FW: Re-Distribution of W3C Activities with Domains

FYI.

I know no more than you see here, but I doubt the
change will affect us materially very much.

paul

-----Original Message-----
From: chairs-request@w3.org [mailto:chairs-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Steve Bratt
Sent: Thursday, 2008 June 19 14:33
To: W3C Members; Technical Architecture Group; Ab@W3.Org; chairs@w3.org
Subject: Re-Distribution of W3C Activities with Domains


Dear AC Representatives,
Chairs, AB and TAG,

Effective 15 July 2008, we will implement some largely administrative changes to the organization of our work with Domains.  We will be reducing the number of Domains from 5 to 4, and re-distributing several Activities -- all in an effort to provide a net benefit to W3C's overall effectiveness.  As we have done in the past, we are adjusting our structure and staffing to focus resources on areas that we believe present the most significant challenges in the foreseeable future.  The main objective of the changes below are to decrease overall management overhead, increase technical muscle, and focus more management and technical leadership within the Interaction Domain.  There are secondary benefits, and potentially a few less-optimal consequences too.  Some notes on these are given below.


Within the new organization:

* The Architecture Domain will be retired, for now.  Significant work has been and is being done within the Domain, and the team has worked well together to address challenges in the past.  Continuing work from this Domain is being moved to 3 other Domains.


* The Interaction Domain will take on the soon-to-be-proposed Video Activity and the I18N Activity.  Both fit nicely with the other Activities there. We will continue to ensure a strong coordination between the I18N and XML activities. We also believe that this change will allow us to dedicate more technical and management attention to HTML, which is of vital importance to the Web and to the reputation of W3C.

Chris Lilley would like to increase his focus on technical leadership, and will assume the new role a Technical Director for the Interaction Domain (Ralph Swick has that title for T&S, when Danny Weitzner was Domain Leader).  Philippe Le Hégaret will be the Domain Leader.  Chris has done a great job improving the operation of the Domain and has addressed a number of problem spots during his tenure.  We owe him our thanks for his service.  Philippe and Chris will work on a plan to focus their coordinated efforts, and those of their Team, to address the challenges within the expanded Domain.


* The Technology and Society Domain will take responsibility for the Web Services Activity.  While once a serious "hot spot" for the W3C, our Team has accomplished a great deal in terms of both technical output, as well as satisfying requirements and concerns that were very important to many of our Members. Ralph Swick continues as Leader of the enlarged Domain.


* The Ubiquitous Web Domain will take responsibility for the XML Activity.  The aim of this move is to main some balance balance -- to keep the numbers of staff and responsibilities of our manager staff roughly balanced between the Domains.  We'll try XML here for now, and pay close attention (through W3M, CGs, etc.) to ensuring that XML is coordinated carefully with the work in the other Domains. Philipp Hoschka continues as Leader of the Domain.  I note that in his past role as Architecture Domain Leader, XML was under Philipp's wing.  So he understands the issues, and will work to ensure coordinated efforts across Domains.


* No changes are planned for the Web Accessibility Initiative Domain, under the leadership of Judy Brewer.


These changes aim to address a number of challenges.  If they do not, we will re-examine and re-adjust.  Let's give everyone involved in these changes the fullest support of our community.  Best wishes for success.

Regards,

Steve
-- 
Steven R Bratt, Ph.D.  mailto:steve@w3.org
Chief Executive Officer
World Wide Web Consortium   http://www.w3.org/
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
32 Vassar Street, Rm G522, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA / tel: +1.617.253.7697

Received on Thursday, 19 June 2008 19:51:21 UTC