Polkadot Ambassador Fellowship (PAF) Governance: Critical Questions Before On-Chain Implementation

Ambassador Programme
9

Appendix F

This is the final section of the proposal, continuing from Appendices A-E above. Please read the main post and previous appendices for context.

Appendix F: Post-Vote Commitments Approach

The following diagram illustrates the PAF Governance Implementation Timeline:

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If all governance commitments outlined in the “Governance Commitments for Vote” section are approved by ambassador vote, the following implementation path is proposed:

Before On-Chain Implementation

Phase 1: Governance Commitments Vote

  1. 5-day discussion period for this proposal as specified in the suggested Voting Approach section
  2. 3-day Ambassador on-chain vote on these governance commitments as specified in the suggested Voting Approach section
  3. 2-day period for tallying and public verification of vote results
  4. 1-day period for publication of vote outcome with links to on-chain evidence

Phase 2: Pre-Deployment Requirements

  1. Formation of a PAF Governance Working Group with balanced representation (at least two members from each rank 1-4)
  2. Implementation of flat voting distribution instead of geometric voting to prevent centralization risks (potentially temporary measure subject to comprehensive security risk assessment findings)
  3. Development of basic Privacy Policy and legal disclaimers compliant with relevant regulations
  4. Creation of Terms of Use with clear limitations on emergency powers
  5. Implementation of treasury caps with multi-signature requirements for transactions above thresholds (multi-signature approach could be enhanced in future with the “AND Gate” for EnsureOrigin approach instead once PR #9048 [WIP]: "AND Gate" for EnsureOrigin by ltfschoen · Pull Request #9048 · paritytech/polkadot-sdk · GitHub is merged into the Polkadot SDK to align with Dr Gavin Wood’s long-term thinking and not short-term results as highlighted here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigLc42l9oo&t=72s)
  6. Establishment of a basic emergency response protocol with clear accountability mechanisms
  7. Identification and freezing of vulnerable pallet functionality until security review is complete

After On-Chain Implementation

Immediate Priorities (First 30 Days)

  1. Community vote on whether to establish a transparent process for PAF rank reevaluation (given that initial ranks were assigned by the Advisory Board)
  2. Initiation of security review process by qualified security experts (preferably PAL or suitable equivalent security audit providers)
  3. Development of comprehensive governance documentation covering decision frameworks, conflict management, delegation transparency, emergency protocols, treasury controls, meeting standards, voting procedures, and working group processes.
  4. Preparation of Ambassador Fellowship Manifesto amendments to incorporate governance safeguards
  5. Creation of detailed accountability mechanisms for emergency response scenarios

Short-Term Priorities (30-90 Days)

  1. Expansion of Terms of Use based on security and legal review findings
  2. Consultation with qualified legal experts on governance structure alignment (either through the Polkadot Legal Bounty or suitable independent alternatives)
  3. Refinement of accountability mechanisms based on security review findings
  4. Technical Fellowship review and RFC process for the PAF extension pallet
  5. Implementation of governance safeguards identified through the security review process
  6. Unfreezing of pallet functionality only after security review approval and implementation of recommended safeguards

Future Implementation Path (90+ Days)

  1. Submission of Ambassador Fellowship Manifesto amendments via Wish For Change (WFC) process
  2. PAF extension pallet approval through Technical Fellowship RFC process
  3. Runtime upgrade proposal via the Root track to implement the PAF extension pallet
  4. If technical constraints prevent runtime upgrade, consideration of alternative implementation as a smart contract (only if absolutely necessary)
  5. Integration of “AND Gate” for EnsureOrigin once PR #9048 is merged into the Polkadot SDK

This structured approach ensures that critical governance foundations are established before on-chain deployment, with additional safeguards implemented in phases afterward. If immediate deployment is necessary before all Pre-Deployment Requirements can be met, then vulnerable functionality must be frozen until proper safeguards are in place.

Ambassador Utilization and Engagement

  1. Ambassador Engagement and Alignment:

    • Broader Ambassador Involvement: Beyond the core working groups (which involve 16-20 ambassadors), engage the broader ambassador community through:

      • Regular town halls with implementation updates (weekly)
      • Specialized task forces for specific deliverables (10-15 ambassadors per task force)
      • Peer review groups for documentation and technical specifications (20-30 ambassadors)
      • Community testing and feedback coordination (30-40 ambassadors)
      • Regional outreach coordinators to ensure global representation (15-20 ambassadors)
      • Funding Note: These broader involvement activities are voluntary contributions from ambassadors as part of their existing roles and do not require additional treasury funding. They will be coordinated through existing Ambassador Fellowship resources and communication channels.

