DSNP Governance: Complete Decision Flow Process

From Individual Participation to Protocol Implementation - How Every Voice Shapes DSNP's Future

**This visualization aims to make the Draft DSNP Governance Framework easier to understand. However this is not the actual Draft DSNP Governance Framework and it may carry some inaccuracies. Please refer to the official documentation for authoritative information.**

🎯 Chairperson Coordination

The Chairperson coordinates the entire governance process, facilitating communication between stakeholder groups, managing Steering Committee meetings, and ensuring smooth operation of the decision-making workflow from proposal to implementation.

1
Individual Joins a Stakeholder Group
Every journey in DSNP governance begins with individuals joining one of six stakeholder groups that represent their interests and expertise. Each group has its own membership criteria and internal procedures.
🏛️
Non-profit/Civil Society
Digital rights organizations, privacy advocates, social good initiatives
🏢
Commercial Organizations
Service providers, app developers, business users, technology vendors
🎓
Academic & Scientific
Universities, research institutions, scientific organizations
👥
Individual Users
End users, community advocates, accessibility champions
⚙️
Technical Experts
Independent developers, protocol implementers, open source contributors
🌍
Government & International
Government representatives, international organizations (advisory)

📝 Membership Requirements

Statement of Interest
Describe relevant relationships and affiliations
Group Approval
Each SG defines its own membership criteria
Appeal Process
Can appeal to Steering Committee if denied
⬇️
2
Stakeholder Group Elections to Steering Committee
Each stakeholder group selects 1-2 representatives to serve on the Steering Committee. This is the critical democratic process that ensures every community has a voice in governance decisions.

🗳️ Election Process

Nominations
SG members nominate candidates from their group
Campaigns
Candidates present their vision and qualifications
Voting
SG members vote using their internal procedures
Selection
1-2 representatives chosen per stakeholder group

👥 Steering Committee Composition

6-12 SG Representatives
1-2 from each stakeholder group
Geographic Diversity
Additional members for global representation
Project Liberty Rep
Institutional continuity representative
No Sponsorship
Membership never connected to payment
⬇️
3
Launch or Join Working Groups
Once the Steering Committee is established, stakeholder group members can participate in existing working groups or propose new ones to address specific technical or governance needs. Working groups are where the actual work gets done.
Blockchain Governance Working Group
Cybersecurity Governance WG
Outreach & Literacy WG
Privacy & Identity WG
DSNP Specifications WG

🚀 Working Group Creation Process

Propose Charter
Define scope, deliverables, timeline
Stakeholder Review
SG members review and provide input
SC Approval
Steering Committee approves new WG
Begin Work
WG starts developing deliverables
⬇️
4
Steering Committee Reviews & Approves
The Steering Committee reviews working group proposals, technical specifications, and governance changes. They make final decisions through consensus when possible, or majority vote when needed.

⚖️ Decision Making Authority

Working Group Approval
Approve new WGs and their charters
Technical Specifications
Final approval of protocol changes
Governance Changes
Charter modifications and policy updates
Asset Management
Intellectual property and resource allocation

🤝 Decision Process

Consensus First
Attempt to reach unanimous agreement
Majority Vote
3/4 majority if consensus fails
Appeal Process
Written appeals to Chairperson available
Implementation
Decisions become official protocol policy
⬇️
5
Protocol Implementation & Community Adoption
Approved specifications and governance changes are implemented across the DSNP ecosystem. Working groups coordinate the technical rollout while stakeholder groups facilitate community adoption.

🚀 Implementation Phases

📝
Specification Release
Technical docs and implementation guides published
⚙️
Developer Tools
SDKs, libraries, and development resources updated
🧪
Testing & Validation
Community testing, feedback, and bug fixes
🌐
Ecosystem Adoption
Apps, services, and networks implement changes