Session Date/Time: 30 Apr 2025 19:00

LLC-COMMS

Summary

This LLC-COMMS interm meeting provided updates on various IETF communications initiatives, including social media strategies, new blog post themes, and website developments. The core discussion focused on how to effectively share information about IETF operational groups (such as LLC-COMMS, the Tools Team, the LLC Board, and the RFC Production Center) and encourage community engagement. Participants explored whether current low engagement indicated smooth operations or a need for alternative outreach methods, with a consensus leaning towards targeted solicitation of input for specific issues.

Key Discussion Points

Housekeeping and Agenda Review: The chair welcomed participants, reminded attendees of the Notewell and IETF Code of Conduct, and proposed to cover FYIs and updates before the main discussion topic, given the light agenda.
FYIs and Updates:
- Social Media and Promotion: Progress is being made on reviewing the IETF's social media approach and conducting initial promotional experiments (e.g., for IETF 123 registration and Google Adwords).
- Blog Post Themes:
  - Stories of Participation: Highlighting diverse participation in the IETF, exemplified by a recent post about a post-quantum cryptography team from Mauritius/Kenya/US. This aims to showcase different pathways to IETF involvement.
  - Technologies Under Development: Spotlighting practical applications of IETF technologies, citing a recent post on MLS being incorporated into new GSMA standards for secure messaging.
  - Highlighting IETF Support: Featuring support from various organizations, including those that may not fit the traditional "big company" stereotype. Ericsson's renewal as a global host was noted.
- IETF Snapshot and Graphics: Discussion included the new IETF snapshot's graphic design, which incorporates data on participant sectors (academia, civil society, industry). The value of professional designers for broadly used graphics and the potential for creating templates were noted.
- Website Updates:
  - Ongoing updates include improvements to the "Support Us" section.
  - Work continues on a more blog-post-like approach for the "Technology" section, though progress has been slower than anticipated.
  - Promotional experiments are expected to provide insights into website traffic patterns, including direct entry points (e.g., meeting pages), to better leverage these for key information and calls to action.
- 2024 Annual Report: Expected to be completed by the end of May, significantly earlier than in previous years.
- Inclusivity and Outreach Strategy: A point was raised regarding better highlighting IETF's inclusivity efforts and programs (mentors, onboarding days). The need for a cohesive strategy and prominent placement of this information on the IETF website was discussed, including presenting it in a way that resonates with policymakers.
Sharing Information about IETF Operations:
- Challenge Identified: Operational groups (LLC-COMMS, Tools Team, LLC Board, RFC Production Center) hold open meetings announced on mailing lists and some offer office hours. However, feedback suggests low community participation and difficulty tracking their work.
- Discussion on Engagement Levels:
  - A sense of those present indicated that low participation in operational meetings might not necessarily be a "huge problem" if the operations are running smoothly; a lack of complaints can be a positive sign.
  - For concrete input requirements, targeted outreach (e.g., specific emails, plenary announcements) was deemed more effective than general open meetings.
  - While acknowledging that "no news is good news" might obscure actual community sentiment, the current system (open meetings, occasional direct feedback) was seen as generally functional.
  - The suggestion of offering smaller "office hours" for staff, board, or trust members was made as an accessible channel for direct feedback.
- RFC Production Center (RPC) Interim Meeting: Jean reported that the RPC is planning its first interim meeting (Wednesday, May 21st) to discuss strategic transformations. A previous blog post on RFC Interest related to this initiative generated community discussion on topics like GitHub/Markdown use, author formatting, and improving diff files during AUTH48, indicating specific areas of community interest. The RPC plans to use standard interim meeting announcement processes.
- Strategies for Improving Engagement:
  - Working Group chairs could be informed about these operational meetings and resources to help direct interested community members.
  - Operational groups should explicitly state specific questions or areas where community input is desired in their meeting announcements and agendas, rather than just providing general updates.
  - The IESG reports were suggested as another potential venue for operational groups to solicit community input, especially given the limited reach of some dedicated lists (e.g., admin-discuss for LLC-COMMS).

Decisions and Action Items

Greg (Chair):
- To consider incorporating explicit requests for community input on specific topics into future LLC-COMMS meeting agendas.
- To explore the use of IESG reports as another channel for soliciting community input on operational topics.
- To review the meeting notes and circulate them to the admin-discuss list later this week.
Jean (RPC):
- To proceed with announcing the RPC's first interim meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, May 21st, using standard interim meeting announcement tools and posting to RFC Interest and RSWG lists.
General Direction:
- Operational groups should aim to clearly communicate specific areas where community input is sought in their outreach.
- Continue efforts to better highlight IETF's inclusivity programs and strategy on the website and in communications.

Next Steps

LLC-COMMS will plan its next interm meeting, with an emphasis on clearly identifying and communicating specific areas where community input is sought.
The RPC's interim meeting on May 21st will serve as an initial model for an operational group to engage the community in a dedicated interm session.
Ongoing work on IETF communication initiatives, including social media strategy, blog post production, and website enhancements, will continue.