U+1 Team creation and objectives

Who created the U+1 Team?

The U+1 Team was created in Launchpad in March, 20th 2012 by Effenberg0x0.

Why was the U+1 Team created?

As described in the "about" section of this Wiki, U+1 was created as an attempt to provide better resources and empower some Ubuntu users that had naturally engaged into uncoordinated testing tasks.

How is it different from other teams?

• It's the result of a naturally formed community of testers. It's is not composed by absorbed teams and groups and other artificially created structures. Its members test Ubuntu because they enjoy doing it. They will continue to do so with or without the team.
• It does not focus on providing resources and performing tasks to other Ubuntu formal and informal teams, groups, leaders, structures or legacy processes. Members simply want to improve Ubuntu by testing.
• The team is not submit to other large structures. As it happens in real life (countries, large companies, etc), enormous structures are hard to manage and deal constantly with internal conflicts for power. Members tend to loose interest quick as they see no real chance to participate actively in management.
• The U+1 Team related to other teams, groups, leaders, structures and processes through partnerships. Partnerships can be established and broken, according to the interests of both sides. Doing so, it can guarantee its independence.

U+1 Team independence

Why is U+1 defined as an "independent" team?

The U+1 is an independent one because it is not under the governance of other teams and structures.

• Its members are free (and encouraged) to decide the future of the team, to take part in leadership and management (via elections and voting)
• The team does not have to submit to other teams and structures in order to operate. Members are not to be forced into activities they dislike or see no real use.
• Members are free (and encouraged) to suggest team activities and areas to focus.
• The U+1 Team relates to other teams, groups, structures, leaders, etc via partnerships, much like companies do in the real (free) world. Partnerships are only valid as long as both sides want (and work) to keep it that way.

Why is it important to keep U+1 as an independent team?

• It is very common to see teams, groups and collective efforts fail, both in the real and "online" world. Even in the Ubuntu community, it's not unusual to see projects and teams fall apart. Among the many reasons that cause it, one of them is the loss of interest by team members.
  

• As long as the U+1 Team is independent, it can engage in any activity it desires, from learning efforts, to supporting documentation, testing of development releases, stable releases, specific packages, etc. It can establish partnerships to other teams, end partnerships or limit their scope, and only commit to activities its members actively support.

What are the factors that put U+1 Team independence in risk?

• Unfortunately, as any group of individuals succeed into creating and developing successful communities in the FOSS (Free and Open Source) world, existing non-functional groups, failed leaders and ambitious individuals see in this an opportunity to absorb such successful communities into their own agenda.
• In such cases, communities rarely survive. It's just a quick way to create numbers and fake success for unsuccessful projects.
• The U+1 Team was created with a transparent agenda, and it's one of the only teams in Ubuntu that makes its processes and governance clear in all aspects through its Wiki page. The team only compromise is with its members.

U+1 Team relations to other teams and structures

What is the relation of U+1 Team to UbuntuForums?

• The U+1 Team plans to establish a solid partnership with UbuntuForums, as it considers that community a relevant source for potential members.

What is the relation of U+1 Team to Ubuntu+1 sub-forum at UbuntuForums?

• Some U+1 members are active at UbuntuForums or part of its staff. The Ubuntu+1 sub-forum at UbuntuForums is used by many as a place to learn an offer support to development releases users and other testers.

• Nonetheless, the Ubuntu+1 sub-forum was created by Ubuntu users and is managed by the UbuntuForums Forum Council, not by the U+1 Team.

• Not all Ubuntu+1 visitors are U+1 Team members. The sub-forum is opened to all Ubuntu users, according to UbuntuForums Forum Council rules and management.

What is the relation of U+1 Team to QA Team?

Relation to QATeam

• The QA Team is the official QA (Quality Assurance) structure in Ubuntu. It has it's own management, resources, members, sub-teams and groups under its governance.

