---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'MIP39c2-SPXX: Governance Communications Core Unit, COM-001 (Mandate Refresh)'
tags: [MIPs]

---

---
tags: MIPs
---

# MIP39c2-SPXX: Governance Communications Core Unit, COM-001 (Mandate Refresh)

## Preamble

```
MIP39c2-SP#: 
Author(s): David Utrobin
Contributors:
Status: RFC
Date Applied: 2022-07-30
Date Ratified: <yyyy-mm-dd>
```

## Sentence Summary

MIP39c2-SPxx updates the mandate for Core Unit COM-001.

## Paragraph Summary



The Governance Communications Core Unit performs a set of programs that focus on MakerDAO's informational accessibility, stakeholder coordination, and communication practices as a decentralized and public organization.

**Vision**

A healthy communication and information infrastructure:

* Makes consistent, comprehensive, and accurate information accessible.
* Has well-managed public communication venues.
* Engages with stakeholders to improve its coordination & output.
* Advocates for, facilitates, and promotes beneficial organizational communication practices.
* Maps the organization, its initiatives, and the surrounding stakeholder ecosystem.
* Maintains resources and processes for crisis situations.
* Provides dedicated support and multiple points of access to members of the media.
* Results in a more effective and less opaque organization that attracts more stakeholders.

## Specification

*Note: the information presented in this section, and more, is available in [our public drive.](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GBAeTx4jmob7wRs7_LK32Bh_Y-pHzPvV?usp=sharing)*

### Motivation

**Our motivation is to improve MakerDAO's performance as a public organization so that we can more efficiently achieve our goals.** 

A dedicated communications team is fundamental for strengthening MakerDAO’s dependability day-to-day and in crisis situations. Such a team ensures effective, transparent, and reliable DAO operations that result in increased performance towards achieving goals, confidence among stakeholders, and a resulting attraction of business interest.

### Core Unit ID

COM-001

### Core Unit Name

Governance Communications

### Core Unit Facilitator

David Utrobin

### Team Structure

The Governance Communications Core Unit functions as a self-managing entity with a hierarchical management structure. Contributors and Project Managers answer to their Leads who then answer to the Facilitator, who then answers to MKR holders, Recognised Delegates, and the wider stakeholder community.

The four role types in this Core Unit are *Facilitator*, *Lead*, *Project Manager*, and *Contributor*. The facilitator is the managing director of the team. Leads are responsible for a set of programs that belong to their area of expertise. Project Managers are responsible for specific projects assigned by their Leads. Contributors work in a part-time capacity for a very narrow or specific set of work.

| Role | People | FTE |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitator | 1 | 1 |
| Lead | 2 | 2 |
| Project Manager | 1 | 1 |
| Contributor | 8 | 1.5 |
| **Total** | **12** | **5.5** |


| Title           | Commitment | Name           |
|-----------------|------------|----------------|
| Facilitator | Full-time  | David Utrobin  |
| Content Lead | Full-time  | Artem Gordon |
| Engagement Lead | Full-time  | Thomas Flitter |
| Public Relations PM | Full-time  | Hiring |
| Contributors | Part-time  | 7+ & Hiring |

## Mandate

Perform a complementary set of programs that focus on MakerDAO's informational accessibility, stakeholder coordination, and communication practices. Below is the updated scope along with links to program documentation folders which contain roadmaps, overviews, objectives, and more.

*Previous Mandates* - [SP8](https://mips.makerdao.com/mips/details/MIP39c2SP8)

### Programs

**Stakeholder News & Reports**
_Produces a number of publications tuned for MakerDAO stakeholders._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LsMX4lO13V7PF4H5XkdmrU4_T-hfk6EH?usp=sharing)
- Weekly Relay | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rJUXMlGfoAxUj7NyoX4-2Zpl3qQEniIDtaxRAz3CleQ/edit?usp=sharing)
- Forum at a Glance | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gb7RIw9NMbEJVCNr9rrCRZlGebN83ZnYjb74Uxp0BQQ/edit?usp=sharing)
- State of Dai | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/13dS91cYyblKBY9ZrDqNWeT_fGcGNnIn_mGTXE4Rqh8o/edit?usp=sharing)
- Monthly Governance Review | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jRR13v1mS-n3MuIdG2oV_eP5Lb-xEmmr8zGmqP0kdZ4/edit?usp=sharing)
- Monthly Core Unit Updates | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1AGOaruEWS-Khg0HPBtUHKvEewHMo0n6GFsROCmmGc/edit?usp=sharing)
- Annual Governance Review | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jRR13v1mS-n3MuIdG2oV_eP5Lb-xEmmr8zGmqP0kdZ4/edit?usp=sharing)

