Guidelines for Trust and Identity Working Group Chairs and Flywheels
Time to spin up a new collaborative working group? Wondering how the email list, wiki, calendar, agendas and other details will work? This page is designed to help.
Start Up Steps for a Working Group
Develop charge/scope document. Examples:
Identify a chair and (optionally) co-chair for the working group
- In the case of a governance or advisory group, there may be an Internet2 flywheel assigned, that is, a designated Internet2 staff member to assist with the group. See Table of Internet2 Support Levels to Trust and Identity Working Groups.
Publicize call for membership. See Tools for Publicizing Working Groups.
- Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request
- email list
- phone bridge or BlueJeans (video conferencing) coordinates
- wiki space
Determine the meeting schedule
may use a Doodle Poll to determine members’ availability
Optional: Establish a calendar invite using Outlook (Because group membership changes and can be hard to keep up with in a calendar tool, we rely primarily on emails to inform the community of working group calls. We do not always provide a calendar invite)
Additional Infrastructure
Notes / minutes if needed. Collaborative scribing using a Google doc is recommended.
- Set up one Google Doc to be reused for collaborative scribing. An example is here.
- Configure permissions so anyone with the link has edit access, unless you need to restrict access to the notes more tightly.
- To archive the collaboratively scribed notes, either
- include a link to the collaborative scribing doc on the Working Group wiki, and/or
- On the working group wiki, create a page for the minutes after each call, and transfer the notes into that page.
- Set up one Google Doc to be reused for collaborative scribing. An example is here.
Other tools as needed, such as:
Box.com for document storage
Adobe Connect or other tool for slide sharing during calls
Video Conferencing (BlueJeans is available from Internet2 as of summer 2015, it can be used instead of the Edial phone bridge)
- Feel free to Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request help with the above tools
Ongoing Support
Ensure good practice is followed for working group calls, including:
sending an agenda prior to calls
- See working group agenda template.
Make sure that Action Items are noted during the call, and reviewed at the end of the call.
For software development groups, ensure that all contributors have signed the contrib agreement.
Wiki / website should be updated with relevant information
Update the community on status / milestones /accomplishments. See Tools for Publicizing Working Groups.
Schedule Birds of a Feather (BOF) sessions or working group meetings at Internet2 Conferences
- Schedule and coordinate additional Face-to-Face meetings as needed
- For groups where the charter dictates membership terms (i.e. governance and advisory groups) ensure that the terms are adhered to, and new members are recruited and on-boarded accordingly. Send letter of appreciation to outgoing members of governance and advisory groups (Emily will help with this)
Tips for Working Group Chairs
Logistics:
- Send logistical needs/requests/questions to mw-service@internet2.edu
- Both Emily Eisbruch and Dean Woodbeck will receive the requests you send to mw-service@internet2.edu
- If you do not receive a timely response, or if you have follow up questions, email mw-service@internet2.edu again.
During Calls:
- Prior to calls, send out agenda (see above in "Ongoing support" section)
- Welcome group members
- Be sure to announce that the Internet2 Intellectual Property Framework Reminder is in effect
- Follow agenda; if completely new items come up, consider adding them to the agenda for a future call
- Leave time for questions
- Review Action Items at end of call
- Finish calls on time
- Draw out people who may be reticent or shy
Other:
- Serve as a bridge to Internet2 staff where needed
Serve as a bridge/ambassador to related Internet2 and community efforts.
- Stay in touch with the chair of the body that chartered your working group (e.g. Steering, TAC, AAC).
- Gently but firmly moving efforts forward/toward conclusion
- Work to wrap up very long discussions/discussion threads on calls/email
- Acknowledge group membership contributions
- On working group calls, in emails, and in other forums, create a friendly, positive experience
Closing a Group
When a group finishes its work or gets transitioned/combined for a new phase of work:
Summarize the group’s work
Update the community on group's accomplishments. See Tools for Publicizing Working Groups.
Express appreciation to group members for their contribution
Email to the appropriate list(s) of the group’s closing
Indicate on the wiki and / or website the group's completed status
Remove calendar item from people's calendars (if applicable)
Close Sympa email list after a period of time (optional, there may a reason to keep the list around in case follow-up is needed)
See Also:
Tools for Publicizing Working Groups
Internet2 Support Levels to Trust and Identity Working Groups (Google Doc)