Picking up on a fruitful discussion on Mastodon, I want to shift this here where everybody in the community can participate.
Let’s discuss what you think about the challenges that were in the slides (see here TYPO3 Dialogue Days: Establishing Common Ground for the Work Ahead - TYPO3 News )
Are those challenges you also see for TYPO3?
And let’s discuss the proposed changes to face those challenges
Regarding the proposed TYPO3 Unit structure (based on the version known to me from 11 February 2026), I see one specific and solvable concern: the relationship between voluntary engagement and the proposed right to issue instructions.
The Community Rules describe volunteers as contributing their time, knowledge, and skills voluntarily and without pay. At the same time, the current wording requires Unit Members to follow instructions and grants Unit and Team Leads authority to issue instructions to volunteers. The Task List reinforces this through task assignment and monitoring responsibilities.
I do not assume that the intention is to direct how volunteers spend their free time. However, the wording can be understood that way, especially by Core Team members who already contribute substantial amounts of limited free time.
A clearer distinction could resolve this:
Volunteers should remain accountable for responsibilities they explicitly accept. This should not result in a general right to determine how they use their unpaid time.
Funded and voluntary work can complement each other. For this to work, voluntary contribution must remain possible and meaningfully involved in technical discussions, prioritization, and decision-making. The time, expertise, and responsibility contributed voluntarily should be explicitly recognized and valued.
Clarifying this distinction could improve planning reliability while preserving the voluntary contribution model on which the TYPO3 ecosystem continues to depend.
