Operational Design Phase

An Operational Design Phase (ODP) is an ICANN organization-level assessment of a GNSO Council-approved Policy Development Process recommendation that is initiated and scoped by the ICANN Board.

Overview

This mechanism is meant to provide the Board with the necessary operational information to determine the impact of implementing a GNSO Council-approved recommendation. The assessment helps the Board decide whether the recommendations are in the best interests of the ICANN community (ICANN Bylaws, Annex A, Section 9 (a)). An ODP cannot amend or change the substance or intent of the GNSO Council recommendation. It does not allow the reopening or revisiting of the policy discussions that occurred during the PDP. If ICANN staff, the Board, or the community do not understand the intent of a recommendation or feel that questions remain, they must convey their concerns to the GNSO Council.

Requirements

Timing

The ICANN Board may initiate the ODP in the final phase of a PDP or after the GNSO Council has approved a recommendation.

Concerns

The Board

1. feels the complexity of the implementation and the resources it will require necessitate their own assessment, or
2. needs more information to decide whether the recommendation is in the ICANN community's best interest.
   

Scope

Initiating an ODP will require the Board to specify its scope, which in most cases should be limited to operational design.

Structure

The ICANN CEO forms a team led by a subject matter expert, encourages the GNSO Council to provide a liaison to the team, and :includes updates and reports on a webpage dedicated to ODPs.

Integration with the Existing Consensus Policy Implementation Framework

In 2015, ICANN organization and the GNSO's Policy and Implementation WG developed the Consensus Policy Implementation Framework (CPIF), which shapes how ICANN prepares materials for the Board's consideration of GNSO Council recommendations. The ODP will become part of the CPIF, and after two ODPs have been completed, ICANN will assess the mechanism.

Generic Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains and other responsibilities set forth in the Bylaws (ICANN Bylaws).

Policy Development Process