Subject: FW: Process and tools work - forming the PROTO team

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 16:33:48 -0500

Another message on a related topic...

Margaret

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]]On Behalf Of ext The IESG
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 10:09 AM
Subject: Process and tools work - forming the PROTO team

 Hi All,

 The IESG has been considering steps we can take to improve
 the effectiveness of our internal document handling procedures. We
 recognize that:

     - There are problems with the scalability, openness and overall
         effectiveness of our current internal processes.
     - We want to improve them, in a careful and responsible way.
     - We can do a lot of good by making improvements in this area.

 To assist us in this effort, we are forming a Process & Tools Team
 (PROTO team). The PROTO team will review internal IESG procedures and
 make recommendations to the IESG regarding ways to increase their
 scalability and efficiency.

 Background
 ==========

 Within the IETF, organizational roles and document production
 processes are defined at two levels. BCPs (e.g., RFC 2418 and RFC
 2026) contain a high-level definition of the IETF roles and document
 process, but with many of the lower-level implementation details left
 to the discretion of the IESG and Secretariat. Over the years, the
 IESG has developed detailed internal procedures for document handling,
 WG formation and rechartering, BOF handling, etc. In some cases,
 those procedures are assisted by tools, such as the I-D tracker. In
 other cases, processes were developed and have evolved in response to
 day-to-day operational experience. In some cases, these processes are
 not formally documented.

 The split between high-level formal process and lower-level details
 has served the community well, allowing the community to guide the
 structure of the IETF at a high level, without requiring the IESG to
 go through a consensus process regarding every detail of its internal
 procedures and tools. It also allows the IESG to adjust its internal
 processes relatively easily as situations warrant.

 The IESG recognizes that there are some areas in which we can improve
 our internal procedures, without requiring changes to existing BCPs.
 For example, we could make changes to our document handling procedures
 and tools to allow WG chairs to shepherd documents through the later
 document stages. To give this some concreteness, this might entail
 adding new document states to the I-D tracker, just to give one
 example.

 The PROTO Team
 ==============

 One identified task for the PROTO Team is to consider and recommend
 updates to our internal procedures and tools that will increase the
 visibility and control that WGs have with regards to the shepherding
 of their documents through the later stages of document handling. For
 example, ADs currently shepherd documents once the WG hands them to
 the IESG. There is no inherent reason why WG chairs could not be more
 involved in getting closure on issues raised during the later stages
 of document processing (e.g., IETF Last Call, IESG comments,
 etc.). Indeed, we believe that having WG chairs be more involved in
 the later stages of document approval would have benefits and could
 increase the speed at which documents become approved.

 The PROTO Team will publish progress reports for community review and
 feedback as appropriate. Proposed changes will be experimentally
 tested with target user groups before being deployed IETF-wide. The
 procedures involve the work of the entire community, but as they are
 ultimately for the support of document approval, the approval of the
 PROTO Team changes will be by the IESG.

 The PROTO Team will include at least two IESG members, the IETF
 Executive Director and several other members of the community who will
 be chosen to represent a wide range of skills, backgrounds and
 perspectives. The team itself will operate under the guidance and
 authority of the IESG.

 If you are interested in volunteering for this team, please contact:
 Allison Mankin <[email-masked]> or Margaret Wasserman
 <[email-masked]> by Wednesday, December 17th. Allison
 and Margaret will lead the PROTO Team.

 Comments/suggestions on this proposal can be sent to [email-masked].