39 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
39 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
# Lazy consensus
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Lazy consensus is a method for decision-making according to which proposals within a group may be presumed to pass unless any explicit objections arise. It blends features of [do-ocracy](do-ocracy.md) and [consensus process](consensus_process.md). The Apache Software Foundation, which holds lazy consensus as a value, [summarizes](https://community.apache.org/committers/lazyConsensus.html) the method as "silence is consent."
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**Input:** proposal within group, presumption of approval
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**Output:** approval by silence or objection that triggers further deliberation
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## Background
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Lazy consensus is most widely employed among free/open-source software projects.
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## Feedback loops
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### Sensitivities
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* Empowers participants to take initiative and rewards commitment with authority
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* Lowers cost of governance
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### Oversights
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* Privileges voices of participants with more time and attention due to external inequalities
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* Insuffient participation can lead to insufficient decision-making oversight
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* Ambiguity arising from community silence (cf. "[Warnock's dilemma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warnock%27s_dilemma)")
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## Implementations
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### Communities
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* [Apache Software Foundation](https://community.apache.org/committers/lazyConsensus.html)
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### Tools
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Free/open-source projects that employ lazy consensus often rely on email discussion lists for decision-making. The method helps reduce the traffic on such lists.
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## Further resources
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* Nowviskie, Bethany. March 10, 2012. "[Lazy Consensus](http://nowviskie.org/2012/lazy-consensus/)." Based on #code4lib conference keynote.
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