[arin-ppml] Staff proposing policy.

[Leo Bicknell]

In a message written on Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 03:38:49PM +0000, John Curran wrote:
> Leo - We've tried to make the policy experience report much more
> complete, and I believe that presently provides an adequate voice 
> for the staff to note issues with currently adopted policy.

With all due respect, it's not even close.

While on the AC I had multiple staff come to me multiple time pushing
a policy.  I asked them to use the tools available, like the
experience reports.  They all felt that avenue wasn't available to
them personally or could sufficiently address the problems.  Several
expressed frustration at having to figure out some way to "leave a
trail of bread crumbs" to lead the community/AC to a problem that
could be stated quite simply and directly in a sentence or two.

> The Policy Experience report allows the staff to raise issues without
> disclosure issues or directing advocating solutions.  My first preference
> would be to allow staff to augment the report with a "preferred option"
> in cases where the policy needs improvement and there is a consensus
> internally about the preferred policy solution.

I think you've already hit on one of the primary problems.  In the
current system the staff (appears to be) asked to avoid making
direct suggestions.  This is, quite frankly, crazy.  If we're going
to get up and let them speak for 30 minutes about some problem they
should at least be able to make some suggestions as to ways that
could fix it.

The really sad thing is I can think of at least one instance where the
AC developed policy in response to an experience report and started it
down the process. It wasn't until the policy was in the hopper that
it came out the AC missed the mark, and didn't understand the trail of
bread crumbs.  But the Staff wasn't allowed to stand up at a members
meeting and say "you got it wrong, that doesn't address the problem",
as they were only allowed to do so in an experience report.

I can only describe the staff as gagged when it comes to policy.
My 6 years on the AC re-enforced this over and over again.  The
current system does not allow the community the opportunity to learn
from staff's experiences and develop policy that can help them.
Maybe they don't need to propose policy, but have trouble envisioning
in harm in that.  They need to be able to stand up, in the meetings,
and speak openly and freely about potential implementation issues.
The current attempts at policy experience reports and staff review
in the PDP are grossly inadequate.

-- 
       Leo Bicknell - bicknell at ufp.org - CCIE 3440
        PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/
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