Open Stack

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Dickinson [mailto:me at not.mn]
> Sent: 23 August 2014 03:20
> To: OpenStack Development Mailing List (not for usage questions)
> Subject: Re: [openstack-dev] [all] [ptls] The Czar system, or how to scale PTLs
> 
> I think Anne makes some excellent points about the pattern being proposed
> being unlikely to be commonly implemented across all the programs (or, at best,
> very difficult). Let's not try to formalize another "best practice" that works many
> times and force it to work every time. Here's an alternate proposal:
> 
> Let's let PTLs be PTLs and effectively coordinate and manage the activity in their
> respective projects. And let's get the PTLs together for one or two days every
> cycle to discuss project issues. Just PTLs, and let's focus on the project
> management stuff and some cross-project issues.
> 
> Getting the PTLs together would allow them to discuss cross-project issues,
> share frustrations and solutions about what does and doesn't work. Basically,
> think of it as a mid-cycle meetup, but for PTLs. (Perhaps we could even ask the
> Foundation to sponsor it.)
> 
> --John
> 

As part of the user feedback loop, we've found the PTL role extremely useful to channel feedback.  The operator PTL discussions during the Atlanta summit helped to clarify a number of areas where the PTL can then take the points back to the design summit. It is not clear how czars would address the outward facing part of the PTL role which is clearly needed in view of the various discussions around program management and priorities.

If we have lots of czars or major differences in how each project is structured, it is not clear how we channel user feedback to the project teams. Would there be a user czar on each project ?

I have no problem with lots of czars to delegate activities across the projects but having a single accountable and elected PTL who can choose the level of delegation (and be assessed on that) seems to be a very good feature.

Tim