Regional PUG Chapter Guidelines

This document contains the guidelines for Regional PUG responsibilities and organizational structure. It includes guidelines for chapter startup and a model for maturity. Created: October 9th, 2012 Last Update: March 13th, 2013

Purpose of the PUG

The PUG exists to promote the effective use of geospatial technology and science within the petroleum industry. It is a global community of petroleum geospatial users that network and support each other in their ongoing efforts to continually grow in line with our mission. The global PUG Steering Committee acts as the central leadership body of the PUG group. They are a volunteer based group and are voted into office by the global PUG community. The Steering Committee is supported by a network of Regional PUG Chapters to deliver on the global mission and goals of the PUG community. Regional PUG chapters exist to foster local and regional networking, to provide a local voice to the PUG Steering Committee and to support the global PUG mission and goals. They are also responsible for communicating the Esri software development needs of the local/regional community to the PUG Technical Committee who owns and maintains the PUG List and acts as the single voice of the community back to Esri. This network of regional PUG groups is critical for achieving the global PUG mission and goals by acting at the local/regional level, working in conjunction with the global PUG Steering Committee.

Regional PUG chapter Organizational Responsibilities

The following are the responsibilities of the Regional PUG chapter: Encourage networking and ideas sharing by hosting local/regional events Keep in touch with the Global PUG Steering Committee to: o Understand the PUG priorities in an effort to support the PUG mission and goals o Meet with Regional Liaison before and after steering committee and/or regional chapter meetings o Share regional developments and successes o Work together to improve the global PUG community Maintain the regional sections of the PUG Online website and contribute to the PUG LinkedIn website with chapter information, chapter news, event recaps, etc. o www.pugonline.org o www.linkedin.com Group: PUG Online

Coordination with the global PUG Steering Committee is required and should be a priority. The main connection point is with the Regional Liaison, and secondary connection points are to the Chair and Co-Chair as required. In addition, a local Esri Liaison is selected to be a part of the Regional PUG chapter to take advantage of the support and communication opportunities available from Esri. To enable local/regional networking and knowledge sharing, there are a number of types of events that can be held, and below are some of the suggested opportunities. This list is not exhaustive or

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expected to be fully implemented but it should be a guideline for developing the Regional PUG Chapter: Hold periodic events (quarterly, semi-annually, etc.) to focus on one or more of the following: o Networking social meetups o PUG community papers, presentations, Q&A, etc. o Vendor papers, presentations, Q&A, etc. o PUG List technical discussions Host or support a local/regional conference Hold a local/regional recap event after the International Esri User Conference Hold a local/regional recap event after the International Esri Petroleum GIS Conference Supported by the Education Chair of the PUG Steering Committee, develop contacts with local/regional educational centers to engage teachers, professors and students in an effort to grow the knowledge of the PUG and encourage student interaction Supported by the External Relations Chair of the PUG Steering Committee, develop contacts with local/regional related external organizations to identify the synergies between the organizations and manage the contacts and information sharing

Each chapter will determine on their own, with support from the PUG Steering Committee if required, which events are best suited for their region. Through time, the Chapter should be flexible in their approach to support the changing needs of the region.

Regional PUG chapter Organizational Structure

1. Chapter Startup structure
The Regional PUG chapter is a volunteer-driven group that should start up with a few key individuals that will take on the leadership responsibilities as a collaborative team. It is recommended that there is no formal leadership structure in the beginning, up until a point when the need arises to take a structured approach. As per the responsibilities of the Regional PUG group, it is expected that the group is providing a local networking opportunity for the community but there are no set specific duties. Because of this, there is no need for specific roles in the startup of the PUG group. This approach to startup allows the group to form with limited boundaries and to grow to support the regional needs. The global PUG Steering Committee together with Esri local or Redlands staff should play a part in identifying key candidates for the region to start up and develop the PUG chapter. There are to be a minimum of 3 industry members (operators, software companies, data providers, consultancies, etc.) plus one Esri Liaison (an employee of the local Esri branch) for each regional chapter startup. Additional local Esri staff may be asked to help if the group requires more support in carrying out local activities, such as planning a conference. And as with the PUG Steering Committee, Regional PUG Chapters must be composed of at least 51% operators.

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Over time, as the chapter gets more organized, a defined organizational structure may be more appropriate. If or when the chapter decides to formalize their roles and responsibilities it is suggested that they follow the guidelines below.

2. Mature Chapter structure (roles based committee)

When the Regional PUG chapter has developed to a point that a roles based committee is required, the chapter should create roles that align closely with the global PUG Steering Committee and must adhere to the 51% operator rule. Using this organizational model, specific roles and responsibilities are defined and assigned to chapter members. The current chapter roles that would apply to a Regional PUG are: Chairperson* Co-Chairperson Communications and Website Chair* Conference and Events Chair* ESRI Liaison (an employee of the local Esri branch, selected by Esri)* External Relations Chair Education Chair Marketing Chair Membership Chair Secretary Technical Chair Treasurer

The roles that are starred above are the roles that are most likely to be required at a Regional PUG level. Roles should be selected for their need within the region, not just for the sake of having the role. It is important that the Regional PUG chapter is kept to the smallest size that is required in order to remain as efficient as possible in delivering on the local/regional needs. It should not exceed the number of PUG Steering Committee roles, and the Regional PUG roles will not replace the roles of the Steering Committee but act in support of them. The specific roles and responsibilities for each of the positions above are available from the PUG Steering Committee. Individuals within the chapter volunteer for the various roles and final selection/assignment of roles can be done in whatever fashion suits the chapter (assigning, volunteering, nominating, voting, etc.).

Regional PUG chapter Getting started

When there is interest for starting a Regional PUG Chapter, the interested individuals should be in contact with the Regional Liaison of the PUG Steering Committee. The Regional Liaison will then support the chapter startup by helping to identify other key individuals to help, contacting the Esri office closest to the region and communicating the guidelines for the Regional PUG Chapter. Continued communication will be the key to success.
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