The BigCode Project Governance Card

TL;DR

This paper outlines the governance mechanisms of the BigCode project, emphasizing transparency, decision processes, and ethical considerations in data and model management to guide future open research initiatives.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive example of structured governance in an open research project, detailing organizational, ethical, and decision-making frameworks.

Findings

Clear governance structure established for transparency

Guidelines for data privacy and model release decisions

Framework serves as a model for future open projects

Abstract

This document serves as an overview of the different mechanisms and areas of governance in the BigCode project. It aims to support transparency by providing relevant information about choices that were made during the project to the broader public, and to serve as an example of intentional governance of an open research project that future endeavors can leverage to shape their own approach. The first section, Project Structure, covers the project organization, its stated goals and values, its internal decision processes, and its funding and resources. The second section, Data and Model Governance, covers decisions relating to the questions of data subject consent, privacy, and model release.