http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-18jan11-en.htm Public Comment: GNSO Council Requests Your Input on Proposed GNSO Working Group Guidelines 18 January 2011 As part of the GNSO Improvements Process, which has as its objective to improve the structure and operations of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), the Policy Process Steering Committee (PPSC) has now submitted to the GNSO Council the proposed GNSO Working Group Guidelines (see http://gnso.icann.org/improvements/gnso-working-group-guidelines-final-10dec... [PDF, 626 KB]). Prior to considering the proposed GNSO Working Group Guidelines, the GNSO Council is seeking your input. Comments on the proposed GNSO Working Group Guidelines [PDF, 626 KB] can be submitted until 8 February 2011 (see details below). Following the public comment period, the GNSO Council will review the comments received and determine whether additional modifications need to be made to the document or whether the document is ready for adoption following which it will be incorporated in the GNSO's Operating Procedures and become applicable to all new GNSO Working Groups. Background In the past, the GNSO decided policy mainly through small legislative bodies called "Task Forces." Intentionally, it is moving towards a more inclusive, representative model where key parties tackle an issue together as a "Working Group". This Working Group Model should become the focal point for policy development and enhance the policy development process by making it more inclusive and representative, and - ultimately - more effective and efficient. The PPSC tasked a Working Group Work Team (WG WT) to define this new Working Group model. The WG WT prepared a first draft that was put out for public comment, following which it reviewed the comments and modified [DOC, 188 KB] the document accordingly. In addition, the PPSC identified a number of issues that were subsequently addressed [DOC, 48 KB] by the WG WT. The proposed GNSO Working Group Guidelines, as approved by the PPSC, bring together all the different elements of the Working Group process; it addresses what should be considered in creating, chartering, staffing, and instructing/guiding a WG to accomplish the desired outcome, and; secondly, what guidance should be provided to a WG on elements such as structure, decision-making, tasking, reporting, and delivering the outcome(s) as chartered. Background documents / links * GNSO Working Group Guidelines, as approved by the PPSC [PDF, 626 KB] * The GNSO Improvements Web Site * PPSC Workspace * WG WT Workspace Staff responsible: Marika Konings Deadline and how to submit comments Comments are welcome via e-mail to gnso-wg-guidelines@icann.org until 8 February 2011. Access to the public comment forum from which comments can be posted can be found at http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201102-en.htm#gnso-wg-.... An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted at http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-wg-guidelines/. Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org http://gnso.icann.org