FINAL VERSION SUBMITTED (IF RATIFIED)
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FINAL DRAFT VERSION TO BE VOTED UPON BY THE ALAC
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DRAFT SUBMITTED FOR DISCUSSION
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Joanna Kulesza/2nd draft, 27 July 2020: See Google Doc (comment-only)
ALAC Statement on Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) Final Report
The ALAC, on behalf of the At-Large community, congratulates the Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) for the completion of its final report and recommendations to the ICANN Board of Directors.
We recognize the amount of effort required to assess ICANN’s implementation of recommendations from past Review Teams. We are appreciative of the assessment as well as the ensuing recommendations, which incorporate valuable input from our community. We strongly support the limited and focused number of recommendations proposed by the ATRT3 report, reflecting the pending implementation of proposals from previous review teams.
We find the ATRT3 recommendations to be clear, appropriate and actionable. We thus support all five recommendations and urge the ICANN Board to adopt them as a strategic priority towards enhancing the accountability and transparency culture within ICANN. The ALAC also considers that the Board and the ICANN organisation should take into account all suggestions made by ATRT3 in annexes A and B. They offer a good opportunity to advance ICANN’s accountability and transparency.
In moving forward, and more specifically regarding the following recommendations, we advise the ICANN Board to:
- Swiftly implement ATRT3 recommendation to evolve both specific and organizational reviews as per Section 8 of the final report:
1.1. with the creation of a Holistic Review to allow a global view of ICANN various structures and their relations;
1.2. with the pause of specific reviews;
1.3. with a common process (with possible adaptation by each SO/AC/NC) aimed towards ensuring continuous improvement of the ICANN community and the multistakeholder governance model it represents.
The ALAC follows the ATRT3 Review Team in recognizing the need for a readjustment of current review processes, allowing for them to be better aligned with community needs and available resources. The ALAC views this recommendation as a much-needed shift from obligatory to adaptable and coordinated (by Holistic Review) review processes granted to individual constituencies. This shift is a rational step towards streamlining community efforts and increasing the efficiency of available resources, especially those offered by individual end-user stakeholders, as represented by the At-Large. With that, the ALAC supports the ATRT3 suggestion to introduce changes to the current structure of reviews, specifically by implementing a moratorium on launching any new Organizational and Specific Reviews until it has made a decision on this recommendation, as per Section 8 of the report).
2. The ALAC fully endorses the recommendation to enhance current methods of Prioritization and Rationalization of Activities, Policies, and Recommendations (as per Section 10 of the report).
The ALAC and the At-Large community it represents advises the Board to implement the proposed creation of a community-led entity, tasked with conducting a prioritization process for recommendations made by former and current review teams as well as cross-community groups. The ALAC fully supports all efforts made by the community to further advance this effort, as it views it of top priority to ensure further efficiency of the multistakeholder model. The Internet end user community represented by At-Large, much like other constituencies, faces significant challenges with prioritizing both: policy work, as demanded by ongoing policy development processes often impacted swiftly and directly by outside factors, as well as continuous community improvement, as recommended by various internal review documents. The creation of a dedicated task force, providing clear guidance and accessible language on ICANN community priorities, needs and obligations would be of great benefit to the further development of Internet end user representation as well as better understanding of community needs.
3. The ALAC shares the ATRT3 Review Team’s approach to the review process and methodology behind it, aiming to ensure that all elements contributing to achieving strategic objectives and their subcomponents are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based (SMART) and that all reporting on these refers to well specified metrics, to be reviewed on a regular or timely basis (as per Section 9 of the report).
The At-Large community has long supported the metrics-based approach to community work and participation, among others through the creation of the ALAC Subcommittee on Metrics. Adjusting all community processes to a clear metrics framework would significantly benefit the work done by the diverse, intercultural multistakeholder community, as it currently stands. With that, the ALAC advises the Board to take under careful consideration the recommendations on metrics and reporting, as per section 9 of the report.
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1 Addendum - 5 recommendations:
Joanna Kulesza/1st draft, 16 July 2020:
AT-LARGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALAC
Statement on the Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT 3)
Final Report & Recommendations
The ALAC congratulates the Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) for the completion of its final report and recommendations to the ICANN Board of Directors.
We recognize the amount of effort required to assess ICANN’s implementation of recommendations from past Review Teams. We are appreciative of the assessment as well as the ensuing recommendations, which incorporate valuable input from our community. We strongly support the limited and focused number of recommendations proposed by the ATRT3 team, reflecting the pending implementation of proposals from previous review teams.
We find the ATRT3 recommendations to be clear, appropriate and actionable. We thus support the recommendations and urge the ICANN Board to adopt them as a strategic priority towards creating a culture of accountability and transparency in ICANN.
In moving forward, we advise the ICANN Board to:
- Swiftly implement ATRT3 recommendation to replace specific reviews with a Holistic Review in a uniform process aimed towards ensuring continuous improvement of the ICANN community and the multistakeholder governance model it represents, as per Section 8 of the final report.
The ALAC follows the ATRT3 Review Team in recognizing the need for a readjustment of current review processes, allowing for them to be better aligned with community needs and available resources. The ALAC views this recommendation as a much needed shift from obligatory to discretional, internal review processes granted to individual constituencies. This shift is a rational step towards streamlining community efforts and increasing the efficiency of available resources, especially those offered by non-commercial stakeholders, as represented by the At-Large.
- The ALAC fully endorses the recommendation to enhance current methods of Prioritization and Rationalization of Activities, Policies, and Recommendations (as per Section 10 of the report).
The ALAC and the At-Large community it represents advises the Board to implement the proposed creation of a community-led entity, tasked with operating a prioritization process for recommendations made by former and current review teams, cross-community groups, or any other community-related budgetary elements the Board or ICANN org feels appropriate. The ALAC declares herewith also to fully support all efforts made by the community to further advance this effort, as it views it of top priority to ensure further efficiency of the multistakeholder model. The end user community represented by At-Large, much like other constituencies, faces significant challenges with prioritizing both: policy work, as demanded by ongoing policy development processes often impacted swiftly and directly by outside factors, as well as continuous community improvement, as recommended by various internal review documents. The creation of a dedicated task force, providing clear guidance and accessible language on ICANN community priorities, needs and obligations would be of great benefit to the further development of end user representation as well as better understanding of community needs.
- The ALAC shares the ATRT3 Review Teams approach to the review process and methodology behind it, aiming to ensure that all elements contributing to achieving strategic objectives and their subcomponents are S.M.A.R.T and that all reporting on these refers to well specified metrics, to be reviewed on a regular or timely basis (as per Section 9 of the report).
The At-Large community has long supported the metrics-based approach to community work and participation, among others through the creation of the ALAC Subcommittee on Metrics. Adjusting all community processes to a clear metrics framework would significantly benefit the work done by the diverse, intercultural multistakeholder community, as it currently stands. With that the ALAC advises to the Board to take under careful consideration the recommendations on metrics and reporting, as per section 9 of the report.
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