xml-dev - Re: standards body parallel

[Rick JELLIFFE <ricko@geotempo.com>]

The openness of a working group has less to do with policy and more to
do with the operating style of that group.  Undoubtedly the chairs have
the biggest influence in this.   

If we look at why Jon Bosak was so successful with handling XML, it is
surely not because of the procedural rules of W3C or his beloved Roberts
Rules, but because of his personal geniality, focus, respect-giving and
ability as a diplomatist.

The personal dynamics of groups means that members take turns being
prosecutor, witness, defendent and jury. Whenever a group gets to a
certain number of opinionated people, the chair has to throttle
discussion based on the credibility or "constituency" of the
individual.  In that way, the chair's human response to dominating
players affects things in ways that procedure can only minimize.

The URI mailing list had over 1700 emails, and ended up at the same
result that the W3C-internal list had reached half-way through its
life.   Mere mass involvement does not necessarily improve things, and
in fact it can hide that standards making is a political process in
which power (market, expertise and personal) plays a role.  "Opening up
the process" may just mean the substitution of one favoured group with
another (i.e. the opinionated taking over from the rich.)

Cheers
Rick Jelliffe