The Governance Process

Overview

TogetherOS governance follows a clear process:

Proposal → Deliberation → Voting → Execution → Review

Every step is transparent. Every decision is traceable.

Step 1: Proposal Submission

Anyone can propose. A proposal includes:

• Title — Clear, descriptive name
• Summary — What you're proposing in 2-3 sentences
• Rationale — Why this matters
• Evidence — Data, examples, reasoning
• Trade-offs — What we gain, what we lose
• Implementation plan — How it would be executed

Quality matters. Poorly written proposals waste everyone's time. The system encourages thoughtful preparation.

Step 2: Deliberation

Before voting, the community discusses:

• Clarifying questions — What exactly do you mean?
• Concerns — What could go wrong?
• Amendments — Can we improve this?
• Alternative approaches — Is there a better way?

Discussion periods vary by proposal impact:

• Minor changes: 3 days
• Standard proposals: 7 days
• Major changes: 14-30 days

Step 3: Voting

Four voting options:

Consent threshold: Proposals pass when no one blocks and support exceeds opposition.

Step 4: Execution

Passed proposals need execution:

• Coordinator assigned — Someone takes responsibility
• Timeline set — When will it be done?
• Resources allocated — What's needed?
• Progress tracked — Visible milestones

Step 5: Review

After execution, review:

• Delivery report — What was actually done?
• Impact assessment — Did it achieve the goal?
• Lessons learned — What would we do differently?
• Minority report accuracy — Were concerns validated?

Minority Reports

When proposals pass despite opposition:

• Concerns documented — Not just dismissed
• Predictions recorded — What opponents expect to happen
• Reviewed later — If predictions prove correct, proposal can be amended

This protects minority voices and creates accountability for decisions.

SP Allocation

Members allocate Support Points to signal priority:

• Each member can allocate up to 10 SP per proposal
• Higher SP = higher visibility
• SP regenerates over time
• SP cannot be bought

This creates a market for attention without creating a plutocracy.

Emergency Decisions

Some decisions can't wait for normal process:

• Emergency proposals — Shorter deliberation period
• Higher thresholds — Requires more support to pass quickly
• Automatic review — Emergency decisions reviewed after crisis passes

Amending Proposals

If a proposal is blocked:

1. Proposer can withdraw
2. Proposer can amend to address concerns
3. Amended proposal goes through shortened deliberation
4. If concerns addressed, blocking members may change vote

The goal is finding solutions that work for everyone, not forcing decisions through.