Imagine a world where agreements are not fixed rules but living guides—open, adaptable, and shaped by those who use them. This is the promise of open social protocols: frameworks that help communities collaborate, make decisions, and evolve together.

rProtocols are designed to be dynamic, inclusive, and adaptable. They are not imposed from above but co-created and continuously refined by the community. Whether you’re building a new project, organizing a community initiative, or navigating everyday interactions, open social protocols provide a flexible foundation to help us thrive—together.

At the heart of this approach is the idea that protocols should serve Life—helping us align our actions with our deepest needs and values. By replacing rigid structures with adaptable practices, rProtocols empower us to collaborate more freely, creatively, and responsibly.

Open by Design

rProtocols as a Living Commons

rProtocols is more than a platform—it’s a living, evolving commons designed to support collaboration, governance, and shared purpose across communities. Built on the principles of open source, open knowledge, and open technical standards, rProtocols empowers individuals and groups to co-create, adapt, and share protocols that meet their unique needs.

Open Source Infrastructure

At its core, rProtocols is developed as open-source software, ensuring transparency, adaptability, and community-driven development. This approach allows anyone to inspect, modify, and enhance the platform, fostering a collaborative environment where innovation thrives.

Open Knowledge Repository

All protocols within the rProtocols ecosystem are shared under open licenses, promoting a culture of knowledge sharing and collective growth. Users can access, contribute to, and evolve these protocols, ensuring they remain relevant and responsive to changing contexts.

Open Technical Standards

rProtocols operates on open technical protocols, facilitating interoperability and integration with other systems. This openness ensures that protocols are not siloed but can interact seamlessly across different platforms and communities.

Empowering Community Participation

The platform invites participation from all—whether you’re looking to adopt existing protocols, adapt them to your context, or contribute new ones. By enabling versioning and collaborative editing, rProtocols supports a dynamic and inclusive approach to protocol development.

“Coming together is a beginning,
staying together is progress, and
working together is success.”

–Edward Everett Hale

An Open Social Protocol

The Foundation of Collaborative Action

At its core, a protocol is a public “how-to” guide designed to address a specific need. It’s more than just a rule or a static document; it’s a living, adaptable guide created to help individuals and communities navigate their shared challenges and opportunities.

Protocols are rooted in real needs—whether it’s how to co-manage a community project, resolve a conflict, or make collective decisions. Each protocol begins with a need statement, clearly defining the problem or opportunity. From there, it outlines practical steps and considerations, offering a structured yet flexible approach.

Creating and Evolving Protocols

Anyone can draft a new protocol or contribute to an existing one. Drafting begins by clearly defining the need the protocol addresses. From there, contributors outline practical actions, guiding principles, and potential outcomes. Once a draft is created, it’s shared publicly for feedback and improvement.

As a living document, each protocol can be versioned as it evolves. New versions can address feedback, adapt to changing contexts, or integrate innovative practices. Version control ensures that communities can track changes, compare iterations, and revert if needed.

Following and Adopting Protocols

Protocols are designed to be followed and adopted by individuals, teams, or entire communities.

Following a protocol means staying updated on its changes and revisions, while
Adopting a protocol signals formal commitment to using it within a specific context.

These actions build a network of participants who share insights, feedback, and adaptations, helping the protocol mature and remain relevant.

Referencing and Integrating Protocols

Protocols can also be referenced in a suite—a collection of interconnected protocols designed to address related needs or workflows. These suites allow communities to build comprehensive guides for complex challenges while maintaining modularity and adaptability. By linking related protocols, users can create customized pathways that guide them through interconnected processes.

An Open, Evolving Knowledge System

Since rProtocols are open by design, they encourage diverse contributions and perspectives. Whether you’re creating a new protocol, suggesting improvements, or simply following an existing one, your input is part of a collective effort to build more resilient, responsive ways of working and living.

By enabling anyone to draft, version, follow, adopt, and integrate protocols, we create a dynamic ecosystem of living agreements that evolve as our needs change. Join us in shaping a collaborative future—where protocols serve as guiding lights rather than rigid commands.

Rules Impose
While Protocols Guide.

What if we could shape our collaborations through living protocols?

rProtocols

Collaboration by Design

Collaboratives are living communities made up of people who recognize their needs and choose to work with freedom, responsibility, and mutual support.

–Helen Keller

Open by Design

rProtocols as a Living Commons

Open Source Infrastructure

Open Knowledge Repository

Open Technical Standards

Empowering Community Participation

–Edward Everett Hale

An Open Social Protocol

The Foundation of Collaborative Action

Creating and Evolving Protocols

Following and Adopting Protocols

Referencing and Integrating Protocols

An Open, Evolving Knowledge System

Rules ImposeWhile Protocols Guide.

What if we could shape our collaborations through living protocols?

rProtocols

Collaboration by Design

Collaboratives are living communities made up of people who recognize their needs and choose to work with freedom, responsibility, and mutual support.

–Helen Keller

Open by Design

rProtocols as a Living Commons

Open Source Infrastructure

Open Knowledge Repository

Open Technical Standards

Empowering Community Participation

–Edward Everett Hale

An Open Social Protocol

The Foundation of Collaborative Action

Creating and Evolving Protocols

Following and Adopting Protocols

Referencing and Integrating Protocols

An Open, Evolving Knowledge System

Join the Journey

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Rules Impose
While Protocols Guide.