TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Purpose
2. Membership
3. Organization
4. Management
5. Task Handling Process
6. Meetings
7. Approval and Appeal Process
8. Long Term Development
9. Ownership of Information
10. Services available to members

 

I Purpose

The Executive Board has the over-all operational responsibility for implementing the strategy defined by Board of Directors. The purpose of the Executive Board is to approve new and close finished tasks and supervise the work of HDP User Group aimed at getting results. In fulfilling its mission the Executive Board will delegate the following tasks to the Staff :

1. Collect, analyze and structure technical and business need information from Users
2. Collect,analyze and structure technical and business opportunity information from Suppliers
3. Stimulate communication regarding technical and business issues between Users and Suppliers.
4. Assemble and release technical and business information.
5. Monitor progress of Studies and Projects as well as support the carriying out of tasks.

The Members Meeting is the forum for cross-project co-ordination and discussions of general and future interest.

Activities are carried out as studies or projects.

II Membership

Executive members have a seat on the Executive Board.

Member Benefit Guidelines

• Members have access to benefits for one installment period upon paying dues.
• A grace period of two months will be allowed for members at the end while getting approved to renew.
• Receipt of a purchase order will be considered as payment of dues.
• Exceptions to these guidelines may be granted by the Executive Director.

Examples:

• A company that is a major contributor to a project may have access to information from that project,.
• Membership approval is pending. A major company may receive a short term temporary membership for a trial period.

The Members Meetings, Studies and Projects are open to all members. Any member can have several representatives. See Approval and Appeal process for voting rules.

III Organization

3.1 The Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is composed of persons selected by Executive Members and sets the goals, policy, and overall strategy for the organization. They are the ultimate authority, and all appeals end with their decision.

3.2 The Executive Board

The Executive Board is also composed of persons selected by the Executive Members and acts on behalf of the Board of Directors in directing and supervising the performance of HDP User Group.

3.3 The Members Meeting

The Members Meeting is the forum for cross-project co-ordination and discussions of general and future interest. Executive Board should be made aware of important issues.

3.4 Studies and Projects

Studies and Projects teams carry out tasks approved by the Board of Directors and they report back to the Board

Principles for starting Projects:

1. A project shall be supported by at least four members. It can, depending on task, contain:
   • Users only
   • Suppliers only
   • A mix of Users and Suppliers
2. The Projects shall have the broadest participation possible; however, persons volunteering to serve on projects shall commit to spending at least three person-days working on the project.
3. The Project leader and membership shall be nominated by the supporting members of the proposed Project.
4. The HDP User Group members shall appoint employees to act for them as members of the projects. These people shall act for the members and be an interface for resources within their company for the projects. If they are unable to attend meetings, they may send a temporary alternate.
5. Members may be added later by the same process.
6. The Project leader may invite non members to attend sessions as nonvoting guests to contribute as invited, providing they make the same three person-day commitment as members

IV Management

The Board of Directors shall be managed by a chair elected for a one year period (January through December).

The Executive Board shall be managed by a chair elected for a one year period (January through December).

HDP User Group shall be managed by an Executive Director appointed for a one year period(January through December). The Executive Director shall be responsible for contracting a staff for a one year period (January through December). Both the Executive Director and the Staff will be compensated as defined in an annual contract, including incentive pay, as defined by the Board of Directors.

The Chairman of the Board will appoint two co-chairs for the following Member Meeting, preferably members of the Executive Board. The co-chairs of the Member Meeting are responsible for running the meeting.

Projects shall be managed by project leaders. This responsibility involves activities such as management of their projects, preparing meeting agendas etc.

Arrangement of meetings such as locations, invitations, mailings, hand-out material, etc. is supplied by the HDP User Group Staff.

V Task Handling Process

HDP User Group tasks are organized efforts of the members to produce useful deliverables such as documents, education, or joint user supplier activities aimed at supporting the mission of the HDP User Group. The tasks are authorized by the Executive Board and performed by Projects. The objective of Projects shall be to produce quality results in the minimum time. The documents resulting from the work are the property of HDP User Group International Inc.

The task handling process defines how the members and Board of Directors shall handle tasks, e.g..Studies and Projects.

