[Foundation-l] A proposal for better communication on Foundation issues

[Anthere]

Hello,
 
I think we have a problem. Jimbo, Ang and I receive a lot of mails, some of it privately, others through the address of the board.
All the board mail and some of the private ones end up in a special list on otrs, the board file.
 
For those who do not know otrs, this is a system where we can collectively answer to mails. The traçeability of mails is garanteed, so we can see who answered to which mail, when and how... as well as see the answer of the original author. We hence know which mails have been answered and which ones are still pending. We can also avoid filling up of our mail boxes. It is also possible to draft some templates of answers for the most frequent questions. 
 
In the end, OTRS is first a system meant to make us earn time, and meant to increase writers satisfaction thanks to a better follow up of their requests.
 
Currently, though the admins of otrs and developers have access technically speaking to that file, they are not supposed to read the mails on the board list, and not supposed to answer to them. Only three people are left to answer mails here, Jimbo, Ang and I. To be honest, I do not think we do the job very well, because we are, I think, already overworked. The result is essentially accumulation of mails. We may answer some very quickly, but other times, it take us a lot of time (to avoid saying there are some mails we never answer). When the list becomes too full, we change mails from one list to another, essentially we give our mails to info-en, where people like Sannse may answer them for us.
 
Still, this is NOT very satisfying. Why ?
* because once the mail is sent to info-en, we lose track of answers
* because some of the issues given to info-en are frankly board matters, not info-en matters. Even though Sannse can answer them (and perhaps others), it will appear strange that info-en answers a request sent to the board itself.
* because there are some people much more adapted to answer some of these requests than Sannse.
 
Typical examples of letters received by the board
 
* I would like to send you money, may I have an tax receipt. I live in Canada.
* I sent 20 bucks 6 months ago, and no one ever thank me
* Why are you not using gold money ?
* I would like to make a donation and would like to know how much is required to be a "benefactor"
* What are you doing with all this money ?
 
* We are a website selling porn toys, you have great articles on sexual topics, we would like to propose link exchanges with our site
* We would like to become partners with Wikipedia
 
* Microsoft speaking, we would like to host your whole site for free on our servers
* We are a small hosting company and would like to offer you free hosting for a couple of servers
* We are a firm building servers and we would like to offer you 3 pentium shmull and 4 artium trucmuch
 
* I have a diploma of translator in xx language and I am seeking a job on your project
* I am an organiser of meetings/a finance specialist/a grant seeker etc... you may find my cv inclosed
 
* We would like to use this picture
 
* I see in this article there was a photo, and this photo is under copyright, please remove it
* I have been defamed somewhere in your project, here is my lawyer address, I will sue you unless you do something NOW
 
* I would like an account
* What is your mission statement ?
 
AND SO ON AND SO ON.
 
Some are directly sent to info-en, but a whole lot of these are really Foundation issues. So, I think they should be managed as Foundation issues. Not as english issues.
But we just can't manage it all.
 
 
Why does it matter ?
It matters because people need answers, they need reassurance, they need to trust us, they need feedback when threatening to sue us, they need to be thanked, they need their gifts to be acknowledged. When we do not answer a mail, or answer after a month, THIS IS BAD.
 
So, I think we need your help.
 
I had thought first of opening the board list to more people, but Ang made a very good comment. She said that people might write to us privately, and say private things they do not wish to be seen by others. This is true. Besides, she added that at least each mail should be seen by at least ONE of us. She is correct.
 
Another person (Elian) suggested that we could summarize some issues on the grant wiki (such as the hosting ones) so a collective answer could be prepared. I see good to this, but it does not entirely solve the issue we just need some people to help us answer letters, and we just do not have time necessarily to make summaries from mails on these topics.
 
Here is what I suggest. This is just a suggestion and I am open to all comments
 
I would like that another board list is opened. Say "Open board".
Only Jimbo, Ang and I have access to "Board" so may do the first review of these mails. Either we consider WE should answer these mails (for example, I suspect Jimbo would prefer to answer Microsoft offer :-)), OR we change them for the "Open board" file. We all three can follow the future of these mails on the Open board file and even answer there if necessary.
 
More people have access to Open Board. I would love this access to be per topic. And for each topic, to have between 1-4 people, who are trusted to answer on these topics which they are usually interested and knowledgeable in.
 
Example
* Financial and fundraising matters : Mav
* Grant matters : Danny
* Wikimedia Foundation website matters : Aphaia
* Technical matters : Brion
* Legal matters, Michael, Aurevilly
* Newsletter : Aphaia
* Local associations : Elian, notafish
* Other general issues : Sannse
 
I just put a couple of names, others could be involved as well. For example, Brion could also be helped by Jamesday for servers offers, or Submarine for help in Europe... Legal matters could possibly also involve other legal people we trust, Tomos... 
 
For example, Jimbo might wish to forward a proposal of 3 pentium servers to "Open board", where Jamesday will investigate the type of servers exactly offered and the interest of the offer. If it happens that the offer turns out amazing, Jamesday might consider best to put again in the board list the mail for Jimbo to consider better.
 
The idea is 
1) For the board to check that no private mail turns out public
2) For the board to focus on what needs to stay private, might be controversial, might be strategic
3) To delegate a whole bunch of trusted people involved on all those matters the role of answering what is related when necessary. 
4) Anytime someone feel the topic needs input from one of us, he can either make us in copy, or he feels it is getting too much of a board responsability, move the whole mail to the "board" file again.
 
Note that generally, it should be satisfying for those involved. For example, would it not be a good idea that Mav sees all these emails about "what do you do with the money, how could I get a tax receipt, how to be a benefactor...", while would it not be a good idea that Brion sees what servers offers are made to us ?
 
I do not say that right now, this information does not get to them in the end, but not always and not quickly. And meanwhile, we are not treating people in the right way.
 
I also wish that it results in the end in a sort of organisation, where we have people clearly involved in some matters.
I explain : the idea is not only to limit this to the "open board " list, but also to have this list public. So, when anyone contact us, he will know that these people are specifically involved in such topics.
 
 
 
Two more points : 
 
First, it is important that people do feel free in front of this. I would love Tim to be involved in tech matters answering if he wishes it. But if he needs to be away for 2 months for his PhD, he can feel free doing it, as Brion will be there to answer. So Tim may just remove him from the list or declare himself inactive for a while. The only important point is to ensure that an offer or a request gets an answer.
 
Second, I think some issues are up more often than others. So some people just will not need to regularly check if something is to answer. It is possible from OTRS to forward a mail to warn someone an issue is waiting for him. We might also consider that a couple of people are regularly checking that mails are answered (ie, if a legal threat is underway, Sannse or another could forward the mail to Michael for his consideration, so as to warn him).
 
 
The board is really 3 people, with a professional life aside, with family aside. We can only do it with your help.
There are some issues which will always have to be discussed privately, and some decisions always to be taken by the board. But if Wiki works, this is also because the model is one of decentralisation and delegation of "power". As well as trust than most people want good and do good.


		
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