§ Navigating W3C Process Tracks

Navigating W3C Process Tracks

Philippe Le Hégaret

Copyright © 2021 W3C ® (MIT, ERCIM, Keio, Beihang)

Navigating W3C Process Tracks

Philippe Le Hégaret, plh@w3.org, @plhw3org

TPAC 2021

Logistics

Code of Conduct
Identify a scribe to take minutes on IRC
The presentation part will get video recorded
Use IRC #process (preferred) or raise hand in Zoom for queuing

Goal

W3C will approve a new Process in November, which now includes 3 tracks: Recommendation, Registry, Note. This session will present them and help Groups to navigate them.

What's new for Groups?

Changes since the 15 September 2020 Process

3 tracks: Recommendation, Note, Registry
Requirements for recording of meetings, minutes, and resolutions.
Guidelines for tooling
Acknowledged existence of public channels for charter comments

3 tracks?!?

Working Drafts were sometimes on the Recommendation track,
… and sometimes not
Notes could not be endorsed by W3C
TAG documents were not really recognized by the W3C Process
Registry documents were… all over the place
Retiring a document involved some obscure database magic flag

3 tracks!

Recommendation Track (WGs): ALL documents are under the RF W3C Patent Policy licensing requirements.
Registry Track (WGs): Similar to the Rec track, but only for Registries
Note Track (WGs, IGs, TAG, AB): Definitively NOT intended to become a W3C Recommendation, but some may get endorsed by W3C anyway

W3C Recommendation Track

Same as before

Discontinued Draft status for REC track documents
Reminder: indicate in your Proposed Recommendation if your future Recommendation will be allowed to get revised with new features!
Tooling for Candidate and Proposed Amendments is still lagging #3809

REC or not?

Getting to REC:

Claim to have no more outstanding major issues
Endorsed and recognized as a formal standard by W3C
In REC forever (no more FPWD, CR, PR)

See also w3c/Guide#151

Issues in the last 12 months

Confusion around what got reviewed #21
Closing the loop on horizontal issues with -needs-resolution #24: check reviews
Not having the versioning talk, and not mentioning new features in your Proposed Recommendation #377
Requesting publication before running pubrules #361 or not publishing at all…
Longer delays in rechartering…

W3C Note Track

Statuses: Draft Notes, Group Notes, Statements
Statements are endorsed by W3C
Notes can become Statements after addressing all issues and an AC review
Statements should not specify implementable technology and can get revised
Example: W3C TAG Ethical Web Principles

W3C Registry Track

Registry reports and registry sections
Statuses: Draft Registry, Candidate Registry Snapshot/Draft, Registry, Obsolete/Superseded Registry
Registry is endorsed by W3C (AC review is on the Snapshot)
Definitions, tables, data/entries
MUST NOT contain any requirements on implementations
Example: WebCodecs Codec Registry

Meeting Requirements

If consent is withheld by anyone, recording/retention must not occur. Live transcript is is still ok if no retention.
Groups should take and retain minutes of their meetings
Groups must record any official group decisions

Guidelines for tooling

Public materials should be published and promoted at a W3C-controlled URL (with backups)
Public materials should be i18n and a11y friendly
Minutes and decisions MUST be archived W3C
Tools should be useable by all participants… and documented

Upcoming

Deploying Process 2021 on November 2
Candidate Recommendations publication refresh, then Working Drafts as Notes...
Group public materials

What's next for the W3C Process?

Revisions are discussed in the W3C Process CG
P2022 issues are some of the issues under considerations
Work in progress: Director-Free

Questions?

Don't forget w3.org/PM
If you didn't get Chairs training, request from plh
Use IRC #process (preferred) or raise hand in Zoom for queuing