[Project-managers] Improving communication between TLC and PMs

[Ted Ralphs]

PROJECT MANAGER UPDATE
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The TLC has recently been taking a critical look at our operating 
procedures, with an eye towards future improvement. One area in which it 
seems we need to improve is in our communication with project managers 
(specifically those who are not on the TLC) regarding policy decisions. 
In some cases, the current channels of communication have not been 
working well and we have received feedback indicating that, although we 
try hard to consider the needs and desires of all project managers when 
we make policy decisions, some have felt their concerns were not heard. 
Achieving a good balance between the needs of various project managers, 
as well as those of users is sometimes very difficult. In recent policy 
discussions, the TLC has chosen to error on the side of making life 
easier for users, which has caused difficulties for some project managers.

To help address these issues, we'd like to encourage more involvement in 
the policy-making process on the part of project managers, especially 
those who may want to influence the direction the TLC is taking. To this 
end, we would like to invite all project managers to attend the biweekly 
TLC teleconferences. A list of upcoming meetings and links to the Wiki 
pages containing agendas and call-in information is here:

https://projects.coin-or.org/CoinTLC/wiki/FutureMeetings

At the risk of additional SPAM on the PMs mailing list, TLC meetings 
will be announced on the PMs mailing list from now on. PMs who want more 
involvement can also subscribe to the TLC mailing list for access to 
policy discussions that occur there.

The TLC Wiki, which contains notes from all previous meetings, archived 
policy discussions pages and more, is open for viewing by anyone, so if 
you want to see that's going on, please visit

https://projects.coin-or.org/CoinTLC

and let us know if you have any feedback. We hope this will help improve 
communication channels and build a stronger COIN-OR developer community.

Happy holidays!

The Technical Leadership Council
COIN-OR Foundation
Ted Ralphs, Chair