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
For reference, here are some 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, which may involve using
emails to existing group lists
blog
Facebook/Twitter
Outreach to key stakeholder communities to get appropriate group membership
Feel free to consult with emily@internet2.edu on these steps
- Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request
- email list
- phone bridge or BlueJeans (video conferencing) coordinates
- wiki space
Reminder to Internet2/InCommon staff: - Working Group wikis are to be created at the top level of the spaces wiki.
- Be sure the working group is listed on the Internet2 website and the wiki linked to from the InCommon Working Group Home
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.
- Configure permissions it up so anyone with the link has edit access, unless you need to restrict it 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. .
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 sample working group agenda here
Make sure that Action Items are reviewed at the end of the call, tracked and followed up on
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. Feel free to consult with emily@internet2.edu on these steps, which may include:
press release
blog
Internet2 or InCommon Facebook
Internet2 or InCommon Twitter
webinars
presentations at other organizations' meetings and at Internet2 meetings
Blurb in
Internet2 Community Update or
InCommon Monthly Newsletter
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 onboarded accordingly. Send letter of appreciation to outgoing members of governance and advisory groups.
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 have follow up questions, email mw-service@internet2.edu again.
During Calls:
- Welcome group members
- Define goals
- Prior to calls, send out agenda (see above in "Ongoing support" section)
- 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
Serving as a bridge/ambassador to other Internet2 efforts
- 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. Feel free to consult with emily@internet2.edu on these steps, which may include:
press release
blog
Internet2 or InCommon Facebook
Internet2 or InCommon Twitter
webinars
presentations at other organizations' meetings and at Internet2 meetings
Blurb in
Internet2 Community Update or
InCommon Monthly Newsletter
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
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: