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Recent Updates the Working Group Self Assessment

One of the concepts engineered into the original WG Guidelines framework was that Chartering Organizations would ask each WG to perform a self-assessment at the end of its life-cycle. The idea was to promote a critical examination of the processes/procedures such that the feedback could be incorporated into a continuous improvement of the WG Guidelines. In the current version of the WG Guidelines (ANNEX 1 of the GOP), vestiges of the self-assessment concept remain present in the document. In particular, please see the following sections:

It appears as though no Chartering Organization has yet asked a WG to generate a self-assessment. Perhaps one reason is that the original template work was never completed.

In its meeting on 4 June 2013, the SCI approved the development of a draft “WG Self-Assessment" instrument, which could be incorporated into the WG Guidelines (as was originally intended) and completed by all WGs (individually and/or collectively) as part of their closure processes. Advantages to this approach include:

• Feedback would come from actual and recent WG participants (targeted audience).
• The information collected should be fresh given that the group recently completed its work (salience).
• If the self-assessment template is reviewed (Chair checklist item?) with team members the start of deliberations (revealing questions that will be asked at the end) and something occurs that uncovers a gap or error in the guidelines, the WG could note it for later inclusion in the self-assessment.
• Unlike a static survey, incorporating a self-assessment instrument into each WG’s process provides a dynamic catalyst for continuous improvement.
• If the Chartering Organization (e.g., GNSO Council) determines, based upon feedback from one or more WG self-assessments, that the guidelines (or even the self-assessment template itself) need to be amended for any reason, it can direct Staff or another community team to address any deficiencies or issues uncovered.

In terms of broad learning objectives, a Self-Assessment should attempt to address the effectiveness of:

1. Support Infrastructure … charter, procedures, tools/templates, and mechanics supporting the WG’s operations;
2. WG Processes/Operations … leadership, norms, decision-making (consensus), and outputs.

Any resulting instrument or template should be designed so that it is (a) simple/straightforward to complete and (b) respectful of respondents’ time (length). 

The remaining structure of this Wiki space will address specific design/development considerations and is organized as follows:

childrenThe Working Group Self Assessment (WGSA) was first developed in 2014. Additional information about the origins is available here. 

The latest version of the WGSA was developed by the GNSO Council Committee for Overseeing and Implementing Continuous Improvement (CCOICI), at the direction of the GNSO Council. The CCOICI was tasked with reviewing the existing WGSA survey and requirements outlined in the GNSO Operating Procedures and making suggestions for improvements. 

The CCOICI proposed several updates to the different documents that related to the WGSA that aim to reflect that:

• Stating objective of WGSA: inform the Chartering Organization of potential issues that might need to be immediately addressed (periodic survey) or for future efforts (closure survey);
• PDP Team charter to state if and when a periodic survey and/or closure is expected to take place to allow the GNSO to customise the cadence of surveys for a project based on the length, structure, and milestones of that PDP;
• Clarity around what will be publicly available and with whom information is shared;
• New/updated questions focused on performance of WG leadership, Council liaison and staff support. 

In addition, the CCOICI recommended:

• A new periodic survey template that would normally be conducted after the publication of the Initial Report (unless charter indicates differently, or Council decides differently), including PDP 3.0 proposed survey questions regarding leadership;
• A set of technical requirements that the survey tool would ideally possess, including functionality that would send a unique link to each WG member, thereby permitting anonymous responses but ensuring that only WG members respond;
• Council leadership, in consultation with liaison to the WG, may decide to modify the survey, if deemed necessary;
• The updates proposed as well as new aspects can be reviewed in the CCOICI’s report to the GNSO Council as approved.

The CCOICI's Report details the group's recommendations. The GNSO Council adopted this report in March 2023.