, to stay within a balanced budget.

[Luke Shepard left the meeting at this point.]


9.       Marketing and Overall Allocation Discussion
There was a long discussion about marketing programs, who owns them, and whether this should be driven by the adoption committee or a separate marketing committee.  We eventually agreed that the adoption committee is responsible for marketing.

Mike Ozburn proposed that we restore $10K to the Technical committee and we restore the $5K that removed from the Government committee's $10K ask.  The government committee wants to use $10K to run a summit in DC.  This proposal was not adopted by the board.

John Bradley proposed that we hold the $50K allocated in the current budget spreadsheet for marketing to allocate in the future, subject to continuing our existing commitment of $5K to the Internet Identity Workshop, with that being owned by the adoption committee, and that we otherwise approve the budget as constructed.  Pam seconded the motion.  The motion carried unanimously.


10.   Executive Compensation
Dick moved that the executive committee manage the executive director's compensation.  The motion unanimously carried.

[Rob and Daniel left the meeting at this point.]
[The board took a 10 minute break and then reconvened.]


11.   Discussion of Strategic Directions
Don proposed that we have a discussion this year about how we should structure the foundation going forward, including possible changes in membership classes and changes to the revenue model.  The board agreed.


12.   International Engagement Discussion
David commented that we should consider ways to increase international involvement as part of the discussion on strategic directions.  Possibilities discussed included:

  *   focusing on producing higher quality and broader marketing materials for the US market that can be later adapted by international communities and OpenID,
  *   developing a statement of principles related to international engagement,
  *   developing goals and metrics for our international outreach efforts.

Chris and Nico made the point that, for the time being, we should largely be opportunistic, rather than proactive about engaging international opportunities.  It was suggested that Nat take the point on international outreach.  It was pointed out that is already $10K in the budget for funding international activities against which requests can be made.


13.   Mission Discussion
Dick proposed that the foundation's mission be to solve Internet identity problems by building from OpenID technology.  A number of parties are gravitating to OpenID because they need the bigger open identity problem solved.  This new mission was unanimously endorsed by the board.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openid.net/pipermail/openid-board/attachments/20100419/ce19b995/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: April 5, 2010 OpenID Board Meeting Minutes.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 62464 bytes
Desc: April 5, 2010 OpenID Board Meeting Minutes.doc
URL: <http://lists.openid.net/pipermail/openid-board/attachments/20100419/ce19b995/attachment-0001.doc>