Related Resources

The W3C Team appoints (or re-appoints) a Chair (or more than one co-Chair) for every Working Group and Interest Group ("Group"). The Chair's primary role is to facilitate consensus-building among Group members. The Chair works together with the W3C Staff Contact. Key roles of the Group Chair are listed below. Additional information on the role of the Group Chair is in the W3C Process Document.

Chair Buddy System

The Working Group effectiveness Task Force helped establish a Chair Buddy System by which experienced buddy-mentors help buddy-mentees.

Interested parties should subscribe to chairbuddies@w3.org (Member-only archive) and visit the dedicated Chair Buddy System page.

Role of the Group Chair

Creates Group charter and convenes Group

Coordinates with W3C Team and other W3C Working Groups as needed

Maintains Group Process & Organization

What to look for when choosing a chair

The following bullets based on suggestions from Joseph Reagle


The team contact should arrange for the Chair and the W3C Team to meet (by phone if necessary) to make sure they're on the same wavelength about things like:


Feedback is to @w3c/guidebook and is welcome on GitHub