    • Ambassador Rotation and Job Shadowing:

      • If more ambassadors wish to participate than positions available, create a qualified reserve pool
      • Evaluate all interested ambassadors using the Commitment Checklist criteria
      • Implement rotation system for certain roles to maximize participation opportunities
      • Establish job shadowing program for critical roles to ensure knowledge transfer
      • When job shadowing is necessary to meet target timeframes, contingency budget may be requested with proper justification
      • Rotation and shadowing decisions require PAF Governance Working Group approval
      • Maintain a skills and availability database to quickly fill vacancies
      • Absence Management Protocol:
        • Immediate notification system for ambassadors to report illness or unavailability
        • Pre-authorized temporary replacements from the qualified reserve pool for each role
        • Role prioritization system: only security-critical roles should require 24-hour replacement
        • Non-critical roles should be allowed up to 72 hours for replacement without consequences
        • Automated delegation of voting rights after 72 hours of unexcused absence could be considered if possible
        • Weekly review of all active roles and availability status
        • Documentation requirements for knowledge continuity during transitions, including project status, pending decisions, key relationships, access credentials, historical context, and known issues.
        • Primary and secondary emergency contacts defined for each working group (Ambassador Fellowship Coordinator and PAF Governance Working Group Lead)

    • Skills Development Program:

      • Technical workshops on governance implementation (monthly, hosted by experienced ambassadors with Meetups Bounty funding)
      • Governance design thinking sessions (weekly, hosted by ambassadors with prior governance experience)
      • Documentation and technical writing workshops (funded through existing Ambassador Program resources)
      • Mentorship pairings between experienced and newer ambassadors
      • Guest Expert Sessions:
        • Security workshops with PAL (Polkadot Assurance Legion) members
        • Governance theory sessions with PBA (Polkadot Blockchain Academy) instructors
        • Technical implementation guidance from Technical Fellowship
        • Legal and compliance insights from ecosystem legal experts
        • Community building strategies from successful parachain ambassadors
        • All guest sessions funded through existing ecosystem resources (Meetups Bounty)

    • Values Alignment Activities:

      • PAF Values Assurance Working Group conducts random audits using the Commitment Checklist
      • Implementation of witness-based verification system for Alignment Scores
      • Confidential remediation process with mentorship for improvement
      • Recognition program for exemplary values demonstration: on-chain NFT badges, public recognition, and priority consideration for future governance roles
        • Sponsorship Program: Funding through ecosystem parachain sponsorships, aligned Web3 companies, and community micro-donations
          • Transparent sponsorship guidelines to prevent conflicts of interest
          • All sponsors publicly acknowledged with clear separation between sponsorship and governance
        • All recognition primarily funded through existing Ambassador Fellowship resources and sponsorships (no additional treasury funding required)
      • Responsible: PAF Values Assurance Working Group with support from PAF Communications Working Group

Knowledge Capture and Sharing

  1. Knowledge Capture and Sharing:

    • Final Implementation Report: Comprehensive documentation covering implementation process, challenges and solutions, participation metrics, governance effectiveness evaluation, and recommendations for future implementations, using all meeting documentation as source material.

    • Lessons Learned Documentation: Compilation of technical lessons, social coordination insights, governance design patterns, and security considerations from the implementation experience.

    • Knowledge Transfer: Distribution of implementation knowledge through PBA presentations, educational materials, public template repositories, and ecosystem-wide case studies.

    • Responsible: Collaborative effort between PAF Communications Working Group and PBA representatives

    • PBA Integration: Report will be formatted as a formal case study for inclusion in future PBA cohort curriculum

    • Timeline: Final report to be completed within 30 days of implementation completion

    • Broader Ambassador Involvement: As described in the Ambassador Utilization and Engagement section, the implementation will engage ambassadors beyond the core working groups through town halls and specialized task forces.

    • Documentation and Meeting Practices:

      • All meetings should have published agendas at least 24 hours in advance
      • Detailed minutes should be recorded for all working group meetings and town halls
      • Minutes should include clear action items with assigned responsible individuals, specific deadlines for each task, decisions made with rationale, and attendance records
      • Meeting agendas should reference previous action items and their status
      • All documentation should be stored on-chain using pinned IPFS with Polkadot Relay Chain remarks recording document hashes and links
      • Each document update should be verified with an on-chain remark from the responsible working group member
      • A single, comprehensive documentation index should be maintained with links to all current versions of documents from all working groups
        • Responsible: PAF Communications Working Group with oversight from the Ambassador Fellowship Coordinator
      • Progress reports should be compiled from meeting minutes at the midpoint (45 days) and end of the implementation phase
      • Documentation responsibilities should rotate among working group members to distribute workload
      • Templates for agendas, minutes, and progress reports should be standardized across all working groups
      • Responsible: Documentation coordinator designated by each working group