[RFC] Introduce backend maintainer roles

rfcs/20250509-backend-maintainers/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# Backend Maintainer Roles
+
+### Revision
+
+
+|Date       |Revision | Comments                                                                 |
+|-----------|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+|  20250509 |  1.0    | Initial version                                                          |
+|  20250522 |  1.1    | Include CODEOWNERS file in project changes                               |
+
+## Motivation
+
+Currently the maintainer role is associated either with a particular domain,
+like BLAS or DFT, or the overall Architecture maintainer role.
+However, as more and more backends are supported in oneMath, it makes sense
+to add additional maintainer roles targeting particular backends.
+Various improvements and fixes to the oneMath implementation are specific
+to a particular backend, which requires expertise for that architecture,
+which is different than the domain expertise required for a particular domain.
+Supporting the maintainer role for different backends will allow for broader
+ecosystem support by those who are most familiar with specific backends.
+As an example, the pull request enabling CI testing for ArmPL backend
+[#668](https://github.com/uxlfoundation/oneMath/pull/668) was reviewed
+by the person who contributed ArmPL backend support for BLAS, LAPACK, and RNG
+domains. If the backend maintainer role existed, then this review could also
+have been a formal approval of the pull request.
+
+**We aim to make a decision on the backend maintainer role by May 31, 2025.**
+
+## Outline
+
+1. [Introduction](#introduction)
+2. [Proposal](#proposal)
+3. [Changes in the Project](#changes-in-the-project)
+4. [Open questions](#open-questions)
+
+## Introduction
+
+The maintainer role is currently associated either with a particular domain
+or the overall Architecture maintainer role. As more backends are supported
+in oneMath, it makes sense to add additional maintainer roles targeting
+particular backends.
+
+## Proposal
+
+We propose to introduce the following backend-specific roles:
+* @uxlfoundation/onemath-cpu-aarch64
+* @uxlfoundation/onemath-cpu-x64
+* @uxlfoundation/onemath-gpu-amd
+* @uxlfoundation/onemath-gpu-intel
+* @uxlfoundation/onemath-gpu-nvidia
+
+As additional backends are enabled, additional roles can be added.
+We will use the same process as currently done for Domain Maintainers
+for the new Backend Maintainers.
+
+### Other Considered Approaches
+
+If we do not introduce these backend-specific roles, then contributors who
+want to take on a maintainer role will need to become proficient in at least
+one specific domain of the project.
+
+## Changes in the Project
+
+The changes will be in the Github roles and CODEOWNERS as well as changes in
+the MAINTAINERS.md and CONTRIBUTING.md files to describe these new roles.
+
+## Open questions
+
+* Should backend maintainer roles be created for backends not currently
+  supported in oneMath?
+  * We propose to initially create backend maintainer roles only for backends
+    currently supported in oneMath.