Subject: [vmeet] FRAME: The current IETF f2f meeting room model

From: Dave CROCKER <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:09:43 -0700

It occurs to me that a discussion of replacing or augmenting what we currently 
do, in an IETF meeting working group session, needs to state what the mode of 
operation is within a face-to-face session.  Always nice to establish a baseline.

While we might want to find and use all sorts of spiffy enhancements, let's get 
agreement on the functionality of how we work now.

I think it's actually a pretty simple model:

1.   Presentation:

      A speaker is heard and their slides are seen. (Anything more than this is 
exceptional and, I believe, not required for a standard meeting presentation.)

2.   Discussion:

      A moderator coordinates a group discussion, typically involving the 
speaker, but always involving participants in the room.  The speaker usually can 
speak at any time and sometimes slides are reviewed.  Other participants queue 
at a microphone.  The queue tends to be sorted by topic, and fifo within that, 
although occasional pre-emption at the discretion of a chair is supported, such 
as to permit an Area Director or content expert to offer immediate insight...

3.   Room hum

      At the chairs' discretion, consensus assessments are attempted.  The chair 
states the item at issue and two room hums are sought, for yeah and nay.

4.   Hallway conversations

      Individual participants can choose to move off to have a private 
conversation, for a wide range of reasons.  They might bring the discussion or 
its results back to the room or onto the mailing list.

There are intangibles to a meeting, such as being able to see the speaker and to 
know the layout and tone of the room, but I think these are not functional 
essentials.

Have I left out anything from the typical meeting?

d/

-- 

   Dave Crocker
   Brandenburg InternetWorking
   bbiw.net