OpenTitan Working Group Terms of Reference

Purpose

Each OpenTitan workstream or sub-project may have an associated working group. Specialists in the relevant area to work together collaboratively in proposing technical decisions relevant to that workstream. Working Groups function under the overview of the OpenTitan Technical Committee (Technical Committee) which has overall responsibility for technical decision making and the OpenTitan Governing Board (OTGB) which has overall responsibility for roadmap and governance. An Working Group can be seen as a Community of Practice, open to all and built around the three areas below:

• Domain: A domain of knowledge creates common ground, inspires participation, guides learning, and gives meaning to the actions of the individuals and community.
• Community: A strong community fosters interactions and encourages people to collaborate and share ideas.
• Practice: The practice is the specific focus around which the community develops, shares and maintains its core of knowledge.

Expectations and Conduct

All OpenTitan spaces, including the Working Groups, are covered by the OpenTitan code of conduct to ensure a welcoming and respectful community. Beyond this, Working Group members are expected to follow the guidance below:

• Each Working Group member has a good faith duty to act in the best interests of the OpenTitan Project when performing their role as a Working Group member.
• Be active participants in development discussions within the OpenTitan Project, beyond just Working Group meetings.
• Ensure that feedback has been sought from all relevant stakeholders, and appropriate effort has been made to find consensus within the OpenTitan contributor community.
• Put aside sufficient time on a week-by-week basis to review active proposals and give feedback.
• Collaborate to deliver on the responsibilities of the Working Group.

Working groups

The following OpenTitan working groups currently exist:

• Software Working Group
  • Chair: Luis Marques
• Silicon Working Group
  • Chair: Andreas Kurth
• Security Working Group
  • Chairs: Pirmin Vogel, Johann Heyszl
• Integrated Working Group
  • Chair: Andreas Kurth

Membership

Each Working Group will keep a record of its members and may appoint new members as appropriate. A Working Group can be created where required by a vote of the Technical Committee. If an Working Group is no longer required, it can be disbanded by a vote of the Technical Committee.

Roles

Each Working Group will have a Chair which facilitates the effective functioning of the Working Group. The Chair is appointed by the Technical Committee. Ideally the Working Group will propose a consensus candidate. The Technical Committee can appoint a new Chair at any time.

Appointing members

Membership of the Working Group is appointed by the Technical Committee. Where possible, each Working Group should include a representative of all partners included in the Technical Committee. Lack of available specialists may make this impossible in some cases. Having multiple members from the same partner is acceptable, but imbalancing an Working Group towards a single partner should be avoided.

Meetings

Working Group meetings will be held regularly on an agreed schedule. The Chair may call additional meetings when one is needed outside the schedule. If a meeting has no agenda items (see below), the Chair may cancel it ahead of time. Minutes should be kept in a form accessible to Working Group and Technical Committee members but will be considered confidential to these groups.

Notification of meetings

Agenda items should be submitted at least three days in advance of the meeting. The Chair should circulate the agenda at least two days in advance of the meeting.

Voting and quoracy

Each Working Group functions by consensus, not by vote. If a choice cannot be resolved within the Working Group, it should be escalated to the Technical Committee for a decision.

Communication

Decisions and action points should be recorded and distributed to Working Group members and the Technical Committee no later than a week after the meeting. Where Working Group decisions affect the broader OpenTitan community, the Chair should ensure that information is sent, or documentation updated, in a timely manner.

Responsibilities

Each Working Group has responsibility for an area of technology agreed with the Technical Committee when the Working Group is created. Within this technology area, the Working Group is responsible for sharing good practice and agreeing how to implement the roadmap in the most appropriate manner.

Modifying the terms of reference

The Working Group Terms of Reference are set by the Technical Committee.