MAJOR ISSUE: WG formation process

Melinda Shore mshore at cisco.com
Fri Jun 27 21:18:29 CEST 2003


> Just getting the process clear and transparent
> is something we have never done, and which "problem"
> should do. 

Just to be clear, what we're trying to clarify in this
instantiation of the working group is what the problems
are.  That means that we aren't going to be taking on
process improvement or, for that matter, process
documentation.

That said, as a WG chair and as an IETF participant I
thought your description of the steps taken in working group
formation were a terrific help.  I've never seen them
described clearly before.  Working group formation is
often a highly contentious, fraught process and I think it
would be valuable if something like this could be taken and
firmed up by the appropriate parties (IESG?), and then
posted on the IETF website on the IESG page or the
"Additional Information" page, etc.

In terms of process transparency, where I've really gotten
hammered by WG-to-be participants wanting to know what's
going on and why there hasn't been more progress is the
period during which the charter is being iterated back and
forth between the AD and the proposer, and then after the
charter disappears into the bowels of the IESG, sometimes
reappearing in a surprisingly different form.

Melinda


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