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    dc:title="The Tracker, Tracked"
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    dc:subject="HTML"
    dc:description="Since W3C launched the new HTML Working Group in March, over 450 people have joined. This is great, but making sense of the thousands of mail messages that followed is too much for any one person. I think the new..."
    dc:creator="Ian Jacobs"
    dc:date="2007-11-02T18:31:53+00:00" />
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                        <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/2007/10/how_i_explained_web_services_p.html">&laquo; How I explained Web Services Policy to my child</a> |
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                        | <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/2007/11/tpac-2007-lets-start.html">TPAC 2007 - Let's start &raquo;</a>
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                        <h2 class="entry-header">The Tracker, Tracked</h2>
                           <div class="entry-body">
                              <p>Since W3C launched the new
<a href="/html/wg/">HTML Working Group</a> in March, over 450
people have joined. This is great, but making sense of the
thousands of mail messages that followed is too much for any one
person. I think the new issues tracking task force is a promising
development. The small group of trackers (working closely with
the co-chairs Dan Connolly and Chris Wilson) is a valuable
complement to the larger set of people participating in the group
who write and test code, review documents, and represent a large
set of user needs. A richly structured community has a better
chance of producing a widely accepted standard.</p>

<p>In every W3C group I've been a part of, it takes a while for the
people involved to forge the roles (formal or informal) that suit
them, and to start speaking the same language. Only then do they
start to get work done. The HTML WG is unique at W3C in its size
and makeup, so I am not surprised that the participants may
require additional time to establish their own rhythms and
rituals for getting things done. The tracking task force is an
encouraging sign. Dan explained that several pieces fell into
place around the same time, leading to the formation of the task
force:</p>

<ul>

<li>The W3C systems Team made two improvements to a W3C issue
tracking tool called <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/06/tracker/">Tracker</a> that
motivated Dan to try it out with the HTML WG. The first is that
the tool keeps a detailed paper trail of issue state changes (who
changed what and when, down to the second). Dan calls this
"elephant never forgets" mode. He has told me many times that
software must behave this way for him to trust his data to it.
The second change is that Tracker now talks to W3C's internal
database of groups and participants, making it easier for the
Chair to manage the set of volunteers (and their accounts)
without requiring special permission.</li>

<li>People volunteered! James Graham, Shawn Medero, Julian
Reschke, Gregory Rosmaita, and Michael Smith all offered their
services. Volunteers -- whether Chairs, Editors, Issue Trackers,
Test Case Writers, or other contributors -- make the difference
at W3C between indifference and success. So thanks to all those
who raised their hand. Contact Dan or Chris Wilson if you are
interested in helping as an issue tracker or other role.</li>
</ul>

<p>Dan shared a tip that I think will be useful to Chairs of
other groups: when W3C launched the HTML WG, he set up a
questionnaire for group participants to indicate (among other
things) which roles interested them. It doesn't hurt to ask!  And
then, when the stars aligned and it came time to ask for
volunteers, Dan had a short list of candidates.</p>

<p>What comes next? Tracked issues lead to decisions. Decisions
lead to changes to specifications (or not). I look forward to
seeing how the community's voice, now listened to by
perked up ears, shapes HTML 5.</p>


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                       <p class="postinfo">Filed by <a href="http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs/">Ian Jacobs</a> on November  2, 2007  6:31 PM in <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/archive/technology/html/">HTML</a>, <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/archive/w3cqa_news/technology_101/">Technology 101</a>, <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/archive/w3cqa_news/tools/">Tools</a><br />
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