ISSUE-172: What is a "Memorandum of Understanding"?

Define MoU

What is a "Memorandum of Understanding"?

State:

OPEN

Product:

Process Document

Raised by:

Charles 'chaals' (McCathie) Nevile

Opened on:

2016-08-14

Description:

This is raised on behalf of Daniel Dardailler.

Request:
- provide a definition for our use of the term "Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU)" in the Liaisons section.
https://www.w3.org/2015/Process-20150901/#Liaisons


Rationales:
- the Team is often asked to sign "MoUs" with other organizations
that are just simple liaisons from our point of view, that is, they do
not justify Member review, but because the other parties call them
"MoU", and insist on doing so, we are often in an unclear situation (is
it a "real" MoU ? should we inform our members ?).

- MoU is as good as any other similar name like "Agreement" or
"Partnership", "Formal liaison", so we only need to provide details for
our own meaning of the term, and need not to change it.


Proposed modification:
- no change to the text using the term MoU, only make the term a link
to a new definition entry, that can be added elsewhere

- Suggested new definition:

"In the context of the W3C Process, an MoU is a formal agreement,
i.e. a contractual framework with W3C rights and obligations, that
involves joint deliverables, an agreed share of technical
responsibilities with due coordination, and/or considerations for
confidentiality and specific IPR. The agreement may actually be called
something else that an MoU, and something called an MoU may not be a W3C
MoU in that sense.

- https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-w3process/2016May/0034.html

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