ICANN launches strategy public conversation and is looking for feedback

As Fadi Chehadé, ICANN’s President & CEO, announced this week, ICANN launched a public conversation about ICANN’s future. ICANN is seeking ideas from the global community to help create a new, overarching vision and five-year strategy for ICANN.

What do you think are the most important forces potentially affecting the Internet in the next 1-5 years that should be broadly taken into consideration when ICANN creates its new five-year strategy?

• What are the most important things to keep in mind when considering how the above forces connect with ICANN’s mission and core values (as detailed in our bylaws)?
• What key factors should we consider related to ICANN’s roles, responsibilities, operations, and structure?

The strategic planning process will formally begin in June 2013, and will include a more focused public discussion (online and at the ICANN Durban meeting), a draft Strategic Plan posted for public comment, and Board consideration and action at the end of this year. The results will be a new Strategic Plan that will serve as the foundation for developing a new ICANN Operating Plan and Budget.

The community will be engaged for input during the process. To help provide a framework for ICANN strategic planning, please share your thoughts here.

The planning process is expected to begin in June and complete by January. Key steps and milestones planned are listed here.

• June 2013 – Start of strategic planning process
• July 2013 – Public discussion in Durban and online
• October 2013 – Proposed Strategic Plan posted for public comment
• November 2013 – Public discussion in Buenos Aires
• November/ December 2013 – Board consideration
• January 2014 – New strategic plan posted; begin development of Operating Plan/Budget

Share Your Thoughts

Remember, we are creating a new, overarching vision and strategy for ICANN. The collection of programs and projects in the current strategic plan will be addressed in ICANN’s operating plan.

ICANN’s Decision

To remain accountable to the global Internet community, the Board is taking this action to allow for community input on the further planning for ICANN‘s international presence and engagement. There has been a community survey on these items, and a paper will be produced that will be the subject of public comment and discussion. In addition, continued work towards these efforts as set forth in the 2011-2014 Strategic Plan is not prudent, therefore those portions of the 2011-2014 Strategic Plan are deferred.

After review of these inputs, and as appropriate to respond to inputs, initiatives to expand ICANN‘s international presence and engagement may be updated within the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan, and included within the 2012-2013 Operating Plan. In order to allow for the 2012-2013 operational planning cycle to proceed, the Board approves the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan.

While there will likely be a fiscal impact as a result of this work, the fiscal impact of undertaking the survey and review process is minimal. Further, the deferral of current initiatives within the 2011-2012 Operating Plan regarding the further allocation or reallocation of staff and resources that relate to ICANN‘s international presence and engagement prior to the Prague Meeting will preserve resources from having to be reallocated as necessary after this review is complete.

This action is not expected to have any impact on the security or the stability of the DNS.

This version of the Strategic Plan includes extensive community feedback, including a 45-day Public Comment period (10.3.11 – 11.17.11). Many thanks to the Community for its continued support and input.

ICANN‘s Strategic Plan is a three-year rolling, annually updated strategic planning process and feeds in to the larger ICANN planning process as the adopted Strategic Plan guides the development of the FY13 Operating Plan and Budget.