[Web Comm] Should we have a meeting soon?

[Jody Garnett]

Fred Warnock wrote:
> all,
>
> Firstly, Thanks to Jason and Daniel for all the effort and activity on 
> the site lately.  I've kinda let myself fall out of the loop since our 
> teleconference, and now find that this thing seems really daunting.
>
> Jason, since you have obviously already dived in, I value your 
> insights and comments and find your suggestions very constructive, and 
> would like to chat with you soon.
>
> I feel the need for the web-com to have a meeting to discuss some 
> things, and to set up the tone and time for regular meetings.
>
> Some of the things I would like to know and discuss are as follows
>
> 1) when are people able to actively work on the site? days(s) and time(s)
evenings, so early morning in the us.
> 2) how often should we have regular meetings?
>  - Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?
monthly with breakout meetings for issues.
>  - best time seems to be in the evening 7 or 8 until 8 or 9 (lets keep 
> them to an hour at the most)
Choose a timezone my friend.
> 3) how should we conduct our meetings?
>  - we should have a clear agenda, at the very least we should come to 
> those meetings with a list of issues that need to be discussed
>  - I think each time, someone should "chair" the meeting to keep us on 
> topic and on time
>  - I also think someone should "record" the meeting as a list of 
> assigned tasks, or issues etc. in a wiki.  This person could also be 
> the "chair"
I would also recommend a time cap, this often is the difference between 
people being able to schedule a meeting into their day job.
> 4) what are our priorities?
I need to know who are target audience is, before I can even consider 
making a logo ;-)
> 5) what do people want to tackle?
I would like to see a page navigation chart with some though to number 
of clicks needed to get to what is of interest. What is of interest 
depends on our target audience.
> 6) how do we deal with suggestions?
Ask for volunteers ;-)
> 7) should we nominate a "lead" from our number?  Does Frank become our 
> "lead" as he's on the board? Is Daniel our "lead" since he's our 
> community manager... I ask this since I work much better when a clear 
> lead is established
If you like.
> 8) site design ideas and organization.  Jason I know you are already 
> discussing this on the list, but a discussion could be useful to get 
> "buy in"
I kind of see the developing slowly right now, I would like to take a 
step back and plan for usability (rather then just capturing the 
information needed to
keep the foundation running this week).
> 9) Protocol with what we can decide on the list and what should be 
> decided in meetings
>
> btw, I've been reading a project management book lately called 
> "Applied Software Project Management"... I don't normally talk like 
> this ;)
heh.
> if we can all agree on a date and time for the meeting by the end of 
> today that would be awesome.
> I suggest Thursday night at 8:00pm EST I think that's 7:00pm central
Lets figure out timezones of people in the committee and then chose a 
time? 8pm is kinda out of the picture for me, or anyone in Europe, and 
since internationalization is a focus. The real choice is between asia 
an europe, or having two meetings.

So let me do the worst case scenario for you (ie what GeoServer does):

*Thursday 5:00-UTC*
http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=6&min=00&sec=0&p1=141^ 
<http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=6&min=00&sec=0&p1=141>
Wed 9:00 PM -Vancouver
Thurs Noon -Bangkok
Thurs 7:00 AM -Johannesburg
Thurs 6:00 PM -Wellington

and the second meeting at:

*Thurs 19:00-UTC*
http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=20&min=00&sec=0&p1=141^ 
<http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=20&min=00&sec=0&p1=141>
Thurs 11:00 AM -Vancouver
Friday 2:00 AM -Bangkok
Thurs 9:00 PM -Johannesburg
Thurs 8:00 AM -Wellington

The agenda from the first meeting is reviewed in the second, and 
continued. People in north America may attend both if they are interested.

Later,
Jody