Hi Phillipe,
thanks for the clarification, I understand that there are processes
involved, I feel that those processes while necessary are handled with
different degrees of sensitivity towards the members actually doing the
technical work within the W3C framework. This results in disatisfaction and
can impede or even drive technical work away from the W3C.
I think that people sometimes get the feeling, depending upon who they have
to deal with, that technical work at the W3C is run by the team with the
assistance of the membership and community; that control, decisions,
direction, is exercised from the center.
It needs to be the case, and seen to be the case, that the community and
membership run, with the support and assistance of the team.
--
Regards
SteveF
HTML 5.1 <http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/>
On 9 April 2015 at 20:35, Philippe Le Hegaret <plh@w3.org> wrote:
> On 04/08/2015 11:57 AM, Steve Faulkner wrote:
>
>> As to process around publication it is my (perhaps naive) understanding
>> that W3C staff serve the membership and as consensus is a pillar of the W3C
>> process I would expect that subverting consensus is anathema to policy.
>>
> Let me jump in the discussion here so the background is well understood.
>
> Some of the publications (basically everything except normal WD, LC, and
> non-substantive CR) are subject to the Director's approval:
> [[
> /* must / obtain Director approval.
> ]]
> http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/#transition-reqs
>
> The role of the Director, as "lead technical architect at W3C", is to
> assess "consensus <http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/#def-Consensus>
> within W3C for architectural choices, publication of technical reports <
> http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/#Reports>, and new Activities <
> http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/#Activities>."
> http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/#Team
>
> It should be noted that, in practice, the Director does delegate his
> authority to approve transitions. For First Public Working Drafts, the
> Domain Leads are representing the Director. For CR, PR, REC, and PER, Ralph
> Swick and myself are representing the Director (modulo potential conflict
> of interest, ie I don't get to approve transitions coming from my own
> Domain).
>
> In addition, the W3C Process references the publication requirements at
> http://www.w3.org/2005/07/pubrules
>
> It is the mission of the W3C Team to ensure that publication requirements
> are being followed, which have been mostly maintained by the W3C
> Communications Team over the years.
>
> So, Janina is correct to point out that, in order to change the W3C
> Process, you'd need to go and raise an issue with the W3C Advisory Board
> [1] if you do not believe that the Director must approve transitions. It is
> not however in the prerogative of a Working Group Chair or an entire
> Working Group to change that. You cannot change it for the PF Group without
> changing the rest of the Consortium either due to the nature of the W3C
> Process.
>
> Now, it may well be that you believe the W3C Team isn't efficient in terms
> of publishing and the Process is fine but ill-implemented by the W3C Team.
> Without more specific here, it'd be difficult for me to give more advise.
> We are in the process of changing our publications get done and I'd happy
> to get into more details in a separate thread as well.
>
> Philippe
>
> [1] https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-w3process/
>
>