Changes

* Interisle's "own extensive knowledge of ICANN, the RSSAC, and the DNS root server system."<ref name="finalreport2" />  

* Interisle's "own extensive knowledge of ICANN, the RSSAC, and the DNS root server system."<ref name="finalreport2" />  

Interisle subjected this data to a structured qualitative analysis<ref>[https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/2092/3904 For a primer on structured qualitative analysis, see Herz, Peters, & Truschkat: "How to Do Qualitative Structural Analysis: The Qualitative Interpretation of Network Maps and Narrative Interviews;" Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol. 16 No. 1, January 2015]</ref> and presented its findings in an initial Assessment Report to ICANN.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2018-02-27-en RSSAC2 Review: Assessment Report Published - ICANN announcement, February 27, 2018]</ref>

Interisle subjected this data to a structured qualitative analysis<ref>[https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/2092/3904 For a primer on structured qualitative analysis, see Herz, Peters, & Truschkat: "How to Do Qualitative Structural Analysis: The Qualitative Interpretation of Network Maps and Narrative Interviews;" Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol. 16 No. 1, January 2015]</ref> and presented its findings in an initial Assessment Report to ICANN.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2018-02-27-en RSSAC2 Review: Assessment Report Published - ICANN announcement, February 27, 2018]</ref> The draft assessment report was the topic of meetings between members of RSSAC's Review Work Party and Interisle's consultants.<ref>[https://participate.icann.org/p2zrcgd41jl/ Recording of RSSAC Review2 Work Party, February 15, 2018]</ref><ref>[https://community.icann.org/display/ACCRSSAC/RSSAC+Work+Party+Meetings The RSSAC Work Party Meetings Archive] lists a meeting on February 20, intended to cover feedback provided by the RWP. However, a recording is presently not available.</ref>

===Findings===

===Findings===

===Response to Assessment Report===

===Response to Assessment Report===

The Assessment Report was submitted for public comment and response prior to the development of recommendations. At an open meeting on March 14, 2018 at [[ICANN 61]],<ref>[https://61.schedule.icann.org/meetings/647791 ICANN 61 Meeting Archive]</ref> Lyman Chapin explained:  

The Assessment Report was submitted for public comment and response prior to the development of recommendations. At an open meeting on March 14, 2018 at [[ICANN 61]],<ref>[https://61.schedule.icann.org/meetings/647791 ICANN 61 Meeting Archive]</ref> Lyman Chapin explained:  

<blockquote>And this reflects a process that MSSI has fairly recently adopted for doing organizational reviews, which is to divide them into two distinct phases. The first phase is an assessment phase in which the idea is not to anticipate what recommendations might be made but simply to report on what the independent examiner found after conducting interviews, and surveys, and document reviews, and so forth.<ref name="icann61transcript">[https://static.ptbl.co/static/attachments/172550/1523576427.pdf?1523576427 Transcript of RSSAC Organizational Review Session at ICANN 61]</ref> </blockquote>Chapin presented the principal findings at the ICAAN 61 meeting, and received no questions from the attendees.<ref name="icann61transcript" />

<blockquote>And this reflects a process that MSSI has fairly recently adopted for doing organizational reviews, which is to divide them into two distinct phases. The first phase is an assessment phase in which the idea is not to anticipate what recommendations might be made but simply to report on what the independent examiner found after conducting interviews, and surveys, and document reviews, and so forth.<ref name="icann61transcript">[https://static.ptbl.co/static/attachments/172550/1523576427.pdf?1523576427 Transcript of RSSAC Organizational Review Session at ICANN 61]</ref> </blockquote>Chapin presented the principal findings at the ICAAN 61 meeting, and received no questions from the attendees.<ref name="icann61transcript" />  

On March 28, 2018, RSSAC issued '''RSSAC032:''' Feedback on the Independent Review of the Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) Assessment Report for Public Consultation.<ref name="assessfb">[https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/rssac-032-28mar18-en.pdf RSSAC032]</ref> RSSAC032 begins with a discussion of the [[ICANN Bylaws]] and the committees expectation of the focus of the review:  

