YaTTI
Open governance means making decisions transparently, with genuine participation from those affected. It’s about replacing closed-door meetings with open forums, secret ballots with public records, and top-down decrees with collaborative processes.
This applies everywhere decisions affect others: - Governments: Making policies transparently with citizen input - Organizations: Running NGOs, foundations, and associations openly - Companies: Involving stakeholders in corporate decisions - Communities: Managing shared resources collectively - Projects: Governing open source and collaborative initiatives
Open governance transforms power from something held by the few to something shared by many.
All decisions, processes, and information are open by default. Meetings are public, records are accessible, and reasoning is documented. Secrecy requires justification, not openness.
Those affected by decisions have meaningful ways to influence them. Not just voting, but proposing, discussing, and shaping outcomes throughout the process.
Decision-makers answer to those they serve. Clear responsibilities, regular reporting, and consequences for failures ensure power comes with responsibility.
Everyone affected has a voice, not just the loudest or most powerful. Special efforts ensure marginalized groups can participate effectively.
Governance adapts based on feedback. It’s not rigid but evolves as communities and contexts change.
When people see how decisions are made, trust grows. Hidden processes breed suspicion; open ones build confidence even when people disagree with outcomes.
More perspectives lead to better solutions. Those closest to problems often have the best insights. Open governance taps collective wisdom.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. When processes are transparent and participatory, corruption has nowhere to hide.
People become active citizens rather than passive subjects. They learn civic skills, build networks, and take ownership of collective outcomes.
Open systems adapt faster than closed ones. When everyone can propose improvements, innovation accelerates.
Participatory Budgeting (Porto Alegre to Indonesia) Citizens directly decide how to spend portions of public budgets. Started in Brazil, now practiced worldwide including Indonesian cities like Solo and Bandung.
Estonia’s Digital Democracy Citizens propose laws online, track their progress, and see exactly how representatives vote. Everything is transparent and traceable.
Taiwan’s vTaiwan Platform Complex policy issues discussed online with AI-assisted consensus building. Resulted in innovative regulations for Uber, online alcohol sales, and more.
Indonesia’s Open Government Initiative Satu Data policy, public information laws, and citizen complaint systems like LAPOR! show progress toward transparency.
Wikimedia Foundation Runs Wikipedia through elected boards, public meetings, and community consensus. Millions contribute to governance, not just content.
Apache Software Foundation Governs major open source projects through meritocracy, public discussions, and transparent voting. Proves complex technical projects can be openly governed.
Mondragon Cooperatives Spanish worker cooperatives where employees own and govern businesses democratically. Shows open governance works in commercial settings.
Indonesian Examples Village governance (Musrenbang), customary (adat) decision-making, and gotong royong traditions provide indigenous models of participatory governance.
Decision-Making Platforms - Loomio: Collaborative decision-making with proposals and discussions - Consul: Full-featured platform for citizen participation - Decidim: Democratic participation for cities and organizations - pol.is: AI-powered opinion mapping for finding consensus
Transparency Tools - GitHub: Not just for code—used for policy development and tracking - Blockchain: Immutable records of decisions and votes - Open data portals: Making government data accessible - Document management: Version control for policies and procedures
Communication Channels - Public forums and discussion boards - Live-streamed meetings - Citizen reporting apps - Social media for two-way communication
Start Small - Pilot participatory budgeting in one department - Live-stream city council meetings - Create citizen advisory committees - Publish spending data in usable formats
Build Capacity - Train staff in facilitation and engagement - Develop clear communication skills - Learn from successful examples - Partner with civil society organizations
Use Technology Wisely - Choose tools that lower barriers, not raise them - Ensure offline participation options - Protect privacy while ensuring transparency - Make data truly accessible, not just available
Governance Structure - Clear bylaws with transparent procedures - Regular elections with open nominations - Public board meetings (or published minutes) - Member/stakeholder input mechanisms
Decision Processes - Document how decisions get made - Create feedback loops before finalizing - Use consensus where possible, voting where necessary - Explain reasoning behind decisions
Information Sharing - Regular updates to stakeholders - Financial transparency - Open planning processes - Accessible documentation
Local Adaptation - Build on existing practices (like musyawarah) - Respect cultural contexts - Start with trusted leaders as champions - Focus on concrete, visible improvements
Skill Building - Facilitation training for community leaders - Digital literacy for online participation - Consensus-building techniques - Conflict resolution skills
Solution: Start with issues people care about. Make participation easy and meaningful. Show how input leads to change.
Solution: Set clear timelines. Use technology to speed discussions. Delegate detailed work to committees. Remember: Fast but wrong is slower than careful but right.
Solution: Establish ground rules. Use skilled facilitation. Focus on interests, not positions. Celebrate disagreement as healthy democracy.
Solution: Summarize complex information clearly. Use visuals and examples. Provide different levels of detail. Help people find what matters to them.
Solution: Always provide offline options. Use simple, accessible technology. Partner with community organizations. Meet people where they are.
Indonesia can lead Southeast Asia in open governance by combining traditional participatory values with modern tools. From village to national level, we can create models others follow.
We practice open governance in our own operations: - Public board meetings - Transparent financial reporting - Community input on priorities - Open source everything - Documented decision processes
We support others implementing open governance through: - Tool development and localization - Training and capacity building - Connecting practitioners - Sharing successes and failures - Advocating for enabling policies
Imagine Indonesia where: - Citizens shape the policies affecting them - Organizations operate with full transparency - Communities manage resources collectively - Technology enables rather than excludes participation - Trust in institutions grows through openness
This isn’t naive idealism—it’s practical democracy. When governance is open: - Corruption decreases - Innovation increases - Trust builds - Communities thrive - Democracy deepens
Open governance isn’t perfect. It can be messy, slow, and challenging. But closed governance is worse—breeding corruption, stifling innovation, and excluding citizens from decisions affecting their lives.
The choice is clear: Governance of the few, by the few, for the few—or governance of the people, by the people, for the people.
At YaTTI, we’ve chosen openness. We invite you to join us in building a future where power is shared, decisions are transparent, and everyone has a voice.
Because democracy isn’t a spectator sport—it’s a participatory process. And it works best when it’s open.
“Dari rakyat, oleh rakyat, untuk rakyat—secara terbuka” (From the people, by the people, for the people—openly)
YaTTI
