Proposed by: Arie Jones (@programmersedge)
Date: December 18, 2025
Category: Process Improvement / Governance
Status: Draft
Abstract
With the imminent release of the Telcoin Network and the resulting competition for limited Telcoin Association Operations (TAO) development resources, this Telcoin Improvement Proposal (TIP) establishes a formalized process for submitting, scoping, and assigning development tasks across the Telcoin Network, TELx application, and associated websites/applications/code. The process mandates centralized tracking of bug reports and enhancement requests via GitHub, ensures clear and concise requirement definition, and requires upfront estimation of timelines and costs—particularly for tasks outside of already budgeted items, which incur charges back to the Telcoin Association. This standardization is designed to improve efficiency, resource allocation, transparency, and fiscal accountability in development workflows.
Motivation
The Telcoin ecosystem relies on ongoing development across core components, including the Telcoin Network, TELx application, public-facing websites, and blockchain contracts. Currently, task requests to TAO development resources are often handled informally, leading to challenges such as:
- Inconsistent tracking of bugs and feature requests, resulting in duplicated efforts or overlooked issues.
- Ambiguous requirements, which can cause scope creep, delays, or misalignment with expectations.
- Limited visibility into timelines and costs, especially for non-routine tasks that fall outside predefined budgets and require additional funding approval.
- Potential inefficiencies in resource allocation, as requests may bypass structured review and prioritization.
A standardized process will address these issues by promoting clarity, enabling better planning, and ensuring that all stakeholders—including Council members, community contributors, and TAO teams—operate within a transparent framework. This is particularly important as the ecosystem matures and development demands increase.
Proposed Process
The following structured workflow shall be adopted for all development task requests directed to TAO resources:
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Issue Submission
- All bug reports, enhancement requests, and new feature ideas must be submitted via dedicated GitHub repositories (e.g., separate repos for Telcoin Network, TELx, and websites, or a unified organization repository as determined by the Councils).
- Submissions should use standardized issue templates including:
- Description of the issue or requested enhancement.
- Expected behavior vs. current behavior (for bugs).
- Priority level (Low/Medium/High/Critical).
- Supporting materials (screenshots, logs, or reproduction steps).
- Link to relevant forum discussions or prior approvals, if applicable.
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Initial Triage and Review
- Designated TAO and/or Council representatives (or a rotating triage team) will review new issues within 7 days. Critical bugs should have a method via Slack, Discord, Email, or some other means to get fast tracked into the review process.
- Issues will be labeled (e.g., “bug,” “enhancement,” “needs-scoping”) and prioritized based on ecosystem impact, urgency, and alignment with roadmap goals.
- Minor issues within existing budgets may be approved directly for assignment.
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Scoping and Estimation
- For tasks requiring significant effort or falling outside standard budgets:
- The requester collaborates with TAO representatives in a scoping session (via meeting or asynchronous comments).
- TAO provides a formal estimate including:
- Detailed requirements confirmation.
- Estimated timeline (with milestones).
- Cost breakdown (if payment is required).
- Potential risks or dependencies.
- The scoped proposal is documented in the GitHub issue for transparency.
- For tasks requiring significant effort or falling outside standard budgets:
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Approval and Funding
- Tasks within approved budgets proceed to assignment.
- Tasks requiring additional payment are escalated to the relevant Council(s) for approval via a lightweight forum proposal or Snapshot vote, referencing the GitHub issue and scoping document.
- Approval criteria include value to the ecosystem, cost-benefit analysis, and availability of funds.
- Determining whether tasks require additional approval should be delegated to the TAO through the Director of Engineering or their appointed subordinate. Any particular task(s) could still potentially be elavated to the appropriate council via the formal proposal process if the council(s) deemed them necessary.
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Assignment and Execution
- Approved tasks are assigned to TAO resources with clear acceptance criteria.
- Progress is tracked publicly in GitHub (e.g., via projects, milestones, or pull requests).
- Regular updates are provided in Council meetings or dedicated channels.
- The manner in which tasks are assigned, their order within the work queue, and their intended completion timeline should be managed by the TAO Director of Engineering and their team.
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Completion and Review
- Upon completion, the task undergoes verification by the requester or Council representatives.
- Post-implementation reviews (for significant tasks) assess outcomes and lessons learned to refine the process.
Risks and Mitigation
While the proposed process offers significant benefits, potential risks include:
-
Increased Bureaucracy and Delays: Strict workflows may slow responses to urgent bugs or time-sensitive opportunities.
Mitigation: Include provisions for emergency exceptions (e.g., fast-track approval by designated Council members) and monitor response times during the pilot phase, adjusting timelines as needed. -
Adoption Resistance: Community members or TAO teams may resist transitioning to GitHub-based tracking due to familiarity or access issues.
Mitigation: Provide training resources, documentation, and support channels; conduct outreach sessions and gather feedback early in implementation. -
Inaccurate Estimations: Timelines or costs may be underestimated, leading to budget overruns or disputes.
Mitigation: Require peer review of scoping documents for significant tasks and build in contingency buffers; establish a feedback loop to improve estimation accuracy over time. -
Tool Dependency: Reliance on GitHub introduces risks related to platform outages, access restrictions, or security vulnerabilities.
Mitigation: Maintain backup communication channels (e.g., forum/Discord) for critical issues and periodically review alternative tools. -
Overload on Triage Team: High volume of submissions could overwhelm designated reviewers.
Mitigation: Rotate responsibilities among Council members and encourage community labeling/triage where appropriate.
Benefits
- Improved Efficiency: Centralized tracking reduces redundancy and ensures no requests are lost.
- Enhanced Transparency: Clear documentation of requirements, timelines, and costs facilitates better decision-making.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Upfront cost estimates prevent unexpected expenditures and align with budgetary constraints.
- Better Collaboration: Structured scoping aligns expectations between requesters and TAO teams.
- Scalability: The process supports growing development needs while maintaining governance oversight.
Implementation
- Phase 1 (Immediate): Establish GitHub repositories and issue templates; announce the process via forum and Discord.
- Phase 2 (Within 30 days): Train Council members on triage responsibilities; conduct a pilot with existing open tasks.
- Phase 3 (Ongoing): Monitor adherence and refine based on feedback, with annual reviews.
No additional funding is required for implementation, as it leverages existing tools and resources.
Conclusion
Adopting this standardized process will streamline development task management, foster accountability, and support the sustainable growth of the Telcoin ecosystem. Community feedback is welcomed to refine this draft prior to a formal submittal.