[okfn-advisory] Advising Open Knowledge in 2015

Wed Jan 28 18:03:59 UTC 2015

+1000 to Peter comments
The AC could also have a more direct role on shaping strategy.
Is there an OKF meet-up this year? Should we have an AC meeting during the
Festival? Should we have periodic calls? Maybe 1 each 4 months or so?

On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 7:15 AM, Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk> wrote:

> Thank you Rufus,
>
> I don't want to get into a design-by-email
>
> In retrospect what could and IMO should have happened would be:
> * AC receive regular (occasionally confidential) updates on OKF. These
> would have advised that a report was going to be written and estimated the
> timescale.
> * then: an advice that the report had been submitted
> * advice that certain section of the report had been embargoed by the
> funder.
>
> This is normal business and I would have been quite happy with this and
> accepted it and kept the information confidential. Instead there were
> rumours and uncertainty for many months.
>
> A more recent example. By chance I have learnt that the OKF has a proposal
> on Open (Clinical) Trials - with Ben Goldacre. This is excellent. However
> in our ContentMine project we have independently made contact with Ben and
> others and so see the proposal that has been submitted by OKF. I've spent
> 20 years in pharma, drug regulatory, electronic healthcare and would have
> been happy to be involved - as it is I had only learnt by casual
> conversations.
>
> I am not asking that AC is necessarily consulted about all early projects
> at OKF or that OKF proactively take detailed account of the skills and
> expertise of the AC.. However at present I know virtually nothing of what
> the OKF is doing. I would expect that an AC would get regular formal
> updates of lists of projects - at least titles and funders - when we may be
> able to help with contacts, advice, moderation, encouragement, etc. We
> cannot be expected to glean this from the website/s.
>
> So in simple terms.
>
> * Keep AC *regularly* up to date with OKF activities. Most of this will be
> semi-public and almost all will be no more than staff-confidential.
> * Ask AC if it has expertise in areas where OKF is likely to run projects,
> hire people, etc...
> * Specifically ask about critical foreseen events in OKF development.
>
> Then we can possibly contribute.
>
> And decide whether the AC is just for Rufus, or whether it's for the wider
> OKF and Board. If it's just for Rufus I don't think it's useful. So I'd
> like this discussion to go to the Board.
>
> P.
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Rufus Pollock <rufus.pollock at okfn.org>
> wrote:
>
>> I am responding quickly on the specific item around the report.
>>
>> Sharing has been delayed because of discussion with funder about the
>> report and especially its final version and overall sharing process. Since
>> this is not fully resolved and ultimately requires Board level sign-off on
>> final steps (which has not happened) this has been delayed.
>>
>> I would also acknowledge that progress on resolving those items has not
>> always been a top priority given the press of other very important things
>> to do.
>>
>> I would really like to be sharing this with you all but I am also mindful
>> that this is not completely straightforward and that this is not my (or
>> other team members) sole decision to make.
>>
>> Rufus
>>
>> On 28 January 2015 at 11:38, Daniel Dietrich <daniel.dietrich at okfn.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I couldn't agree more with what Peter just said. I still have not seen
>>> Morris Lipson's report although I have asked for it several times
>>> (Management team have only shared the section about Germany with us so
>>> far). Could the management team (witch is Rufus at the moment I guess)
>>> please share the full report with us? Many thanks!
>>>
>>> All best
>>> Daniel
>>>
>>> --
>>> Daniel Dietrich, co-founder & chairman
>>> Open Knowledge Foundation Germany
>>> www.okfn.de | info at okfn.de | @okfde
>>> Office: +49 30 57703666 0 | Fax: - 9
>>> Mobile: +49 176 32768530
>>>
>>>
>>> > On 28 Jan 2015, at 12:23, Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > I've been on the Advisory Council since OKF started (10+ years). I've
>>> been proud to have this position and have promoted it and the OKF.
>>> >
>>> > The OKF needs an AC. However I have been disappointed that there is no
>>> structure or activity or role for the AC.  It has much in common with
>>> Editorial Boards of journals where often the sole role is to parade the
