AB/2014-2015 Priorities/w3c synchro consistency plan/Project follow up

From W3C Wiki

What synchronization and consistency mean ?

Synchronization and consistency in this project relates to the idea fo making sure that everyone in W3C is aware of the current and past development, avoiding loosing the consistency of the open web platform by parralel and inconsistent development. This requires to have a good information sharing. Good propagation of information is about having appropriate communication and tools. Possible directions to analyse and improve are :

  • formatting the information with appropriate level of useful information (on a community basis)
  • using appropriate communication channels (list the lists)
  • having tools to dashboard/monitor/query activities (with different granularity)
  • coordinate W3C domains
  • have a socialization/reviewing plan for all new technology
  • track and synch correctly the w3C deliverables (see tim bl view)
  • include those practices in the process (to make sure it is repeated indefinitely)

Methodology

It is expected that a status of existing communication channels and tools. From that, directions for improvement will be suggested. State of the art and ideas will be collected by interviews with chairs, W3C staff contact, activity leader, com team should be conducted in an open manner on how to they feel communication/synchronization is happening.

Material for making a status of initiatives related to synchronization and consistency

  • System team interview (Teg G) held in Dec 2014, about on going projects

--> Seamless publication (aka pushing to TR zone, whatever is the origin repository) in compliance with 2014 process http://www.w3.org/2014/08/pubworkflow.html The system team is working on reducing friction when publishing under TR, specifically avoiding the asynchronous and manual steps for publishing. The module allowing simple push to TR will be delivered in January 2015.

--> Collecting specification data to build an API to present in a flexible manner the information The system team (Ted G), the communication team (Ian J) and the Interaction Domain lead (Philippe LH) are working together on defining means to centralize data related to specifications and WG activities, in order to build flexible presentation tools. The actual granularity and type of data is under definition https://www.w3.org/wiki/W3C_Data_Platform . One should note that a TPAC break out session was held to initiate a strategy related to data https://www.w3.org/wiki/TPAC2014/SessionIdeas#Improving_Communications_to_Membership_Through_Data . It is expected that in 2015, the system team will deliver a proof of concept of data server and API exposing those data


  • Communication team interview (Ian J) held in Dec 2014, about on going projects

--> The W3C Communications Team manages announcements and discussions with with Members, Public, and Media through a variety of mechanisms: W3C Web site, Home page news (announcements from W3C staff), W3C blog (with many contributors), W3C Twitter and Facebook accounts, Weekly public newsletter, Weekly digest of news relevant to W3C, Member mailing lists, Semi-annual strategic report for Membership (and now available to public)

--> What would enable the Communications Team to provide better service to these audiences? Additional resources to organize and implement a data-backed site redesign (see related interview with head of W3C Systems). W3C management is supportive of work to improve our Web site, but the Communications Team has not been able to kick off that project fully given other priorities.

--> Additional resources to ensure that W3C groups can publish, discuss, coordinate, and fulfill various process requirements more easily.

  • TAG Chair interview (Dan A and Peter L) to held in Dec 2014, about on going projects

Perimeter of the project

Several communities have to be considered when talking about making sure information about technology is shared.

  • W3C WGs/IG/CG (chairs and participants)

related communication channel to reach the community: each groups mailing list, chair mailing list (not public) tools used by the comunity : tracker, bugzilla, github, ...

  • W3C external world, aka web developer community

related communication channel to reach the community: public letter of information, W3C web site, specifiction on discourse, new work mailing list

  • W3C organization

related communication channel to reach the community: W3C web site and wiki pages, private mailing list tools :

  • W3C members

related communication channel to reach the community: ac forum mailing list

Possible directions of improvement

  • Solutions relying on human interactions

- Create *effective* liaisons with WG/groups interested in specific work (eg W3C/WhatWG, or cross WG)

- Animate web developers chapters where information is shared

- Generate domain call (on purpose, when something important happening)

- Create dashboard showing W3C activities (a la github, or higher level)

- Have a news feed

- Push appropriate information on Mailing Lists

- Create a software extracting valuable information from github/tracker/bugzilla/...

  • About the type of information/metadata expected

Feature, market, abstract, interaction,

ACTIONS (to be reported in the appropriate tracker)

  • Virginie to review minutes and extract good ideas (done, with help of Art)
  • Virginie to report Ian and Ted interview (ted G, Ian J, done)
  • Virginie to clarify Problem Statement and Considerations on Art request (done)
  • All share names for people to be interviewed