My name is Jochen Weiland, and I am running for a position on the TYPO3 Association Board. After many years as an elected member of the Business Control Committee (BCC), I am now seeking to contribute to TYPO3’s future in a more strategic role.
If you have questions about my goals, priorities, or vision for TYPO3, I would be very happy to discuss them with you.
Jochen, I would like to ask for your position on a governance issue that, in my view, should be clarified before members cast their vote.
If TYPO3 is moving towards an organizational model that would materially reshape how teams, leads, and volunteers collaborate, then I think the membership should be able to see that direction before the election rather than only later.
This is particularly relevant because the Board members elected now will serve for three years.
Do you believe that any such governance concept should be published and openly discussed before the election?
And more generally, do you consider stronger hierarchical leadership structures a good fit for a volunteer-driven open source community like TYPO3?
Hi Jo, thank you for raising this important question.
As TYPO3 continues to grow and plays an increasingly important role for many organizations, I believe it is natural and necessary that our internal structures evolve as well. Clear responsibilities, well-defined collaboration between teams, and efficient processes are important for a project of TYPO3’s size and impact.
My understanding is that a new model for the organization of teams and responsibilities is currently being developed and is already at an advanced stage. At the General Assembly in April, the members will have the opportunity to vote on it.
In general, I strongly support transparency in governance processes and open discussion within the community. At the same time, I do not believe that the publication of every governance concept must necessarily happen before a Board election. Governance structures evolve continuously, and the Association has established processes—such as the General Assembly—to ensure that members remain involved in important decisions.
Regarding leadership structures, I believe that a healthy balance is needed. TYPO3 is a volunteer-driven open source project, and the collaborative spirit of the community is one of its greatest strengths. At the same time, a project of our scale benefits from clear responsibilities and effective coordination to ensure that initiatives move forward and decisions can be implemented efficiently.
One of my motivations for running for the Board is exactly this: helping to improve processes and accelerate decision-making, while maintaining transparency and the collaborative culture that defines TYPO3.
I appreciate the discussion and look forward to further exchange with the community.
I agree that not every internal adjustment needs to be presented to the whole membership.
My point is simply that this does not look like a minor adjustment. If a proposal affects leadership structure, contributor expectations, decision paths, and the overall balance of responsibility and power, then members should know that direction before electing people into positions that may soon operate within and legitimize that structure.
That is the distinction that matters to me.
Jo, in my role in the BCC I have worked with the Board for many years. And you may remember from past GAs that I’m we one asking questions which are sometimes uncomfortable. All in the best interest to make TYPO3 better and improve the tasks within the Association.
In the past years I have seen significant improvements happening. Although not everything is in an optimal state, we as a community and organization are in a much better shape than a couple of years ago.
I have trust in the board and the people who worked on the topic that they are doing this in the best interest of the project AND community. The process is not something that was created over a short period but was carefully crafted and discussed for a very long time.
Of course, when changes are made, there will always be some people who don’t consent. But I’m confident that the work done will be supported by the vast majority of the community. And we have a democratic process for electing the board as well as for decisions within the board.
Other than elections in the political world it is not about to elect the whole board, as only 3 of the 7 seats are open for election. This is also a measure that there is continuity in the work and no abrupt, drastic changes.
Hello Jochen,
serving on the TYPO3 Association Board is a significant responsibility and an important volunteer commitment to the community.
Based on my experience, I estimate that fulfilling the role properly requires roughly 8 hours per week on average, including preparation, meetings, coordination with the Association and the community. In addition, there may be travel for events such as QSA meetings and other in-person gatherings.
Since this is a volunteer position without proper financial compensation, it requires a strong personal commitment of time.
How do you plan to ensure that you can realistically dedicate the time needed to fulfil the responsibilities of a Board member?
Hello Ingo,
I’m aware that the work for the board will require a significant time investment. If Im elected to the board I’m planning to dedicate 1 full day per week (Friday) exclusively for that work.
The work in my agency is organized in such a way that this is possible.
Hi Jochen,
as a member trying to make an informed decision, I’d like to ask:
After one year on the Board, how would we as members be able to tell whether you’ve actually delivered on what you’re promising today? What would be a concrete indicator of success that we could point to?
I think it’s fair to ask this before voting – not just “what do you want to do” but “how will we know if you did it.”
Hi Matthias,
for me, one of the most concrete indicators of success would be speed and clarity in processes. If, after one year, initiatives move faster, decisions are made more efficiently, and contributors experience less friction, then I believe we are on the right track.
At the same time, members should see better communication and transparency. Clear updates on what the Board is working on and why.
Since the Board works as a team, success is always shared. But I would take it as my responsibility to contribute to more efficient execution and more visible progress across the Association.