In a first meeting, we move from a "distributed" group where everyone does a bit of everything to a structured team with a unified voice. By setting our Standards and Governance today, we ensure that as the project grows, we don't create "Single Points of Failure" where one person's absence stops the whole team.

Governance

• [ ] Define the Mission Statement: Explicitly write down the "value itself" the project will deliver.
• [ ] Define the Leadership Structure: Decide if you will remain in a "distributed" model or move to a "unified voice" (Captain/Chief Engineer) to handle the project as it grows.
• [ ] Set the Communication Cadence: Choose a primary tool and set a mandatory weekly "Sync" time.
• [ ] Member Onboarding: Create a "Human" resource folder for new members to catch up quickly. Also, how many people does the project need?
• [ ] Assign Component Leads: Designate specific people to manage the key categories: Human, Governance, Resources, Systems, Physical, Engineering, and Financial.
• [ ] Establish Responsibility Distribution: Ensure systems are in place so that no one person is a "bottleneck" or a "single point of failure".
  • [ ] Create a RACI Matrix: Define exactly who is Responsible for building a part vs. who is Accountable for the budget.
• [ ] Set Communication Standards: Choose a primary tool (e.g., Slack, Discord, or Notion) to manage "people and expectations".

Systems Engineering & Standards

• [ ] (If applicable) Select Your Primary Standards: Choose a framework based on your industry/culture:
  • Space Technical: Use ECSS for "Strict & Procedural" requirements.
  • Educational Foundation: Use NASA/SP-2016-6105 for technical guidance.
  • General Management: Use PMBOK for business-centric needs or PM2 for a European methodology.
• [ ] Establish the "System of Truth" (ICD): Select one shared document (e.g., a Master Spreadsheet) where all "Systems" and "Engineering" interfaces are defined.
• [ ] Set Resource Budgets:
  • Mass Budget: Define the maximum weight and who tracks it.
  • Power/Financial Budget: Define how "Financial Resources" are allocated and tracked.
• [ ] Define the "Shall" Statements: Set the initial Scope by writing down exactly what the project must deliver.

Management Philosophy & Execution

• [ ] Create the Schedule: Build a high-level Schedule that maps out major milestones.
• [ ] Identify Initial Risks: List the top 5 things that could kill the project and assign "Risk" owners.
• [ ] Risk Management Protocol: Create a Risk register to identify technical and human threats early, preventing them from derailing the project.
• [ ] Standardize Documentation: Agree on a file-naming convention and folder structure to maintain a "wholistic view" of all project elements.
• [ ] Value Definition: Explicitly write down the "value itself" the project will deliver so the team isn't just "doing something".