>>> great-and-good to convince people how wonderful the journal is. When that
>>> happens I (a) create a fuss (b) resign publicly.
>>> >
>>> > The role of the AC is to be proactively asked for advice, and to be
>>> listened to on a very regular basis.  It may also be required to help with
>>> unexpected issues (both positive and negative). Although it may only be
>>> advisory it should be taken seriously.
>>> >
>>> > In my ten years I have only met as advisory council  at OKFests where
>>> I happened to be present. Berlin (which was very good), Helsinki, a dinner
>>> run by Laura at Geneva. But these were random.
>>> >
>>> > Over the last 5 years there has been massive growth in OKF and the
>>> council has not been consulted. I would have regarded the following as
>>> mandatory for a AC:
>>> > * change of name and logo. In my view these have been a disaster but I
>>> have not been given the formal chance to comment
>>> > * Morris Lipson's report. This is probably the most in-depth
>>> assessment of the OKF (I cannot write OK as it's ridiculous). I was
>>> interviewed and felt it was extremely constructive but have had zero
>>> feedback. If there is any single activity the AC should have been involved
>>> in it is helping to plan the future of OKF. We knew by hearsay that there
>>> was a report - that's all, but that we weren't considered
>>> responsible/useful enough to know anything about it. Yes it may have had
>>> sensitive parts, but we are experienced people and can deal with such
>>> matters.
>>> >
>>> > Effectively - at present - the AC is irrelevant to OKF, except as a
>>> list of great-and-good.
>>> >
>>> > So if it is to go forward it has to be rearchitected properly. A bit
>>> of sticking plaster will only lead to the same problems.
>>> >
>>> > ***I would suggest that these views go to the Board - as it's their
>>> responsibility for what the AC does or does not get involved in.***
>>> >
>>> > At the very least a new AC would have a timetable, regular formal
>>> updates on what the OKF has done, is doing and wants to do.
>>> >
>>> > I still love OKF and always will and remain part of it...
>>> >
>>> > P.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Tue, Jan 27, 2015 at 9:25 AM, Laura James <lbjames at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > All,
>>> >
>>> > I'm delighted to be joining the Advisory Council now that I've
>>> finished work at Open Knowledge.  The Council (primarily through
>>> conversations with individual members) was a valuable support whilst I
>>> co-led Open Knowledge with Rufus, for which many thanks to you all.
>>> >
>>> > As we start 2015 and what I imagine will be a time of change and
>>> evolution for the organisation, with a new ED coming in and continuing
>>> rapid development in the open data sector, I hope the Advisory Council can
>>> continue to be useful to Open Knowledge's leadership, both reactively and
>>> proactively.
>>> >
>>> > Advisory Council members: what do you think the Advisory Council and
>>> Open Knowledge should be doing in 2015? Are there issues or events that we
>>> should be paying attention to?
>>> >
>>> > Rufus: what do you want and need from the Council this year? How can
>>> we most effectively help you?
>>> >
>>> > The Council has, of late, mostly been consulted as individuals and
>>> this email list has, perhaps, been underused.  Occasionally there's been a
>>> suggestion of meetings, or a chair. I think it's worth considering how we
>>> work, perhaps once we have an idea of what we want to do this year :)
>>> >
>>> > Best regards,
>>> >
>>> > Laura
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Peter Murray-Rust
>>> > Reader in Molecular Informatics
>>> > Unilever Centre, Dep. Of Chemistry
>>> > University of Cambridge
>>> > CB2 1EW, UK
>>> > +44-1223-763069
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> *Rufus PollockFounder and President | skype: rufuspollock | @rufuspollock
>> <https://twitter.com/rufuspollock>Open Knowledge <http://okfn.org/> - see
>> how data can change the world**http://okfn.org/ <http://okfn.org/> |
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>>
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> Peter Murray-Rust
> Reader in Molecular Informatics
> Unilever Centre, Dep. Of Chemistry
> University of Cambridge
> CB2 1EW, UK
> +44-1223-763069
>
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>

-- 
-- 
*Carolina Rossini *
*Vice President, International Policy*
*Public Knowledge*
*http://www.publicknowledge.org/ <http://www.publicknowledge.org/>*
+ 1 6176979389 | skype: carolrossini | @carolinarossini
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