Subject: 6MAN document shepherding experiment

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2016 20:17:47 +0100

The 6MAN working group chairs together with the Internet ADs are
proposing the following changes to how documents are handled in the
working group.  We propose this initially as an experiment to gather
experience. We will evaluate the experiment continuously as documents are
progressed.

The purpose of the proposal is to involve more working group participants
in the document process.

Expand the document shepherding process, so that the document shepherd
takes a more involved role in the whole lifecycle of the document from
working group draft until RFC.

The idea is:

o A document shepherd is a volunteer chosen by the chairs, ideally as
  soon as the document is adopted, but no later than the working group
  last call. It cannot be the document authors.

o The shepherd is responsible for the document from that point onwards.

    - Follow the document all the way through working group last call
      to RFC Editor publishing
    - Main channel between IESG and working group.
    - Involved in all discussions about edits and changes. (No direct
      IESG AD + author/editor channel without shepherd (and WG
      involvement)
    - Follow the IESG telechats for this document.
    - Administer and follow up with IESG members, authors and working
      group to ensure swift progress.

o The working group chairs are still responsible for determining
  consensus, and are responsible for the functioning of the shepherding
  role.

More information about the shepherding role is available:

 http://ietf.org/edu/tutorials/document-editing-sheparding.pdf
 https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4858
 https://www.ietf.org/iesg/statement/document-shepherds.html

This change comes in addition to the existing process of requiring two
volunteer reviews during WGLC. We propose to put this process into effect
immediately for new documents.

Please send us your comments on this proposed experiment, and if you
would be willing to be a document shepherd.  If there are no volunteers
then it will a short experiment!

Best regards,
Bob, Ole