Here is a first attempt of guidelines for focus groups within the
Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS)


Dev Teelucksingh
Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society at
http://www.ttcsweb.org/ and http://www.ttcs.net/
"networking local computer users!"
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These Guidelines/Rules are being drafted to lay the ground work
for focus groups operating within the Trinindad and Tobago Computer
Society. We have to think long term (its no use setting one set of rules
for one group and a different set for future groups) so in the
short term, some of them may appear harsh, restrictive and unnecessary.

A balance has to be made to provide groups with a certain level of
independence but not so much that members/leaders feel they have no
accountability and responsibility to the TTCS.

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Procedures for the creation of Focus Groups within the
Trinindad and Tobago Computer Society
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If a TTCS member wants to start and lead a focus group,
he or she should first check whether there are any focus groups
with objectives similiar to what he/she has in mind and if there is,
then join and participate in that existing focus group. There
should not be more than one focus group with the same objectives.

If not, the potential focus leader should then email ttcs@...
with the following information :

* a short name for the focus group
* a mission statement/statement of purpose/objective of the group with
a short description. This info would be used to
"advertise/promote" the focus group on the TTCS website.
* name and telephone number of the focus group leader.

It would be necessary for the potential focus group leader to have
attended a few TTCS meetings in person. A person known to the TTCS only
via email would NOT be allowed to create a focus group.

The proposed focus group objective must be related to some aspect of
computing or Information Technology and not promote activites that are
illegal in Trinidad and Tobago and/or deemed contrary to the
purpose/interests of the TTCS (http://www.ttcsweb.org/ttcsfaq.htm#what)
[ e.g piracy of copyrighted proprietary software, porn material ]

Once the focus group is approved by TTCS, the TTCS will create a
separate mailing list for the focus group. This could be similiar in
function to either the ttcs_announce mailing list (one way, only
moderator can post) or a the ttcs discussion mailing list (if one person
sends mail to the list, everyone subscribed to the list receives it).
Regardless of which type of mailing list chosen, the mailing list *MUST*
be PUBLIC to allow TTCS members and the general public to read past
messages to decide whether they want to be involved with this focus
group and to keep track of the progress of the focus group.

The Focus group leader would be the moderator of the group and the
general guidlines for the ttcs discussion mailing list (see
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ttcs/message/998) would apply.

The focus group leader can also develop a website/webpage to promote the
focus group if he/she wishes. If there is a lot of material and/or the
possibility of frequent updates, a separate website could be developed
and linked to from the focus group webpage at the TTCS website.

When at least the mailing list is created, it can be announced on the
ttcs_announce mailing and promoted on the TTCS website.

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Other guidelines of the focus groups
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The focus group is part of the TTCS and thus can only be made up of TTCS
members. Any TTCS member can join or leave the focus group. New persons
outside of the TTCS interested in the focus group and its objectives
must join the TTCS (currently, this is joining the TTCS announce mailing
list) and then join the focus group. This should be made clear on the
webpage of the focus group mailing list archive and/or any separate
website/webpage of the focus group.

The focus group can have as many internal meetings and/or discussion via
its mailing list in order to fullfil its stated purpose/objective.
If there is a need to conduct a public demonstration/meeting, then this
should be communicated to TTCS management in advance so that the TTCS
can announce/publicise it. Public demonstrations/meetings should be
treated in the same manner as regular TTCS meetings (see
http://www.ttcsweb.org/faq.htm)

Groups are responsible for their own funding. The focus group *cannot*
collect funds from the general public either from meeting attendence or
from the sale of goods and services to TTCS members in the focus group.
Any funds to be collected at focus group internal meetings should *only*
be enough to cover the expenses of the group and not for profit.
Any such "fundraising" efforts should be done by the TTCS itself and not
by the focus group.

Also, periodic status updates (at least once a month) updates
should be posted by the focus group leader to inform the rest of the
TTCS what progress has been made. (similiar in concept to the
Mozilla Independent Status Reports at Mozillazine.org (see example :
http://www.mozillazine.org/articles/article2947.html). This could
be then be put on the TTCS website.

At all times, group leaders must distinguish between group/TTCS
activity and personal activity/motives/objectives. Any end
products/material/software developed by the focus group must be
for the TTCS and/or the general public and would *NOT* be owned by the
focus leader or any one TTCS member.
(perhaps any content generated by the focus group must be published
under a suitable open content/open source license? )

The TTCS can intervene in a focus group when necessary if
- the focus group leader or members are acting in an inappropriate
manner contrary to TTCS objectives and/or focus group objectives.
- there are no recent focus group status updates
and/or a long absence of focus group leaders from TTCS meetings