Step 1 Idea Stage

The process starts with a member requesting a task to be performed. Any member may propose a task. The task to be carried out as a Study/Project must then be endorsed by at least one other member.

To initiate a task the member or members proposing the task shall prepare a brief description of the task, which is sent to the members for comment.  If response from the members is positive, the Executive Directors starts the task in the definition stage.

Step 2 Definition Stage

At this point, the companies who indicated interest in the task join together on conference calls, through emails, and occasional meetings to prepare the project plan which includes:

1. Scope of the proposed Study/Project.
2. Purpose of the proposed Study/Project.
3. Deliverables
4. Goals and Time Plan for the proposed project. (Project Execution Plan)
5. The names of members participating in the project and the resources they are committing. This will also include the person from each company that will be responsible for interfacing to the Project and voicing that company's views.
6. The name of the proposed Study/Project leader Members of the project must be willing to commit resources. One or two people must be willing to be leader or leaders.

Thge project plan is then presented to the Board of Directors for approval to move into the Implementation Stage.

Step 3 Approval of Studies and Projects

The Executive Board approves or rejects the request using the following check list:

• Is the proposed project embraced by the Mission Statement?
• Are the added values of the results of the project recognized?
• Is the return on investment sufficient? Return of invetsment is defined as:
• Direct benefits for members or indirect by increasing the clout (eg funding) of the Group.
• Are the deliverables well defined?
• Is a detailed plan for execution of the project available and is it realistic?
• Are key rescources, people and funding, identified, secured and backed up?

Step 4 Execution of Projects (Implementation Stage)

The Project team performs the task. The results of the work, are reported by the Staff to the Members at least at ithe regular meetings.

Step 4 Follow Up of Projects

The Board of Directors decides if any further action shall be taken from the results reported. Such actions can be to finish the task or to form another Project that addresses any issue Identified as important to investigate.

Step 5 Closing of Projects

The Executive Board approves the closing of all projects using the following checklist:

• Is the Final Report complete and has the Project Team recommended the completion of the project?
• Are the remaining activities essentially outside the control of HDP User Group, such as standard body review?
• Has the project become inactive and lost support, so that the project should be closed Without completing it?

VI Meetings

The Board of Directors shall meet at least three times a year -- two times in North America and one time in Europe. Members Meeting shall meet at least three times a year -- two times in North America and one  time in Europe. Executive Board shall approve dates and locations of. Executive Board and Members meetings

Each meeting shall be documented with written minutes and status report to the membership.

VII Project Operating Principles

All projects are run using the following general principals.

1 To take any formal action, a quorum of at least three members must be present.

2 The Project shall operate on a basis of consensus of all members present if at all possible.If a minority of members are in disagreement, the Project may vote on an item, with twothirds (2/3) of the members present required to approve the item.

3 The responsible person from each company shall attend all meetings if possible to maintain consistency in the work of the Project. If not able to attend, the responsible shall designate a suitable, knowledgeable person in their absence to speak and vote for the company. This person shall inform the responsible member of the discussions of the Project and the actions taken.

4 If an item has been approved by the Project, it may be brought up for reconsideration and discussion by a member. However, two-thirds (2/3) of the members present will be required to change or amend the item.

VIII Long Term Development

The long term plan for development of HDP User Group will be prepared by Executive Director and approved by Board of Directors.

The Long Term Development Plan shall be reviewed and updated if necessary once a year prior to January 1.

IX Ownership of Information

HDP User Group and its members have ownership to the information generated by studies and projects. Executive Board may decide to release information to non-members. The appropriate time for Executive Board to decide the handling of the information generated is when studies and projects are finished. Release criteria: 100% quorum of member participating needed for release to non-members.

X Services available to members

10.1 Facilitating work

The HDP User Group Staff shall support the Board of Directors, Projects, and their activities.

10.2 Administration

The HDP User Group shall provide a neutral chairman for the Project meetings to help conduct the meetings if needed. The Project leader and the HDP User Group representative will decide on the responsibilities during the meetings.

10.3 Running of Projects

The HDP User Group Staff shall support the Project in its work by arranging meeting locations, conference calls, or electronic forums for Project meetings.

10.4 Communication

The HDP User Group Staff shall assist the Projects in distributing meeting notices, minutes and status reports, and deliverable documents.