Governance

deputy_project_leads.md

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+# Deputy Project Leaders
+
+
+## Release Manager(s)
+
+The Release Manager (RM) is appointed for a minor version (A.B.x) release series
+of Matplotlib rather than for a fixed term.  They are responsible for the full
+release life cycle of all minor releases in the series including:
+
+- ensuring the whats new, API changes, and release notes are up to date
+- the timing of the releases
+- what changes should or should not be backported from the master
+  branch
+- rebuilding and publishing the website
+- publishing sdist and wheels to pypi
+- notifying down-stream packagers of the release
+- announcing the release (in coordination with the Community Manager)
+
+An individual may be the RM for more than one release series at the
+same time.
+
+
+## API consistency Leader
+
+Matplotlib is constantly making small changes to its API: enhancements
+that add new features, bug fixes that unavoidably change behavior, and
+deprecation of inconsistent or undesired functionality.  The API
+Consistency Leader (ACL) is responsible for making sure that these
+incremental changes to the library are done in a coherent and
+consistent manner.
+
+This include checking that:
+
+- new functionality is not duplicating existing functionality
+- deprecations are justified and properly documented
+- new functionality does not "paint us into a corner" for future work
+- new functionality is implemented with an API that is consistent with
+  the existing functions
+
+
+## Reference Documentation Leader
+
+The Matplotlib API reference documentation is split between the docstrings and
+the rst source.  This documentation needs to be complete and accurate as our
+users rely on it as the final authority of what a given method will do (short of
+reading the source).
+
+The Reference Documentation Leader (RDL) is responsible for ensuring that
+the docstrings are:
+
+- correctly formatted and render as intended
+- technically correct
+- complete
+
+In addition to the docstrings the RDL is responsible for the sphinx build
+machinery and our sphinx extensions.
+
+## Narrative Documentation Leader
+
+In addition to the reference documentation, Matplotlib has narrative documentation.
+This documentation can take the form of short "cookbook" examples, longer tutorials,
+and prose documenting the how and why of the internals of the library.  This includes
+content that lives in both the main repository and  in other repositories
+in the Matplotlib organization.
+
+The Narrative Documentation Leader is responsible for shepherding all of this
+content including the scope, organization, level, tone, and voice.
+
+## Secretary
+
+- Responsible for ensuring that there is an agenda for the weekly
+  meeting at it is followed.
+- Responsible for maintaining the weekly notes.
+
+
+## Community Manager
+
+The true strength of Matplotlib and why it has had such longevity as a
+project is the community of people around the code.  That community
+needs to be maintained.  The Community Manager (CM) is a catch-all
+position for several very diverse tasks and this role may be split in
+the future and may want to enlist further assistants.  The CM is responsible
+for Matplotlib's evangelism, outreach, and user support as well as mainitaining
+the venues for conversation with the community.