Working together for standards The Web Standards Project

We’ve stung, we’ve swarmed, we’ve buzzed. Sometimes we’ve failed to make our mark, other times we’ve been far more successful. But there’s one thing that’s certain, and that is as of Monday, March 13th, the Web Standards Project enters a new time in its history, opening the hive up to better include the communities and issues we’ve done our black and gold best to represent since 1998.

WTF?

WaSP Task Forces, of course.

The first activity of WaSP’s open model is the WTF: Getting the Job Done Right panel at SXSW. This panel will review the activities of the Task Forces within WaSP. We’ll have the following Task Force representatives explaining their failures, successes and hopes for the future:

• Kimberly Blessing (WaSP): Education Task Force (EduTF)
• Molly E. Holzschlag (WaSP): Moderator, Acid2 TF
• Matt May (WaSP): Accessibility Task Force (ATF)
• Drew McLellan (WaSP): WaSP Strategy
• Dori Smith (WaSP): DOM Scripting Task Force
• Jennifer Taylor (Adobe): Dreamweaver Task Force
• Chris Wilson (Microsoft): WaSP / Microsoft Task Force

WaSP Annual Open Meeting 1.0

While we’ve held our annual meetings at the SXSW event for several years, this year we’re holding the meeting in public, opening up the forum for anyone present to participate. The meeting will begin with opening remarks from WaSP co-founder Jeffrey Zeldman and commentary from Steve Champeon who guided WaSP through the early part of 2000. We will then introduce the current WaSP and WaSP Task Force members in attendance, as well as formally welcoming new WaSPs.

Then, things will get especially interesting as the meeting turns to your concerns. There will be four hot topics that we’ve gathered up from public feedback about WaSP activities presented for open commentary and public input. While the discussion will be moderated for the sake of time concerns, the discussion will focus on how we can better serve the public good, and how you as the public can participate in WaSP activities in inclusive and proactive ways.

Virtual Ribbon Cutting

While many WaSPs as well as WaSP supporters and critics will be present at this year’s SXSW, many cannot attend. What’s more, we want to make sure our open model extends into the future. To that end, we shall be cutting the virtual ribbon on the new WaSP Web site, which will have a fresh design and, something that’s been long overdue in coming, open comments so that this new, inclusive vision continues forward.

If you are attending SXSW, we hope you will join us for both the informative WTF panel and the open meeting. If you cannot attend, there will be live blogging of the event and while it is as of yet uncomfirmed, we hope to podcast the meeting. And of course, stop by to see the new site and add your voice. Together, there is no doubt in my mind that we can free the Web by promoting its core vision: Interoperability, accessibility and community.

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