for the IAB to improve its understanding of what the research
groups are up to, where there's coverage and where there isn't,
what sort of technology may be coming out of the IRTF on what sort
of time scales, and with what sort of architectural implications
for the RG to improve its understanding of architectural issues,
broader context for the research, and possible tie-ins with IETF
working group activity
to give the IRTF chair a tool for helping to manage the RGs, and
managerial input from the IAB
In preparation for the IAB review, the RG chairs would put together a 1-2 paragraph summary of a subset of the material discussed below in order to provide broader insight into the workings of the RG, including tie-ins to IETF activities.
The review is done in person at IETF meetings, traditionally at breakfast on Thursday. The length would vary depending on the RG and the degree to which the IAB wants to explore particular issues relating to the RG; a simple RG might require 20 minutes including discussion, a complex one (e.g., Routing) might require 40 minutes.
the IAB getting a clear idea of the RG scope, activities, energy level, and IETF involvement
the RG chair getting a post mortum sense-of-the-sundry-IAB-members (not necessarily a sense-of-the-IAB-as-a-whole) as to issues/opportunities/relevance/strategies they see for the RG, and maybe thoughts on additional IRTF efforts to explore
collecting questions/issues/concerns during the review for RG chair followup
their perception of the RG's scope/goals
what the RG has done in the past
where the RG is going in the future and on what timescales
how the RG plans to get to those future goals (e.g., particular documents, reference implementations, testbeds)
who are the active players (this part wouldn't go in the on-line summary mentioned above)
what the RG needs/wants from the IETF (and the IAB)
how the chair sees the RG's reality compared with the RG's charter