[OpenID] We Need a Site Editorial Committee (Was: Changes to the OpenID Foundation member page login)

[Johannes Ernst]

We differ in our assessment then, which is fine ;-)

I'd like to see us scale this organization so it can be effective  
globally, not just on a few mailing lists and through the heroic work  
of a few individuals.

So far, we have not managed to do that at all: a handful of people is  
totally overworked, while collectively we are not meeting the needs of  
the members, or of the market, and we are not effectively taking  
advantage of the resources that are being offered.

The only way that I know to improve this situation dramatically is to  
apply what is good organizational practice. Accountability,  
transparency and clear understanding of the key processes in the  
organization is at the very heart of this.

It's not bureaucracy at all, it's what required to scale beyond the  
garage. And I'm really surprised that I sound like the lone voice in  
the wilderness here.



On Dec 5, 2008, at 15:02, David Recordon wrote:

> What I've been hearing in this thread is that accountability isn't  
> the main issue; transparency is.  We already have people responsible  
> for the website, Scott and myself with Chris Messina and Will Norris  
> pitching in.  Hold us accountable.
>
> As one of the people who is accountable, I see the problem being  
> expressed is others not knowing how we make decisions or how they  
> can more easily contribute.  That should be fixed.  We've already  
> shown that others are able to contribute whether it be upgrading the  
> WordPress installation, writing site content, or blogging but all of  
> those currently require people seek us out if they want to contribute.
>
> On Dec 5, 2008, at 2:52 PM, Johannes Ernst wrote:
>
>> A problem of accountability cannot be solved with a mailing list  
>> I'm afraid.
>>
>> We don't need accountability on all issues, or even most. But we do  
>> need it on a few, and this is one of them.
>>
>> Which is why there needs to be a body with a defined membership and  
>> a defined decision making process, chartered by the board of the  
>> foundation.
>>
>> If that body then decides that it conducts all of its business on a  
>> mailing list, all the better.
>>
>> But starting with the mailing list instead of the accountability  
>> gets it exactly backwards.
>>
>>
>>
>> Johannes Ernst
>> NetMesh Inc.
>>
>> <lid.gif> <openid.gif> http://netmesh.info/jernst
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> general mailing list
>> general at openid.net
>> http://openid.net/mailman/listinfo/general
>
>



Johannes Ernst
NetMesh Inc.

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