Professional communication / Keeping emotions in check

AGWG’ers,
Thanks to all for their ongoing work on WCAG 2.1. It is difficult and important work, and often tests our intellects, energy, and patience.

I firmly believe that everyone is participating in the group because he or she believes that our work can improve accessibility to web content. Naturally, not everyone has the same expectations about how dramatically WCAG 2.1 can impact end-users, whether we will be able to add nine new success criteria or 40.

We need to be able to have reasonable and appropriate conversation in email and on the teleconferences. People should expect to be able to be heard, and if anyone feels that they are not they should let Josh/Michael/me know. Similarly, people need to let others state their piece.

On the call today we had a level of interruption and raised voices that did not meet the behavioral expectations for group participation. We will reach out to the group members involved to discuss this, but want to remind all members of the importance of holding ourselves to a high standard of professional communication.

Thanks,
AWK

Andrew Kirkpatrick
Group Product Manager, Accessibility
Adobe

akirkpat@adobe.com
http://twitter.com/awkawk