MAJOR ISSUE: WG formation process

[Keith Moore]

> As I think I've said already, I think that WG creation is the most
> important single action we take in the IETF, and that getting the
> objectives right is very, very important. So it's not obviously a
> *problem* if it takes months to create a WG. 

I agree with you that WG creation is important (though I might argue
that final document approval is more important).  But I do think that
it probably is a problem if it takes months to create a WG.  I think
it's similar to the problem we have that few documents get promoted
beyond Proposed Standard.  In both cases one problem is that our 
processes are a poor impedance match for the energies that people 
have to put into them.  And IESG tries hard to get WG charters right for
much the same reason as it tries to get Proposed Standards right -
because once they're approved, it's hard to fix things that are broken.
And charters take a long time to get approved  partially because a lot
is at stake, and partially because IESG is busy and (rightfully) gives
priority to finishing up existing work over starting new work.

But people are often eager to get started on a new group; it's really
unfortunate if we cannot take advantage of that energy.