Jari
I wonder whether the change you propose is radical enough to
serve the IETF's needs as we move through greater industry
austerity, structural changes in the industry and as the pace
of change speeds up.
For some time it has been difficult to get companies to
release some of their best engineers to AD duty. This
difficulty is compounded by the need to find engineers
who are also skilled managers, talented communicators,
and have a technical span that covers not only their
own area but who have sufficient knowledge of the
other areas to understand the implications of wider
issues on the work they are responsible for.
I wonder whether it is time to consider more of a team
approach to area management with perhaps one AD
per area supported by a number of assistants, who
may deputize for them where needed. Clearly the devil
lies in the detail, but such an approach would allow us
the flexibility in the size of each area's management
team that you seek here.
Note, I am not proposing to increase the number of
possible discuss holders, or the number of people
that need to reach consensus on IESG decisions,
because ADs would retain those powers as they do today,
but an assistant could deputize in the day to day
running of a WG, or preparing and speaking to
a telechat position.
Clearly any such proposal would need careful thought
but I do think that it is time address some of the deeper
issues rather than patching things up on a case by case
basis.
- Stewart