**Public-Call Summaries**
_Leads a team of part-time contributors to produce summaries for Maker's public calls._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sBwGXZ6uwhN_DRnrLzGXgt7eXBqBufsf?usp=sharing)
- Multiple Call Types
    - Governance and Risk
    - Know Your MIP
    - Core Unit Launch Pod Sessions
    - Speaker Series
    - And others
- Two types of summary
    - Semi-Transcibed
    - Editiorial

**Public-Calendars**
_Maintains, improves, and manages access permissions for the calendars._

- Votes and Important Dates | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LhYL98FvBx6yTJ1fudQlwsfElPhkXbAYCZA0JvM_RJE/edit?usp=sharing)
- Calls | [Overview](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kecu6_Qso_DDQ03E_8DcMZglg6TjB2qmpxVQ7ASYXgQ/edit?usp=sharing)
    
**Stakeholder Database & Mapping**
_Manages Stakeholder Database and produces visual maps detailing MakerDAO's stakeholder ecosystem._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yYNLmMsw2TL8mvan0q0Nqv1JSCb-2qoE?usp=sharing)
- Maintains GDPR-Compliant Database containing data-minimized information on individuals in various stakeholder groups.
- Maintains process for managing the data.
- Services requests for information.
- Maintains an organizational chart that maps all key internal stakeholders.
- Maintains a stakeholder chart that maps all stakeholder groups.

**Stakeholder Alignment & Initiatives Tracking Framework**
_Maintains a Stakeholder Alignment Framework that utilizes initiative tracking, coordination calls, and initiative reporting to ensure health and progress of initiatives._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nfIRNbIKSbOBrkSVsBt0vD6nSkiohcx9?usp=sharing)
- Tracks initiatives, their sub-initiatives, and leads for each.
- Leads Stakeholer Alignment Calls for cross-team initiatives.
- Reports and helps other leads report on initiatives.

**Core Unit Communications Audit**
_Conducts bi-annual audit of information output accross Core Units._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WWE9zrIB0p1xNQN5GEVQtLP3vrixjAxT?usp=sharing)
- Assesses the communication practices of ratified Core Units.
- Identifies Core Unit communication mandate requirements.
- Documents communications being delivered.
- Provides recommendations for improving communications.

**Issue Discussion Public Call Series**
_Leads a public call series that discusses pertinent issues by creating a resource document and inviting relevant stakeholders for an open discussion._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14PJGIJ-rNz7FxtXjXXXEX0-U4lGrkJxI?usp=sharing)
- Outlines a given topic, its associated viewpoints, pros, cons, and more.
- Uses the stakeholder registries to inform relevant stakeholders about upcoming discussion calls.
- Creates a resource document, hosted a week before the call, that gathers a trove of supporting information about the topic in question.

**Governance and Risk Call Support**
_Supports GovAlpha Core Unit in running the Governance and Risk call._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZEMd1vbknzZp7_hUB9y6u0-o01TM8hKC?usp=sharing)
- Creates a weekly slide deck for the call.
- Uploads call to MakerDAO's YouTube channel.
- Works with mandated actors and recognized delegates to select weekly discusion topic(s.)
- Works with DAO members to provide reccuring initiative milestone updates.

**Emergency Communications Support**
_Ensures that emergency incidents have the support of a dedicated communications team so that key actors can focus on decision making and executing solutions rather than managing public comms._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qeClpcO7zglZRvpTW7vGRh0GQVi3f5iI?usp=sharing)
- Maintains the Emergency Playbook.
- Maintains a set of emergency response templates related to various emergency types.
- Acts as the Communications Manager for incident responses which includes various duties such as working with other members of the incident response group to publish live updates, moderate and field the public discussion thread, and handle press inquiries.

**Public Relations Support**
_Gives members of the media known points of access for engaging with MakerDAO._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g1mTMUEb92_WguTFdPQ11M1LzVSdUCCo?usp=sharing)
- Sets up an individual as a dedicated point of contact.
- Maintains and manages access to the Media Inquiries section of the forum.
- Works with other Core Units to service inquiries.
- Publishes press releases on behalf of MakerDAO.

**Communication Platform Stewardship**
_Leads a small team of community moderators, establishes guidelines and best practices for moderating, suggests improvements for user experience._

- [Program Documentation](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E3LEq7UfPfNE_gWCYGEpTt5JyICFn7HP?usp=sharing)
- Facilitates moderation duties on our most used communication platforms
    * Forum
    * Discord
    * Reddit
- Collaborates with the Governance Core Unit to improve venues.
