[gnso-improvem-impl-sc] Working Group Self-Assessments: Review Package

["Ken Bour" <ken.bour@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

SCI Team Members:

 

As an outcome of today’s SCI conference call, this memo transmits two of three 
major elements needed to package the WG Self-Assessment project for review by 
the GNSO Council: 

1)      Sample Report produced from a test of the WG Self-Assessment process 
utilizing the Thick Whois WG (attached); 

2)      GNSO Operating Procedures changes needed to implement the SCI’s 
recommendation (see below & attached PDF Questionnaire); and

3)      At the point that the GNSO Council is ready to approve the SCI’s 
recommendation, a motion would need to be prepared (TBD). 

 

Back in July 2013, I took the liberty of recommending specific modifications to 
the WG Guidelines 
<http://gnso.icann.org/council/annex-1-gnso-wg-guidelines-08apr11-en.pdf>  
document (and its Summary 
<http://gnso.icann.org/council/summary-gnso-wg-guidelines-06apr11-en.pdf>  
version) consistent with having a formal Self-Assessment questionnaire 
available for Chartering Organizations (CO) to utilize. 

 

For brevity’s sake, I only included the sections of those documents which, in 
my judgment, would need to be modified. My suggested changes are presented 
below in maroon text. 

 

Logistically, what I am proposing is that, when a WG Charter is written, the CO 
could merely specify that it wants participants to complete a formal 
Self-Assessment. During the WG’s actual closure process, the Chair (via Staff 
reminder) would provide the exact questionnaire link (QuestionPro) to WG 
members along with the timeframe (open and close dates). A Staff Administrator 
would have the names of WG members and could monitor QuestionPro to see who has 
and has not completed the questionnaire. Reminders could then be sent out 
periodically to those who had not yet registered their feedback. At the 
conclusion of the survey period, the Staff Administrator would compile the 
results and produce a report for the CO (sample attached) and, upon approval, 
publish it on the Wiki and/or other locations as deemed appropriate. 

 

I welcome your feedback. 

 

Ken Bour

 

Working Group Guidelines (ANNEX 1 
<http://gnso.icann.org/council/annex-1-gnso-wg-guidelines-08apr11-en.pdf>  - 
GNSO Operating Procedures) 

 

2.1.4.3: Items for Review 

At the first meeting of the WG or as soon thereafter as practicable, the 
following documents should be reviewed in order to ensure all members have a 
common understanding of the WG’s mission, goals, objectives, deliverables, 
decision-making process and timeframes: Charter, Working Group Guidelines and 
any other documents relevant for the WGs discussion (e.g., Policy Development 
Process Guidebook, Issues Paper). These documents are normally transmitted to 
the WG prior to the first meeting. It is required that WGs develop a work plan 
that outlines the necessary steps and expected timing in order to achieve the 
milestones set out in the WG Charter. If a WG does not develop a work plan, it 
will need to provide a justification to the Chartering Organization. 

 

If the Chartering Organization has specified that it would like the WG to 
complete a formal Self-Assessment, it may be helpful to participants to review 
the questionnaire (see Section 7.0) in advance so that, as plans unfold and 
deliberations proceed, members have an understanding of the information that 
will be asked at the conclusion of the team’s work. 

 

The WG Chair may use the following checklist for assistance: (see Addendum) for 
further details.

 

Addendum: Chair Checklist [Note: given its small size, I suggest eliminating 
the separate Addendum and inserting the table here in Section 2.1.4.3]


Checklist

Yes/No


Have all WG members submitted Statements of Interest? 

