Resources for 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:

• Assurance Advisory Committee

• External Identities Working Group

• New Entities Working Group

• Identify a chair and co-chair for the working group
  

• 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
  

• Set up a Sympa mailing list (Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request help with this)
  

• Please specify in your request: is this an open list that anyone can join, or do individuals need to be approved before being added?
  

• Set up an Edial phone bridge (Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request help with this)
  

• Set up a wiki space  (Confluence) (Email mw-service@internet2.edu to request help with this)

  • Reminder to Internet2/InCommon staff: 
    
  • Working Group wikis are to be created at the top level of the spaces wiki.
    
  • Naming convention should be:and
    
  • 
    

• Determine the meeting schedule

• may use a Doodle Poll to determine members’ availability

• Set up a calendar invite using Outlook (ask an Internet2 staff person to help with this.)

• Be sure the working group is listed on Internet2 website and InCommon WG Homepage (Emily will help with these)
  

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 notes, either
    •  include a link to the collaborative scribing doc on the Working Group wiki , and/or
    • On the WG wiki, create a page for the minutes after each call, and transfer the notes into that page. See this Grouper wiki page for an example.
      

• other tools as needed, such as:

• voting tool

• community forum tool

• 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 edial)
  

• 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

• • agenda should include:

• Name/Day/Time of call
• Connection (Edial) details
• Link to Collaborative Scribing Google Doc
• Link to WG wiki

• roll call / welcome 

• Intellectual Property Framework  Reminder

• agenda bash

• list of action items from previous calls
  
• Suggested agenda items
• Include links to resources to be discussed
  

• Make sure that Action Items are 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

• Add new names to the email list as needed (can ask Internet2 staff for help with this)
  

• 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 BOFs at Internet2 meetings

• Schedule and coordinate additional F2F 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 

• Finish calls on time 

• Draw out people who may be reticent or shy
  

• Serve as a bridge to Internet2 staff where needed (never by shy about asking for what the group needs) 

• 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 

• 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

• 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:

InCommon Working Group Home