Code of Conduct resources

Frame Shift Consulting offers the following code of conduct resources:

We recommend PB Work Solutions for in-depth training and outsourcing response and investigation of code of conduct reports.

Code of Conduct book

Book cover with background image of seagulls on a beach

We literally wrote the book on codes of conduct! “How to Respond to Code of Conduct Reports,” written by Valerie Aurora and Mary Gardiner and edited by Annalee Flower Horne, includes:

  • What to include in a code of conduct (and what to leave out)
  • How to prepare to enforce a code of conduct
  • Step-by-step instructions on how to respond to a report
  • In-depth discussion of relevant topics
  • Dozens of real-world examples of responding to reports

Download the free ebook: (epub) (mobi) (PDF) (DOCX)

I highly recommend Val Aurora’s new book on code of conduct enforcement. Until reading it I had no idea how unprepared I’d been to deal with a code of conduct violation at the Tech Intersections conference. It was also interesting to read. —Ellen Spertus, professor of computer science professor at Mills College

As part of co-chairing an international conference which did not have a code of conduct in its earlier editions, I have to write a principled and precise code of conduct as well as respond to reports. This book was an invaluable help, as I had no previous training in this area. This book is an important contribution to making academia a safer and more welcoming place. I recommended it to many of my colleagues. —Vincent Lostanlen, postdoctoral fellow at Cornell Lab of Ornithology

First responder training video

This 21 minute video teaches people how to be the first person to respond to code of conduct violations at a conference or in your community. It covers:

  • How to prepare to take reports
  • What to do when someone comes to you with a report
  • How to intervene in an on-going situation if necessary
  • Consent to report, drinking, powerful people, legal concerns, etc.

Slides (PDF) (transcript)
Report-taking checklist (PDF)

Self-led training

A code of conduct committee can work together to train new committee members using the free ebook and these slides:

Slides (PDF) (Google Docs)

Testimonials

Valerie helped us write and adopt a code of conduct that could be a model for our industry as well as a guide for our firm. She is deeply experienced and gave nuanced, direct advice and we look forward to using her book to train our staff. —Samantha Wong, partner at Blackbird Ventures

Val was a trusted adviser to us as we planned and practiced responses to Code of Conduct incidents that might arise at conferences or in our open source communities. Her advice was practical and paired with a diverse set of potential scenarios to build confidence, and with it we felt prepared to act in a responsible and orderly way. —Brandon Philips, co-founder and CTO of CoreOS

Valerie advised us when creating the code of conduct in Wikimedia’s technical spaces. Her input was invaluable in navigating the challenge of creating a code of conduct that was co-created by our community. Her advice was practical, flexible, and informative, and empowered us to produce a code that represents our communities’ values, has a framework for updates and improvements, and continues to improve the experience of our technical contributors all over the world. —Moriel Schottlender, Senior Software Engineer, Wikimedia Foundation