Fwd: Restarting the W3C Process Task Force -- The Procedures the AB is Using in Revising the W3C Process Document

Sorry.  Meant to also send this to the process CG.

Jeff

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Restarting the W3C Process Task Force -- The Procedures the AB 
is Using in Revising the W3C Process Document
Date: 	Thu, 31 Jul 2014 13:52:56 -0400
From: 	Jeff Jaffe <jeff@w3.org>
To: 	w3c-ac-forum@w3.org <w3c-ac-forum@w3.org>, W3C Team <w3t@w3.org>, 
Chairs@w3.org <Chairs@w3.org>
CC: 	ab@w3.org <ab@w3.org>, Charles McCathie Nevile 
<chaals@yandex-team.ru>, Stephen Zilles <szilles@adobe.com>



*The Goal *(of the W3C Process Document Revision)

Continue the updating of the W3C Process Document. This includes making 
it as simple and straightforward as possible (consistent with IPR and 
legal considerations, specification quality, fairness, and transparency) 
and responding to the issues raised with respect to the process, 
including those not related to chapter 7, and those not addressed in the 
"process 2014" revision.

*The Mechanism*

The AB is responsible for evolving the W3C Process [1]. Recognizing the 
wide set of people that are interested in the process and the success of 
the Chapter 7 Task Force[2], the AB had delegated the work of preparing 
the process revisions to a Process Document Task Force (TF). This TF 
will do all of its work in the open with public access, as it has done 
recently,  using the mailing lists and trackers of the W3Process CG. The 
work authorized by the AB will proceed in two steps in parallel: 
ProcessDoc2015 and ProcessDoc2016. The AB has delegated the 
responsibility for prioritizing the issues the TF considers for 
ProcessDoc2016 to the TF. The TF will be chaired by Steve Zilles and the 
Process Document Editor will be Charles McCathie Nevile. Consistent with 
its responsibility[1], the AB will decide on forwarding the TF results 
to the AC for comment and review.

[1] http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/processdoc.html#GAProcess

[2] 
https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Member/w3c-ac-members/2014AprJun/0027.html

Many of the changes envisioned in the Agile Process effort [3] have been 
implemented in the revision of Chapter 7, but there are a few changes 
that needed to be made outside chapter 7. In addition, new issues were 
raised during the development of the revised Chapter 7. This 
re-launching of the Process Document TF is being done to process these 
remaining issues and any others that arise.

[3] https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Member/chairs/2013OctDec/0075.html

The AB is re-launching the TF with two tasks: ProcessDoc2015, a short 
term structural update and the prioritization and processing of the 
outstanding issues. The short term structural update has three 
sub-tasks: (1) the removal of "Activities" a step already approved by 
the AB; (2) splitting the current Process document into three separate 
documents: an "administrative" document containing 
introduction/references/table of contents, a document relevant to 
Members, and a document with information relevant to participants in 
general that includes the Recommendation process but also things like 
group decisions, and who can participate under what conditions; and (3) 
fixing editorial issues that arose with the 2014 Process document and 
any other issues on which consensus is reached in time to allow at least 
two rounds of AC review.

The focus of the second task, ProcessDoc2016, is to prioritize the Open 
Process Issues [4] and begin the resolution of these issues. This 
prioritization effort will be done openly and controlled by the TF 
operating within the W3Process CG as noted above.  It is expected that 
the prioritized Issues not resolved on the ProcessDoc2015 schedule will 
be resolved in ProcessDoc2016 or a subsequent Process document update.

[4] http://www.w3.org/community/w3process/track/

The AB asked that  the TF have a draft of ProcessDoc2015 that can be 
sent to the AC, Team and Chairs for comments by mid-September and can be 
discussed at the TPAC meeting in October. ProcessDoc2016 is expected to 
proceed in parallel, but to take longer due to the number of issues to 
consider.

The discussion of the Process is open to everyone, but, particularly, 
  AC Representatives and Working Group Chairs are invited to participate 
in the CG discussions on the process topics that concern them.

The TF will publish [5] Editors Drafts and Working Drafts of revisions 
to the process document.

[5] https://dvcs.w3.org/hg/AB/raw-file/default/cover.html

*FAQs*

*How can AC Representatives and Working Group Chairs participate?*

They can best participate by following what is happening in the CG, both 
on the CG's e-mail list (public-w3process@w3.org) and on its Issue 
Tracker[4 above]. This can be done most easily by joining the CG, but it 
can also be done by monitoring mail archive and tracker without having 
to join the CG.

*Will the Process Document Task Force have regular meetings?*

Yes, we have found that issue resolution proceeds more rapidly with 
regular telephone meetings. A poll will be circulated on the W3Process 
mailing lists to determine a time.

*Are CG members empowered to raise issues?*

Yes, they can raise issues on the CG Issue Tracker[4 above]. These will 
be considered, prioritize and responded to by TF members.

*Can CG members edit the Process Document drafts?*

No, only the Process Document Editor is empowered to edit the editor's 
drafts and only the Advisory Board is empowered to publish new Working 
Drafts. Suggested edits can be sent to the CG Tracker and will be 
handled per the previous question.

*Can the CG comment on and decide issues for itself?*

Yes, such decisions are, per the scope of the CG, suggestions to the AB 
for how the Process Document should evolve. It is a bit awkward for the 
AB and the CG to share an Issue Tracker because they are independent 
Groups, but because the topic is of interest to both groups, sharing the 
Issue list seems to be likely to be more productive than having two 
separate lists. Therefore, comments on what the TF is doing (or not 
doing) with the Process Document are certainly welcome and a main reason 
for sharing the discussion space between the AB TF and the CG. It is 
possible that the TF and the CG could come to different conclusions on 
an issue, but would seem to be unlikely given the method (outlined 
above) that the TF will use for its work. In the case of disagreements, 
this will be documented in the wiki page [6].

[6] https://www.w3.org/community/w3process/wiki/ABIssue

*Is the AB taking over the CG?*

No, The CG has its role of "examining the way W3C works and propose 
improvements to the formal processes." As noted above, it can continue 
to do this independently of what is happening in the AB. Hopefully there 
will be more cooperation between the two communities than independence, 
but the two Groups are structurally independent.

*What is the schedule?*

The goal of the W3C Process TF is to have a complete version of the W3C 
Process Document that implements the ProcessDoc2015 sub-tasks by the 
September time frame. That will be the current focus. Other issues may 
or may not get addressed during this focus period. This document will be 
reviewed by the AB and when appropriate will be forwarded as a Working 
Draft for review by the AC, Team and the Chairs. Depending on the nature 
of comments received, the document will be updated and forwarded for AC 
Review as a Proposed Recommendation. It is expected that this latter 
step will occur no later than the May 2015 AC Meeting. In parallel with 
the completion of ProcessDoc2015, work on ProcessDoc2016 will begin in 
earnest once the initial draft of ProcessDoc2015 is sent for Review as a 
Working Draft.

Jeff Jaffe, Chair, W3C Advisory Board

Steve Zilles, Chair, W3C Process Document Task Force

Chaals McCathie Nevile, Editor, W3C Process Document