LAVA: LabVIEW™ Advanced Virtual Architects Group
Charter and Declaration of Organization Scope
(Revision 1.01) 01-08-2003

Statement of Purpose
Principles and Objectives
Activities
Regional Hosts
Attendance
Sponsorship
Endorsments
Affiliations
Privacy
Disclosure
Intellectual Property
Operating Expenses
Liability
Charter Review and Revisions

Statement of Purpose

1. The purpose of this document is to describe the intent, scope and ideals of the LabVIEW™ Advanced Architects User Groups hereby referred to by the acronym “LAVA™”.
2. The intent of the LAVA™ Group is to provide a forum for advanced LabVIEW™ Programmers to exchange ideas pertaining to application implementation using LabVIEW™. This scope also extends to hardware and software that has any inoperability with LabVIEW™.

Principles and Objectives

1. To provide an open and free-flowing, un-biased exchange of ideas in application and feature implementations in the LabVIEW™ family of products.
2. To expand upon the implementation of LabVIEW™, enhancements to LabVIEW™ and to support improvements to LabVIEW either by recommendations, creation of standards, VI’s, or other methods deemed effective.
3. To strive to provide effective, constructive and focused feedback to support improvements to the LabVIEW™ family of products.
4. To remain FREE and non-profit.
5. To enrich the group members as a whole.

Activities

1. The main activity of the group is to conduct user meetings open to interested parties (the public). The focus of the topics shall be LabVIEW™ and LabVIEW™ related application issues. This also can include hardware outside of National Instruments manufacture and 3rd party related products.
2. The group may hold special functions and its’ representatives may engage in activities that support the group as a whole.
3. The group cannot be held responsible as a whole or in part to provide solutions in LabVIEW™ programming, LabVIEW™ related problems, issues or application development.
4. The group cannot solicit donations other than that required to facilitate the organization of meetings, dinners or other group operating expenses.

Regional Hosts

1. Regional LAVA™ Meetings shall be run by “Regional Hosts”. These are individuals who voluntarily adhere to the LAVA™ charter and maintain and support LAVA™ activities within their regional area.
2. Regional LAVA™ groups and activities rely on “Regional Hosts” who are individuals that volunteer to originate and sustain LAVA™ meetings in their area
3. Regional Hosts shall be experienced LabVIEW programmers or respected individuals within the LabVIEW™ community.
4. Ideally, Regional Hosts should be individuals. Regional Hosting by a company is acceptable provided a particular individual will act as the Host and in accordance with this charter.
5. The Regional Host responsibilities to;
6. Secure a meeting location.
7. Solicit attendance via direct emails, or other methods.
8. Facilitate meetings and arrange presentations.
9. Act as the communications conduit between other LAVA™ Groups.
10. Represent the interest of their regional group.
11. This charter does not dictate, restrict or specify the frequency of regional LAVA™ meetings.
12. Regional Hosts are urged to format meetings that promote the ‘free-flow’ of ideas by all attendees. Discussion facilitations over presentation-based meetings are recommended.

Attendance

1. The LAVA™ meetings are open to interested parties (the public). Attendance is not limited to Alliance members or NI personnel.
2. It is at the discretion of the Regional Host to invite individuals to attend LAVA™ functions.
3. Regional Hosts, at their discretion have the ability to ban attendees if they deem their attendance is disruptive to the free-flow of the meeting, or display unprofessional or unethical behavior and/or don’t adhere to professional codes of conduct.

Sponsorship

1. So as not to impede the core ideal of the group to support “free-flowing” and unbiased exchange of ideas, sustained or direct sponsorship of the group by National Instruments, its’ affiliates or other LAVA™ member companies is discouraged.
2. Members, Regional hosts and attendees of the LAVA™ meetings shall not use the LAVA™ acronym or name in any manner of an endorsement; of themselves, their services or that of their company.

Endorsements

1. The LAVA™ group shall not engage in activity of endorsing or disclaiming a product, company, service or individual as a policy or as an intent.
2. The LAVA™ acronym or group name shall not be used in any way as an endorsement, direct or implied.
3. The LAVA™ group shall not exchange the use of the name or acronym for consideration of any kind.
4. Exceptions to endorsements are any publication originating from the LAVA™ group itself.
5. Attendees are free to mention their association with LAVA™, but it shall not be considered endorsement their work or skill.

Affiliations

1. The LAVA™ Group is not affiliated with any company or organization. LAVA™ is not affiliated with National Instruments.
2. Participation or consent of National Instruments or any company or organization is not required for any LAVA™ group activity.
3. The attendance and participation of National Instruments representatives and those of its’ affiliates is encouraged and welcomed at any LAVA™ meeting. National Instruments and its’ affiliates are not restricted in any way from participating in LAVA™ meetings, as attendee, topic facilitators or occasional meeting hosts & special event hosts.

Privacy

1. The LAVA™ member lists and personal information obtained by the groups shall not be made publicly available. The purpose of attendee information is to sustain LAVA™ function & meeting notifications.
2. The member list and contact information may be exchanged between groups but not posted, printed or distributed to the general public.
3. LAVA™ shall endeavor to limit spam with regards to any personal information it collects.

Disclosures

1. The LAVA™ meetings are events open to the public. Therefore, it is the responsibility of each attendee, presenter and facilitator to adhere to any confidentiality, or non-disclosure agreements binding them.
2. Electronic recording of LAVA™ meetings by attendees is prohibited, except with the express permission of the group.
3. Any recording of meetings by electronic or other form requires the express permission of the group and must be disclosed before it occurs.

Intellectual Property

1. Presentation of prior intellectual property in a LAVA™ function does release such information into the public domain and remains the property of the author/owner.
2. As the meetings are public events, any individual cannot hold any new concepts or ideas that arise in the meetings as intellectual property.
3. In general, any new ideas that arise in the meetings fall under public information.
4. Participants are urged to consult their employer or client before presenting or discussing applications specifics that maybe deemed proprietary or confidential.

Operating Expenses

1. The LAVA™ Group is intended to operate as a non-profit volunteer group. Each Regional Host is responsible for securing meeting sites and providing resources/funding to support the activities of their local group.
2. Operating expenses such as meeting spaces, projectors, web site etc. will be donated whenever possible. The purpose of LAVA™ is for non-profit. The group cannot solicit donations other than that required to facilitate the organizing of meetings, dinners or other group operating expenses.

Liability

1. The LAVA™ group or its representatives cannot be responsible for problems, damages or losses arising from implementing concepts discussed at the meetings or distributed to the members.
2. No warranty or suitability of topics discussions for any particular application is expressed or implied.

Charter Review and Revisions

1. When deemed appropriate by a majority of the Regional Hosts, this charter shall be reviewed and revised.

For more information you can email us at:
info {at} LAVAusergroup.org