On March 28, 2018, RSSAC issued '''RSSAC032:''' Feedback on the Independent Review of the Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) Assessment Report for Public Consultation.<ref name="assessfb">[https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/rssac-032-28mar18-en.pdf RSSAC032]</ref> RSSAC032 begins with a discussion of the [[ICANN Bylaws]] and the committee's expectation of the focus of the review:  

<blockquote>RSSAC’s interpretation of the stated assessment report’s purpose is that an organizational review would look at the organization – its chairs, its procedures, its guiding documents including charter and bylaws, its meetings, and the publications it has produced.<ref name="assessfb" /></blockquote>

<blockquote>RSSAC’s interpretation of the stated assessment report’s purpose is that an organizational review would look at the ''organization'' – its chairs, its procedures, its guiding documents including charter and bylaws, its meetings, and the publications it has produced.<ref name="assessfb" /></blockquote>

This interpretation substantially diminished the scope of ICANN's announcement of the review, and the parameters defined in the RFP.  

This interpretation substantially diminished the scope of ICANN's announcement of the review, and the parameters defined in the RFP. Based on that narrow definition of scope, the committee found "three...surprising categories of findings" that they viewed as outside the purpose of the review:

 

Based on that narrow definition of scope, the committee found "three...surprising categories of findings" that they viewed as outside the purpose of the review:

<blockquote>However, we found that the initial assessment report included three additional surprising categories of findings.

<blockquote>However, we found that the initial assessment report included three additional surprising categories of findings.

i. Out of Scope Findings: Findings related to items that RSSAC could never include within its charter, such as items related to the technical day-to-day operation of the Root Server System (RSS) or the confusion surrounding a contributor’s lack of understanding of multiple ICANN bodies such as SSAC.

i. Out of Scope Findings: Findings related to items that RSSAC could never include within its charter, such as items related to the technical day-to-day operation of the Root Server System (RSS) or the confusion surrounding a contributor’s lack of understanding of multiple ICANN bodies such as SSAC.

iii. Tone: Findings and tone related to public opinion and sensational anonymous quotes about RSSAC or its purpose, but not providing any other insight.<ref name="assessfb" /><ref>RSSAC's surprise at "out of scope findings" is contrary to its behavior prior to this response. For example, it asked for clarity regarding certain questions in the Self Assessment, rather than a "narrowing of scope." The [http://mm.icann.org/pipermail/rssac-review2/attachments/20170908/af910e0d/RSSACOrganizationalReview2Self-Assessment.pdf Self Assessment] prepared and submitted by the committee in September 2017 does not contain objections to scope, except in response to some questions where it refers some questions to ICANN (presumably because those are not within RSSAC's charter to address and improve independently).</ref></blockquote>

iii. Tone: Findings and tone related to public opinion and sensational anonymous quotes about RSSAC or its purpose, but not providing any other insight.<ref name="assessfb" /><ref>RSSAC's surprise at "out of scope findings" is contrary to its behavior prior to this response. For example, it asked for clarity regarding certain questions in the Self Assessment, rather than a "narrowing of scope." The [http://mm.icann.org/pipermail/rssac-review2/attachments/20170908/af910e0d/RSSACOrganizationalReview2Self-Assessment.pdf Self Assessment] prepared and submitted by the committee in September 2017 does not contain objections to scope, except in response to some questions where it refers some questions to ICANN (presumably because those are not within RSSAC's charter to address and improve independently).</ref></blockquote>

The committee argued that it is only empowered to do that which is within its [[RSSAC Charter|charter]], and that any findings or recommendations should hew to the central tenets of that charter, the ICANN Bylaws, and RSSAC's "structure and procedures, <nowiki>[...]</nowiki> in line with relevant process documents and bylaws."

The committee argued that it is only empowered to do that which is within its [[RSSAC Charter|charter]], and that any findings or recommendations should specifically address the tenets of that charter, the ICANN Bylaws, and RSSAC's "structure and procedures, <nowiki>[...]</nowiki> in line with relevant process documents and bylaws."