• Most U+1 Team members are not QA Team members, however, U+1 Team has been developing a healthy partnership with the QA Team, engaging into and supporting some activities related to testing of development releases.
• There are many official and unofficial QA-Centric groups and teams in the Ubuntu community. Yet, we see space for improvement in QA-Related activities. The U+1 Team was created with the goal of being a long-term objectives, community-driven, legacy-free, democratic and meritocratic structure, which will undertake QA-Related processes according to its members ideas and plans, and to the team available resources.
• In order to be able to do so, a comprehensive set of management, leadership and governance processes has been defined and will be preserved. The team has a strong belief that QA benefits from the community diversity, as do all working and healthy FOSS structures, and that centralized structures and management increase the risk of failure. We believe in alliances and partnerships of self-managed QA-Centric communities.
• Initially, there was no expectation of having a relationship with the QA Team or to be included in its processes. An opportunity was presented of influencing the future of Ubuntu QA positively and to be a part of it.
• U+1 has been working to help the development of a New QA Structure Plan and on defining the best way for U+1 to fit into it. Until such a plan and the new structure for QA is defined, U+1 continues to follow its processes, as defined in the team creation. Despite any alliance to the QA Team, the team will maintain its structure untouched, as a way to guarantee its independence and existence in the future.

What is the relation of U+1 Team to Ubuntu?

• The community is free to create teams and engage into any activities, as long as minimal guidelines are followed. One of these guidelines is that members sign the Ubuntu Code of COnduct, which is a requirement for U+1 members.

What is the relation of U+1 Team to Canonical?

• The U+1 team is aware of Canonical efforts to revitalize and enhance the current QA structure and has engaged into the process of planning such structure with the Community QA Coordinator.
• The U+1 Team also recognizes other Canonical employees in community positions, such as the Community Council and Community Coordination. Some members of the U+1 Team are Canonical employees.

What are the factors that put U+1 Team existence in risk?

• Deviation from the team solid principles by the team leadership: If the team elects individuals (leadership, council) that are not testers, are not committed to the principles established in its creation, or that follow their own agenda and not that of the team, such leaders can easily destroy the team independence, by simply submitting it to another structure. It takes seconds to do it in Launchpad.
• Hostile takeover: As the team continues to grow and develop healthy, but insists on maintaining its independence, there's no guarantee that it can't be simply taken over by people with power to do so.

U+1 Team leadership and governance

Who runs the U+1 Team?

The U+1 Team is managed by a Team Leader and a Team Council.

• The leader is elected by members with the term length of one(1) development cycle.
• Council members are nominated by team members and chosen by the current council members (public voting) with the term length of one (1) development cycle.

• The team founder (Effenberg0x0) holds a permanent position in the council.

Why was ownership transfered to the U+1 Council?

• Any team creator (founder) is automatically granted team "ownership" in Launchpad.
• Many founders refuse to share the team management with other members, causing dissatisfaction and, many times, the failure of some communities.

• The U+1 Team founder, Effenberg0x0, created a Team Council to share the team management with other members. This actions created the possibility of having members elected for Team Leadership, as well as for Council Members. The founder (Effenberg0x0) holds a permanent position in the team council.

Can anyone occupy a role of Team Leader or a position in the Council?

The only requirements for the position of Team Leader are:

• The applicant must be a U+1 Team member;
• The applicant must have signed the Ubuntu Code of Conduct;
• The applicant must follow the procedures explained in this Wiki ("About" section) and follow procedures and deadlines in order to apply;
• The applicant will be voted by other members, including council members and the current team leader;

The only requirements for the position of Team Council member are:

• The applicant must be a U+1 Team member;
• The applicant must have signed the Ubuntu Code of Conduct;
• The applicant must follow the procedures explained in this Wiki ("About" section) and follow procedures and deadlines in order to apply;
• The applicant will be voted by other Council Members;

What exactly is expected from the Team Leader and Council members?

The basic guidelines for Team Leaders and Council Members are:

• Team leaders must work to make sure all of the team principles are being respected by team members;
• Team leaders must make sure the Ubuntu Code of Conduct is being followed by all team members;
• Team leaders will actively engage into activities that bring good opportunities to team members and empower the team;
• Council members must make sure the Team Leader decisions are correct and respect the community (U+1 Members) vision and opinions;
• The Council must work to ensure that the team is managed in a democratic, participative and collaborative way, maintaining it's autonomy and independence, engaging in fruitful partnerships and finishing or limiting the scope of other partnerships.

Joining U+1

Who are the people that join U+1?

• People that join the U+1 Team are Ubuntu users, with different skill levels: From ordinary new users, to intermediary ones and even developers.
• Anyone that wants to contribute and share a wonderful learning experience with an amazing group of helpful individuals is invited to join.

Why should I join U+1?

How can I help U+1?

How can I help keep U+1 as an independent team?

How can I help U+1 achieve its goals?

What can U+1 do for me?

What can I expect from U+1 in the future?