 


Introduction of WG members 

 


Inform members that WG will operate under the principles of transparency and 
openness (i.e., mailing lists are publicly archived, meetings are recorded / 
transcribed) 

 


Review of WG’s mission, goals, objectives, deliverables, decision-making 
process, timeframes and any other documents relevant for the WG‟s discussion 

 


Review WG Self-Assessment Questionnaire (see Section 7.0)

 


Development of a work plan 

 


Schedule for future meetings of the WG 

 

 

Section 5.0: Products and Outputs

The products and outputs of a Working Group may be prescribed by the Charter 
such as a report, recommendations, guidelines, self-assessment or defined by 
the process under which the WG operates (e.g., Policy Development Process). In 
addition, the Working Group might decide that additional products or outputs 
are required in order to carry out its Charter in an efficient and productive 
manner such as a statement of work or a project plan. Working Groups should be 
encouraged to review products and outputs from other WGs and/or consult with 
ICANN Staff to decide what additional products or outputs would be advisable to 
develop. Links to some examples of products and outputs produced by other GNSO 
Working Groups can be found hereunder:

·         [Skipping other bullets for brevity]

·         WG Self-Assessment (see Section 7.0)

 


6.2.4.4: Closure and Working Group Self-Assessment 

This section of the Charter should describe any instructions for WG final 
closure including any feedback and/or self-assessment that is requested by the 
Chartering Organization. This section might also indicate if there is any 
specific format, template, or prescribed manner in which the feedback is to be 
provided; for example, a recommended questionnaire (illustrative) is included 
in Section 7.0 and can be made available online for WG members to complete at 
the appropriate time. 

 

[NEW] Section 7.0: Working Group Self-Assessment

 

A WG Self-Assessment instrument has been developed as a means for Chartering 
Organizations to formally request feedback from a WG as part of its closure 
process. WG members are asked a series of questions about the team’s inputs, 
processes (e.g., norms, decision-making, logistics), and outputs as well as 
other relevant dimensions and participant experiences. Screenshots of the 
questionnaire have been assembled into a PDF (see link below) so that WG 
participants can review, in advance, how it is designed and what specific 
information will be solicited. 

 

During the WG’s closure process, coordinating with the Chair, Staff will 
provide a unique link (URL) to the online questionnaire along with open and 
close dates and any specific instructions. Staff will then perform the 
following actions: 

·         Monitor the online process providing status updates to the WG Chair;

·         Provide technical assistance to WG members if requested;

·         Notify the Chair when all team members have completed the 
questionnaire; and, following the close date,

·         Summarize the feedback in a written report to the Chartering 
Organization. 

 

Link to WG Self-Assessment Questionnaire (illustrative PDF attached): [Note: 
the PDF link (TBD) could be maintained on the GNSO website 
<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/procedures>  together with ANNEX 1]. 

 

Working Group Guidelines Summary

 

2. First meeting of the Working Group 

The first meeting of the Working Group should address the following issues: 

·         Introductions - members of the Working Group should be provided with 
the opportunity, at the start of the first meeting, to share information 
regarding interests, background, skills, experience, especially as related to 
any requirements in the Charter. 

·         Members of the Working Group should be informed that all Working 
Groups are normally expected to operate under the principles of transparency 
and openness, which means, inter alia, that mailing lists are publicly 
archived, meetings are normally recorded and/or transcribed, and Statements of 
Interest (SOIs) are required from Working Group participants which will be 
publicly posted. 

·         Election of the WG Leaders – Normally a Chair will be selected at the 
first meeting of the WG. A working Group may elect to have co-chairs, 
vice-chairs. Once selected, a working Group Chair will need to be confirmed by 
the Chartering Organization (CO). 

·         Items for review - At the first meeting of the WG or as soon 
thereafter as practicable, the following documents should be reviewed in order 
to ensure all members have a common understanding of the WG’s mission, goals, 
objectives, deliverables, decision-making process and timeframes: Charter, 
Working Group Guidelines and any other documents relevant for the WGs 
discussion (e.g., Policy Development Process Guidebook, Issues Paper). It is 
required that WGs develop a work plan that outlines the necessary steps and 
expected timing in order to achieve the milestones set out in the WG Charter. 
If the Chartering Organization has specified that it would like the WG to 
complete a formal Self-Assessment, it may be helpful to participants to review 
the questionnaire (see Section 7.0) in advance so that, as plans unfold and 
deliberations proceed, members have an understanding of the information that 
will be asked at the conclusion of the team’s work.

Attachment: Thick Whois Self-Assessment Report-Complete (Sep 2013).pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document

Attachment: WG Self-Assessment Questionnaire (FINAL).pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document