# Transparency

> EARLY DRAFT: This section still needs a lot more work before it is ready. Most things here will probably change before it reaches a publishable state.

## Transparency

_The purpose of this document is to define our transparency policy. Partners interested in how we manage transparency at OMAlab will find answers here._

### Building Trust with Truth

Communication and negotiation among groups of people is difficult, but the more honest we can be with each other, the easier it will be for us to trust one another and work together as a team. Openness and honesty will be critical to our success, which is why this is one of our key values, and why it’s a mantra we repeat in many conversations.

The best way for you to make a decision about what’s good for OMAlab is to have all of the information about what’s going on at OMAlab. The same is true for everyone else you work with, so it’s important that we’re all up to date about what’s happening, even with the areas of OMAlab that we’re not actively involved with.

Transparency may seem like a passive process, like "don’t hide anything," but it’s actually a big challenge to keep everyone up to date and on the same page about stuff they’re not working on on a daily basis, even for a company the size of OMAlab. These are some of the policies we use to make information more accessible, but our work is ongoing.

### Transparent, Private, and Open

Any information at OMAlab falls into one, and only one, of three categories: open, private, and transparent. These terms are defined succinctly in the [Glossary](https://github.com/omalab/guide/tree/636d4d73c33329e68f6c01336d7b55b5a61645e9/GLOSSARY.html); read those definitions first if you are unsure of their specific, contextual meaning.

At OMAlab we strive to make the default state of all information transparent, i.e. visible to all partners. When deciding how to share information, all partners should choose to make it transparent _unless they have a really good reason not to_.

**Think of OMAlab as a fortress with stone exterior walls and glass interior walls.** Internally, we strive to build openness, trust, and a sense of safety for all partners. We protect our vulnerability and create a safe space for learning and growth by being diligent, intentional, and extremely careful about what we expose to the outside world.

Use the External Transparency Matrix below to determine whether a particular piece of information or intellectual property can be shared. Also, some guidance is given under the [Private Information](#private-information) and [Open Information](#open-information) policies below to help partners decide when and why to choose one transparency level over another.

### External Transparency Matrix

Some information needs to be shared with certain members of the outside world, but we need to be cautious in what and how this information is shared.

Use this matrix to answer questions like:

* What is the category of this information?
* With whom do I wish to share it?
* Will sharing this information help or damage our purpose?

| Open to All        | Share with Trusted People\*        | NDA Required      | Never Share               |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------- |
| Our guide          | Who funds us                       | Amount of funding | Partner salaries & comp   |
| That we are funded | Who is on our board                | Financial model   | No. of outstanding shares |
| Team profiles      | Launch strategy (timing, location) |                   | Valuation                 |
|                    | Pitch deck                         |                   |                           |
|                    | Business model                     |                   |                           |
|                    | Curriculum overview                |                   |                           |

\* for potential hires, affiliate partners, etc. Optionally, use a "[FrieNDA](http://randsinrepose.com/archives/friendda/)".

### Transparent Information

#### When and why information should be private

As mentioned above, the default state of information at OMAlab is transparent. We prioritize transparency for practical reasons (ease of doing our work) as well as values-driven reasons (closing the gaps).

The following are examples of the kinds of information which is transparent, but by no means an exhaustive list.

#### Slack Channels

Almost all Slack conversation should happen in public Slack channels where the rest of the team can see it. You may not subscribe to or pay attention to every channel, but conversations that happen in public channels are searchable and readable by the whole team, so when someone wants to know how we decided on some course of action, Slack gives them a place to look back at the conversation.

Not every ping or question needs to happen publicly, but when in question, you should err on the side of posting publicly. Currently about 90% of our conversations happen in public channels, which is a number we hope will keep growing. Think twice before starting or using a private channel. Is it absolutely necessary? Is it essential that nobody else view this conversation?

#### Calendars

Work calendars should be shared to make scheduling meetings really easy and also to let the rest of the team see where we’re spending our time. Personal calendars often have sensitive information, and should be kept separate. Work calendars are documentation of how we’re budgeting our hours and are useful for the rest of the team.

#### Statistics and Metrics

When we measure something, it should be visible to everyone on the team. Our stats will be great sometimes and disappointing others, but when we hide or silo the hard stats, fewer people can help fix them. We’ll try to keep the most critical stats posted in the office, but any data that we’re collecting should be open to everyone.

### Private Information

#### When and why information should be private

Choose to make information private if:

* making it transparent could damage the purpose of the organization
* you do not own the information and do not have the owner's explicit permission to make it transparent
* the information directly concerns another partner and you do not have their explicit permission to make it transparent

The following are examples of the kinds of information which would likely be kept private.

#### Specific Personal Data

Highly personal information about a partner, including but not limited to the characteristics listed under our [Equal Opportunity Employment](../employment-policies/equal-opportunity-employment) policy, is considered private unless the concerned partner explicitly declares otherwise.

For example, a partner's religious affiliation or sexual orientation are considered private to them and to those with whom they choose to share that information. On no occasion should that information be made transparent or shared without their express permission.

#### Partner-to-Partner Feedback

Feedback given from one partner to another is private unless the partner receiving the feedback wishes to share.

Giving and receiving feedback is an integral part of working at OMAlab. We acknowledge that in order for us all to continuously grow, we need to be able to give and receive feedback on things that push the edges of our comfort zones. Feedback is vulnerable and thus should be respectful and private.

Partners are, of course, encouraged to share as much of their _received_ feedback as they wish, whether to seek support or to stay in integrity.

### Open Information

#### When and   information should be open

As we grow, OMAlab will likely open up more and more information to the outside world.

For the time being, however, we are more or less in "stealth" mode: we are invisible, and we share only select information with a select few people not-partners.

Use the [External Transparency Matrix](#External-Transparency-Matrix) above to determine what information can be shared with whom.
