The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) is supported by a dedicated team of individuals fulfilling various roles to ensure its success, security, and alignment with government standards and agency goals.
| Role | Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| USWDS Lead and Product Owner | Anne Petersen | GSA / TTS |
See CODEOWNERS.md for a list of those responsible for the code and documentation in this repository.
See Community guidelines on principles and guidelines for participating in this open source repository.
We'd like to acknowledge the following individuals for their past contributions of this repository (not a complete list):
- (TBA)
Members of the USWDS community are responsible for guiding its development, ensuring quality standards, and fostering a collaborative environment. They play a vital role in making decisions about code contributions, handling releases, and ensuring the product meets its goals and objectives. Below is a list of the key members and their specific roles and responsibilities. We're eagerly seeking individuals interested in joining the community to help shape and support these roles.
| Roles | Responsibilities | Requirements | Access privileges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contributor | Active contributor in the community | Multiple contributions to the repository | • Assigned issues • Granted access to running CI/CD commands • Added in repository domain teams |
| Maintainer | Set direction and priorities for a sub-project | • Experience as a reviewer for 6 months • Demonstrated responsibility and excellent technical judgement for repository |
• Approves PRs to all areas of repository • Has a vote in decision-making meetings |
| Alumni | None: USWDS thanks our alumni for their service | • Must have been an active Contributor or Maintainer |
• Assigned issues • Granted access to running CI/CD commands • Added in repository domain teams |
Description: A Contributor contributes directly to the repository and adds value to it. Contributions need not be code. People at the Contributor level may be new contributors, or they may only contribute occasionally.
- Following the repository CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
- Following the repository contributing guidelines in CONTRIBUTING.md
- Report and resolve issues
- Submit and review PRs
- Contribute to USWDS documentation
- Participate in community discussions
- Answer questions from other community members
- Test releases and submit reviews
- Run or help run events
- Help maintain the repository and community infrastructure
- Invitations to contributor events
- Access to community spaces and infrastructure
- Eligible to advance along the repository's CONTRIBUTOR_LADDER.md
- Other privileges defined by the community in the future
Description: Maintainers are established contributors who are responsible for entire areas of the repository. As such, they have the ability to approve PRs against specific areas of the repository, and are expected to participate in reviewing and approving contributions to the repository.
A Maintainer must meet the responsibilities and requirements of a contributor, plus:
- Reviewing at least 4 PRs per 3 months, especially PRs that involve specific parts of the repository
- Mentoring new Contributors
- Writing and refactoring submitted PRs
- Participating in USWDS Maintainer activities
- Proposing contributions to strategy and policy of the repository
- Participating in, and leading, community discussions
- Mentoring other Maintainers
- Exercising judgment for the good of the USWDS product and repository, independent of any employer, friends, or team, in line with repository GOVERNANCE.md
- Become responsible for a key repository management area as indicated in CODEOWNERS.md
- Must be actively contributing for at least 6 months to at least one repository area:
- Authored 2 merged PRs
- Reviewed 2 PRs
- Resolved 2 Issues
- Can commit to reviewing a minimum of 4 PRs per 3 month cycle
- Can commit to contributing at least 2 PRs per 3 month cycle, as demonstrated by https://github.com/uswds/uswds/graphs/contributors
- Approve PRs to their specific domain of the repository
- Other privileges defined by the community in the future
- Any current Contributor may become a new Maintainer by meeting the requirements and opening a PR, following the instructions in the contributor ladder issue template
- At least 1 current Maintainer from the Internal Team must then approve the PR
Serves as the main point of contact for decision-making and development activity. They have the same privileges and responsibilities as Maintainers and Codeowners.
Members of the Internal Team are federal employees or contractors who contribute to USWDS repositories, products, or program as part of their formal work duties. They have the same privileges and responsibilities as Maintainers and Codeowners.
Description: Alumni are established Contributors or Maintainers who have stepped away from the repository for periods longer than 6 months. Contributors or Maintainers may also wish to become Alumni by voluntarily stepping down. Alumni have no further responsibilities to the repository and we thank them for their contributions.
- None
- Must have had Contributor or Maintainer status
- Will be added to the Alumni list in the COMMUNITY.md file
- Any current maintainer may become Alumni by meeting the requirements, and opening a PR following the instructions in the contributor ladder issue template
- If and when commitment levels change, Contributors can file an issue using the contributor_ladder.md issue template, and send a PR to the COMMUNITY.md file indicating their updated status.
- At least 1 current Maintainer must then approve and merge the PR.
This document contains principles and guidelines for participating in the USWDS open source community.
These principles guide our data, product, and process decisions, architecture, and approach.
- USWDS mission, vision, polestar
- USWDS product values
- USWDS design principles
- USWDS engineering values
- USWDS architectural decision records
All community members are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct.
Information on contributing to this repository is available in our Contributing file.
When participating in USWDS open source community conversations and spaces, we ask individuals to follow the following guidelines:
- Respect your peers, use plain language, be patient, practice constructive criticism, and stay organized
It is important for Contributors to be and stay active to set an example and show commitment to the repository. Inactivity may lead to unexpected delays, Contributor attrition, and a loss of trust in the product and work.
- Inactivity is measured by:
- Periods of no contributions for longer than 6 months
- Periods of no communication for longer than 6 months
- Consequences of being inactive include:
- Transfer to Alumni status
Involuntary removal/demotion of a Contributor happens when responsibilities and requirements aren't being met. This may include repeated patterns of inactivity, extended periods of inactivity, a period of failing to meet the requirements of your role, and/or a violation of the Code of Conduct. This process is important because it protects the community and its deliverables while also opening up opportunities for new Contributors to step in.
Involuntary removal or demotion is handled through Maintainers filing an issue using the contributor_ladder.md template, and sending a PR to the COMMUNITY.md file.
If and when Maintainers' and Contributors' commitment levels change, Contributors can file an issue using the contributor_ladder.md template, and send a PR to the COMMUNITY.md file indicating their updated status.
The Community Guidelines sections were originally forked from the United States Digital Service Justice40 open source repository, and most recently from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Open Source Program Office Guide, and we would like to acknowledge and thank everyone who contributed along the way.