Design

Perhaps the most important element of system design is the integrity of the system itself, so before we analyse the system in detail, we will examine how to maintain its integrity.

System Integrity

Mandated procedures introduce inflexibility. While that is advantageous in the incumbent system, which must not be too easy for incompetents and miscreants to damage, it is not a good tactic for a well thought out system. The first principle requires adaptability, so a good system should have minimal rules, and they should mostly concern maintaining the integrity of the three principles of the system. Specifically, they should deny changes that would reduce adaptability, increase the opportunity for corruption, or dilute the quality of the people appointed to the roles of the system.

The system distributes influence to many committees of experts, where each member has equal influence. The minimal rules must be divided between at least two classes.

The higher class of rule protects the integrity of the system, especially the three principles, and requires very significant broad based support to change them. Examples: Firstly, policies should not be extreme, except where they can be demonstrated to be in response to extreme situations. Secondly, no committee can change its own procedures without consensus approval from other committees. Thirdly, a specified minimum percentage of committee members must be present or employ a proxies for a committee to be allowed to take votes on policy. Fourthly, committees must demonstrate they operate at an appropriate frequency to address their workload.

The lower class of rule may be changed by individual committees, but is reported to the other committees. It protects significant procedural functioning of the committee. For example, timing of meetings is flexible, but that flexibility must not be used to prevent a committee from meeting as often as mandated in the higher class of rules or to exclude attendance by specific members.

Both classes of rule should detail procedure, intent, and expected outcome.