Stages in Processing New Ideas

Hello Everyone – I took the following directly from the Minutes of September 27, 2015 whereby John deferred to Brian Lennon about the suggestions he had made regarding the processing of new ideas. I am posting in the hopes there are some comments, alternatives etc. since several Board members have observed how long it takes to get some crucial issues through to final acceptance. Here are Brian Lennon’s which is what he had sent us directly as well. I shall send my suggestions in answer to this post.

MINUTES:
DISCUSSION: John referred to e-mail Brian Lennon had sent regarding a process of moving ideas, drafts, and policies through the Board for approval. Here it is as a review:

Stage 1: Launching of idea and decision to work towards a policy/plan
Stage 2: Discussion on forum and via emails.
Stage 3: Final trimming in a Board meeting
Stage 4: Formal proposal and approval or not
Stage 5: Presentation to members via website and notification email.
Stage 6: Final modifications and adoption or not by WGI
Stage 7: Publication of the official policy/document on the website.
Stage 8: Annual review of the policy considering any feedback received.

Somewhere on our website we could display a table of these stages with a listing of what proposals are at each stage right now.

This stage system would have several advantages:
• help us formalise our decision-making process
• help us and newcomers be aware of what is going on
• avoid duplication
• help us avoid the situation where some good work gets lost in the background
• a better sense of progressing ideas from the early brain-storming phase to the final approval and implementation.

This and other draft proposals will be added to discussion forum for input from board members.