October 2023 - UA-discuss - lists.iana.org

UASG Five-Year Plan, a lovely idea, but the first draft is conceptually mistaken
by Jim DeLaHunt Oct. 24, 2023

Oct. 24, 2023

UASG Colleagues: I am pleased to see UASG planning starting to embrace a longer time horizon than our current 1-year plans. The staff announced a process[1] to make a Five Year Strategic Plan[2]. However, I think that the first draft of the plan[2] is conceptually mistaken. I will try to summarise my thoughts here. Unfortunately, I cannot attend the ICANN78 session, "Five-Year Planning for Universal Acceptance (UA) and Governance of UA Steering Group (UASG)"[3], because it is in the middle of sleep in my time zone. Part of the conceptual frame of the current draft is in the section "Way Forward". It says, "The Universal Acceptance Steering Group is committed to achieving Universal Acceptance for all internet users.… UASG aims to make significant strides towards Universal Acceptance.… UASG would aim to set targets for UA adoption for the next five years…" This positions the UASG as the primary actor in achieving Universal Acceptance — not website operators like Facebook, not email services like GMail, not software vendors like Microsoft, but UASG. I think it is a big mistake for UASG to think of itself that way. We are not the primary actor in achieving Universal Acceptance. We are a small, maybe well-informed, but not very noticeable commentator on the sidelines. The primary actors are thousands upon thousands of organisations and people making economic choices about the websites, email services, and technologies which they buy or sell or develop. If we are not the primary actor for UA, what can we do? We can become the best-informed resource for Universal Acceptance information. We can become experts on those economic choices which do drive Universal Acceptance. We can learn and explain the economic and strategic factors driving Universal Acceptance. We can become experts on why actors choose Universal Acceptance, and why they do not. We can help willing customers find willing sellers of Universally-Accepting products. We can celebrate and bring attention to those actors who are driving Universal Acceptance success[4]. Another part of the conceptual frame is on the next two pages: "UASG will continue to work with its existing stakeholders….", and "For this purpose, UASG will work through its existing working groups.…". I think it is a big mistake for UASG to not have any component of self-reflection and structural improvement in the Five-Year Plan. UASG should be asking itself, how effective are we? Will more technology-focussed working group meetings, more small-scale contracts for technology evaluations, and more reports move the needle for UA? We should be evaluating which of our activities are having a big impact, and which are not. We should be reflecting on how well our current structure of Working Groups made up of a small, mostly ad-hoc group of volunteers is action performing. We should be thinking of what structural changes will make us more effective. I think UASG needs to reach beyond engineers educating engineers. What other areas of activity should UA take on? I think we should start to examine how business strategies and economic forces drive or obstruct universal acceptance. We should have business people examining economic incentives in UASG. I think UASG does not possess nor communicate a clear understanding of the strategic situation for Universal Acceptance. What are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for Universal Acceptance in the global market? What are the major obstacles? Part of our five-year work should be to build this understanding, then communicate it, then make our annual plans build on this understanding. For example, each working group's annual plan should explain how it is attempting to overcome the strategic obstacles which we understand to be blocking Universal Acceptance. I remain happy to be helping promote Universal Acceptance. I would like to see UASG be even more effective. I think a five year plan can help us get here. I think this draft of the five year plan is conceptually mistaken. I hope that we can use the five year plan idea to elevate our conversation to coming up with a better conceptual structure to build on. I apologise if this message is rough and poorly written. I wanted to get the ideas into circulation, and it is late here, so this is the best I can do right now. I welcome the discussion. Best regards, —Jim DeLaHunt [1] "[UA-Tech] UASG Five Year Strategic Planning FY(2025 - 2029)" <https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-tech/2023-October/000679.html> [2] "Developing Five Year Strategic Plan FY (2025 - 2029) For the Universal Acceptance Steering Group" <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D2obkDSmhH-6mI5BDQT06F0ox42MCRL2h2a-e6w…> [3] "Five-Year Planning for Universal Acceptance (UA) and Governance of UA Steering Group (UASG)" 08:30 UTC, 24 October 2023 <https://icann78.sched.com/event/1T4OU/five-year-planning-for-universal-acce…> [4] Jothan Frakes has a great idea, to recognise "Champions of UA" <https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-tech/2023-October/000680.html> -- --Jim DeLaHunt, jdlh(a)jdlh.com http://blog.jdlh.com/ (http://jdlh.com/) multilingual websites consultant, Vancouver, Canada

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ICANN78 UASG session today
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 23, 2023

Oct. 23, 2023

Dear all, You are cordially invited to join the ICANN78 UASG session today. Your contribution will shape UA’s future. Looking forward to meeting you. Session: Five-Year Planning for Universal Acceptance (UA) and Governance of UA Steering Group (UASG) Session page: https://sched.co/1T4OU Place: Hall C<https://icann78.sched.com/venue/Hall+C> – Level 1 Date: 24 October Tuesday 2023 Time: 10:30 local time (08:30 UTC) Kind regards, Seda Akbulut UA Program Manager Global Domains and Strategy Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)

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22 October ICANN78 UA Sessions
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 22, 2023

Oct. 22, 2023

Timezone: Europe/Paris Sunday, October 22 Session1: 1:15pm-2:30pm CEST @ Hall 1 Get to Know the ICANN Community: Meet IPC and UASG Members [a.sched.co]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/a.sched.co/track/click/30040188/icann78.s…> Session page: https://sched.co/1T4He Session2: 4:30pm-5:30pm CEST @ Hall Y 5-8 (ALAC) At-Large Outreach and Engagement Session [a.sched.co]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/a.sched.co/track/click/30040188/icann78.s…> Session page: https://sched.co/1T4Ku

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UASG Newsletter - October 2023
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 19, 2023

Oct. 19, 2023

Dear UASG community, We are happy to share with you the UASG Newsletter October 2023 issue. Please find a copy on https://community.icann.org/display/TUA/UASG+Newsletters. We hope you enjoy reading it. Regards Anil Kumar Jain & Raymond Mamattah UASG Communications WG Leadership

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ICANN78 UA Prep Week Session on 10 Oct 16:00–17:00 UTC
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 10, 2023

Oct. 10, 2023

Dear all, ICANN78 Prep Week schedule is now available here: https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann78-prep-week-schedule-n… You are cordially invited to UA session of which details given below: Universal Acceptance Community Update Tuesday, 10 October16:00–17:00 UTC To get such updates automatically, please sign up: https://subscribe.icann.org/unauthenticated?requestedPath=%2Fsubscriptions To participate in any of the sessions at ICANN78, please first register<https://events.icann.org/icann78/dnuregistration/Site/Register> for ICANN78. Best regards, Seda Akbulut

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ICANN78 IDN&UA meetings and background images
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 9, 2023

Oct. 9, 2023

Dear all, Attached please find the list of ICANN78 sessions on IDN & UA. When joining the meeting remotely, you may wish to use the Zoom background images attached. Looking forward to meeting you at ICANN78 online and onsite. Best regards, Seda

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UA Sessions @ICANN 78
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 4, 2023

Oct. 4, 2023

Dear all, Please find the UA sessions at ICANN78. To register and join the meetings please register first by clicking on the link at the time column. Your participation and contribution to the meetings are important. We look forward to meeting with you all. UA Sessions @ICANN 78 Prep Week (9 - 11 October 2023) (Prep Week Schedule<https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann78-prep-week-schedule-n…>) Main Week (21 - 26 October 2023) (Full Schedule<https://icann78.sched.com/>) All times are local (UTC+2) unless specified otherwise Day/Date Time Room Session Tue, 10 Oct 16:00 - 17:00 UTC <https://icann78.sched.com/event/1Sgpr/universal-acceptance-community-update> Prep Week / Online Universal Acceptance (UA) Community Update Sun, 22 Oct 13:15 - 14:30<https://icann78.sched.com/event/1T4He/get-to-know-the-icann-community-meet-…> Hall 1 Get to Know the ICANN Community: Meet IPC and UASG Members Joint Session: UASG and Fellowship (planned for 45 min btw 13:45 - 14:30 local time) Sun, 22 Oct 16:30 - 17:30<https://icann78.sched.com/event/1T4Ku/at-large-outreach-and-engagement-sess…> Hall Y 5-8 (ALAC) At-Large Outreach and Engagement Session ALAC-UASG (Agenda<https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Meetings+-+Sunday%2C+2…>) Tue, 24 Oct 10:30 - 12:30<https://icann78.sched.com/event/1T4OU/five-year-planning-for-universal-acce…> Hall C Five-Year Planning for Universal Acceptance (UA) and Governance of UA Steering Group (UASG) Wed, 25 Oct 9:00 - 10:00<https://icann78.sched.com/event/1T4M0/planning-for-universal-acceptance-ua-…> Hall G 1 (ccNSO) Planning for Universal Acceptance (UA) Day 2024 Regards, Seda

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UA Day planning meeting on Monday 2 October at UTC 1430
by Seda Akbulut Oct. 2, 2023

Oct. 2, 2023

Dear all, “Supporting the UA Day 2024 planning” will be worked as an action item for UA Communications Working Group. In UA Comms WG regular meetings (held every two weeks on Mondays), UA Day planning will be part of the standing agenda. You are cordially invited to join the discussion and be part of the UA Day planning. The next meeting is on 2 October, Monday at UTC 1430. UA Day topic will be discussed for about half an hour at the beginning of each meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://icann.zoom.us/j/92496391581?pwd=S3JFTEF2K0xGZjNaYVNyQlRiM0FuQT09 Meeting ID: 924 9639 1581 Passcode: ^+XR6=%03? Meeting ID: 924 9639 1581 Mobile Passcode: 8421079539 Find your local number: https://icann.zoom.us/u/acIaeN5FB6 Best regards, Seda Akbulut

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