[Chapter-delegates] On more effective engagement (was Re: 2024 ISOC Board of Trustees Elections Results)

[Flávio Rech Wagner]

Hi Andrew


> Hi,
>
>> There is, indeed, a feeling, which we believe is also shared with at 
>> least a few other chapter leaders, that there isn't enough space to 
>> contribute to ISOC plans and positions from the very beginning. 
>> Chapter inputs are seen more as a consultation to check if the ideas 
>> previously formulated are okay.
>
> During the work that was preparatory for the 2023 board retreat, where 
> they worked on the strategic plan, we asked staff at every opportunity 
> they had when speaking to our community to try to get input to the 
> question, "What do you think is the biggest threat to the Internet's 
> future?"  We got a lot of great feedback from that, and we carefully 
> parsed and catergorized it so that the board could use it as part of 
> their input for the strategy discussion. So that seems to me to be an 
> example of some of what you're talking about.


Yes, exactly, and this is the kind of interaction that I mentioned 
before about the Staff+Board being very open to contributions - but our 
suggestion is formalizing it a bit more, if this format wouldn't make 
this type of consultation less effective.


>
> But you may be suggesting either that the community be part of making 
> the annual plan or that the community be part of building policy 
> positions prior to a PDP.


Not "making" the annual plan, of course, but at least being heard 
through more effective mechanisms. Regarding "building policy positions 
prior to a PDP", well, maybe, although in an indirect way, if there are 
continuous bidirectional consultations with the community, so that the 
Board and the staff become aware of the community positions on various 
relevant issues.


>
> In the former case, I just don't understand how it would work.  As it 
> is, annual planning starts each year about now.  Prior to this point 
> in the year, the staff are largely involved with working on starting 
> the implementation of the prior annual plan.  We have more than 
> 100,000 people in our community and right now about 130 chapters and 
> SIGs.  I don't know how to structure "very beginning" input from such 
> a wide group of people without it taking an enormous amoung of time -- 
> the annual planning exercise would have to start in the prior year, 
> just to be ready by the time the board needs to approve it (and its 
> associated budget).


I fully agree with you that it would be unfeasible to _directly _involve 
100,000 people and 130 chapters and SIGs in the preparation of the 
annual planning. This is related to the last part of the previous 
message: We think chapters could, possibly, help to plan tools or 
methods on how to improve ways to get inputs from the community into 
this process, and the Chapters Advisory Council could be the right place 
to discuss proposals for such tools or methods. If we don't find a way, 
at least we tried to, and this would already be greatly appreciated.

Of course there is no size fits all since chapters might have different 
ways to contribute, also depending on the topic. Some prefer to write to 
the list, others 1:1 time with staff, maybe calls and workshops in 
different languages, and so on. To understand those nuances is already a 
big step. Together we could define multiple but convergent paths to 
effectively being heard in the process. At least it is worth some 
effort, and even if it doesn’t work 100% immediately, it can be a work 
in continuous progress, on a joint effort between chapters, the ChAC, 
the staff, and the Board. We agree that we need to invest time in 
improving existing processes and human resources allocated to accomplish 
it. Wouldn’t dare to say it is easy, but it is needed.

And thank you for the opportunity to engage in this very productive 
dialogue.

Best,

Flávio


>
> In the latter case, it would seem that your view might require changes 
> to the PDP: 
> https://www.internetsociety.org/about-internet-society/policy-development-process/ 
> If not, then the part where members "flag issues" is already 
> available, and I hope that all our colleagues are indeed flagging such 
> issues and thereby contributing at the very beginning.
>
> I've I've misunderstood your intent, please correct me.  Thanks.
>
> Best regards,
>
> A
>
-- 
Prof. Flávio Rech Wagner		

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Instituto de Informática
Porto Alegre, Brasil

Presidente da Internet Society Brasil
flavio at inf.ufrgs.br,info at isoc.org.br           
https://www.isoc.org.br                         Twitter: @ISOCBrasil
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