Henning,
Henning Schulzrinne wrote:
I suspect each regular IETF participant knows WGs that are well-led and
others that could stand improvement. WG chairs are crucial in ensuring
progress, but there doesn't seem to be any real, transparent evaluation
of their efforts. Some possibilities:
(1) It is hard to "fire" WG chairs - they are often friends and
colleagues. Unfortunately, many stay on when their job responsibilities
have changed and they can no longer dedicate the necessary time.
Solution: Institute WG chair term limits of (say) one or two years.
That way, there is an expectation of change and the possibility for
more people to prove themselves. With two chairs, staggering terms
ensures continuity.
I hope you don't mean a term limit. Making chair appointments annually
renewable might work - but limiting the pool of talent by imposing
term limits would be self-inflicted damage, IMHO.
(2) Some chairs are primarily active during the 3-week period prior to
the IETF meeting and moderate the meeting. They should consider
themselves project/product managers, not primarily as meeting
moderators. WG chair training needs to involve basic project
management training or WG selection should favor individuals that have
demonstrated their ability to deliver projects and products and to
manage people in doing so. If necessary, those with mostly technical
interests can serve on directorates.
Yes. But don't forget we need on the order of 200 WG (co)chairs at any
time and we cannot afford to deplete the pool.
(3) All WGs should have a WG secretary as a "junior chair", keeping
track of deadlines, LC comments and the like. WG secretaries need to be
listed on the WG web page. The expectation is that a good WG secretary
will be promoted to chair, thus providing an incentive. Some WGs do
this today, but it seems rare. (I don't think any are listed on WG pages.)
Very often this is done by one of the co-chairs; it's a WG choice whether
they do it that way or appoint a secretary.
Brian
_______________________________________________
Ietf mailing list
Ietf(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf