[IGFmaglist] PROPOSAL FOR A NEW WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW WORKSHOP EVALUATION PROCESS FOR IGF 2016

[Lynn St.Amour]

Dear MAG members,
  
I have been following this thread with interest, and thanks go to Rasha for kicking this off in the MAG meeting.  Thanks also to so many of you for all the excellent 
comments/suggestions.     There is clearly support for a WG to focus on how we might advance the evaluation process and Rasha has kindly volunteered to lead this.  I also note a number of suggestions that there be a co-leader with experience of past MAG practices, and agree this makes a lot of sense.  Virat has indicated that he is not able to take this on at this point, but perhaps Flavio or another MAG member with such experience would volunteer.

I will address several other points that have been raised re WGs in another focused email thread.

Best,
Lynn



> On Apr 13, 2016, at 8:38 AM, Bhatia, Virat <virat.bhatia at intl.att.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Dear MAG Colleagues,
> 
> Congratulations to Lynn, the IGF secretariat and fellow MAG members, especially our new colleagues, for coming together to successfully complete an excellent first MAG meeting, last week, to kick start the preparations for IGF 2016 in Mexico.
> 
> Excellent new idea of reviewing MAG’s existing Workshop Evaluation Process
> 
> One significant new (idea) approach that was proposed by a (new) MAG member, Ms. Rasha Abdulla, from Egypt, related to improving the existing workshop evaluation process.   In summary, Rasha had suggested looking at improvements to the existing process, where each MAG member reviews, on an average, 230-250 workshop proposals each year.     
> 
> Noticeably, there was wide support for such a review, with an agreement, that due to paucity of time during the MAG meeting, we could initiate this work soon after.   
> 
> Proposal for a Working Group on Workshop Evaluation and Timelines  
> 
> In view of the above, it might be worth considering setting up a Working Group (WG) on Workshop Evaluation, preferably led or co-led by Ms. Rasha Abdulla (I sincerely hope she will agree to lead / co-lead) either by herself or with another colleague / volunteer (to co-lead).
> 
> As per the agreed schedule (attached), the proposed Working Group will likely need to complete its work before June 6, 2016 (last day for submitting workshop proposals), after which, the workshop evaluation by MAG begins on June 13, 2016. Hopefully the new recommendations will lead to an improved process, less pressure, and yet a more precise outcome to support the workshop rating system, leading to IGF 2016.   
> 
> The above proposal and timelines, are only by way of suggestion.  The proposed WG when formed, will obviously finalize its own TOR, timelines, processes and outcomes, etc. 
> 
> Comments, Volunteers and co-Lead invited
> 
> Kindly post your thoughts on this proposal for initiating such a WG (volunteers, objectives, timelines, etc.). Personally, I remain supportive of Rasha’s idea, and will be happy to assist (if she agrees) her, and/or any other co- lead /facilitator, along with other community / MAG colleagues, in this work. 
> 
> Time is of critical essence, so if the MAG agrees in principle, we should discuss online, seek the chair’s guidance and move this work to the frontline at the earliest. 
> 
> Warmest,
> 
> Virat Bhatia
> 
>  
> 
> <WORKSHOP SELECTION FOR IGF 2016 (Proposed Schedule).pdf>_______________________________________________
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