Re: [Pesci-discuss] "ADs are the central focus of technical expertise"

Dave Crocker wrote:
> Scott, et al,
> 
>>>   Areas have become a fundamental structuring mechanism for IETF work
>>>   since the Kobe reorganization.  Area Directors (ADs) are at the
>>>   moment the central focus of management and technical expertise in the
>>>   IETF.
>>>     
>>
>> ...
>> (2) I do believe ADs are the central focus of technical expertise.
>> Maybe they don't have it in the specialties, but it all comes together
>> at the ADs at this time.
>>   
> 
> 
> I suggest that the truth and implications of this view be 
> (re-)considered very carefully.
> It seems to be a fundamental and commonly-held view, but I suspect that 
> a great deal of the IETF's problems come from our citing it too 
> casually.  ADs are certainly chosen for presumed and/or demonstrated 
> technical expertise, but that is a very different statement than Scott 
> made.  And I suspect Scott's statement reflects the typical community view.
> 
> Here is the dilemma:
> 
> 1. ADs essentially never initiate a working group activity; other folks 
> in the community do.  So the perception of community need comes from the 
> community and the effort to pursue that need comes from the community.
> 
> 2. Technical drafts that are input to new working groups do not come 
> from the cognizant Area Director.  Technical drafts that are produced by 
> a WG do not come from the cognizant AD.
> 
> 3. The cognizant AD is not supposed to do any of the principal work -- 
> and on the average they do essentially none of the actual work -- in 
> creating a specification, because then they would have a conflict of 
> interest in any evaluation of the work.
> 
> So, the people we are saying "are the central focus of technical 
> expertise" for the IETF do not typically initiate the technical work or 
> do the technical work, when they are the cognizant AD.
> So what does it mean to say that they are the central focus?

Two comments.

1. For many years, the IESG's guidance to NomCom has asked for
a balance between technical and managerial expertise in future ADs.

2. I believe a more accurate statement is the the ADs are the central
arbitrators of technical expertise. They get to appoint WG chairs,
expert reviewers, and the like. That's at least as important as their
own technical skills, imho.

    Brian

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