Sortition process

@Matthew Cropp suggests "using a random-number generator selecting names from a spreadsheet or other database. Wondering if the Loomio user list is something we could export to CSV and use?" Does that sound good?

The Loomio list makes sense because those are members who have opted in to governance discussions. I think if we use this approach we should send an announcement to people on the Mastodon instance encouraging them to register on Loomio. Thoughts?

@Matt Noyes

Sounds reasonable. I assume that in future years we'll put a system in place to make sure that the same person doesn't serve for two cycles in a row? Do we want to make sure that everyone has been invited to serve once before a repeat name comes up?

@Dynamic Is there an easy way to do that?

@Matt Noyes

I think the easiest way would be to have a spreadsheet column to indicate when a person has served, and then exclude everyone who has a "has served" date. (Or alternatively everyone who served last year, or in the past five years, or whatever.)

@Matt Noyes I think this becomes a question of how to select or generate a random number that is “provably fair” in a transparent or group setting. Perhaps we could include a Loomio poll that generates some entropy or randomness itself?

@Andrew Escobar (Andres) How would that work?

@Matt Noyes I’m still think out loud here. Perhaps a ranked choice poll of four random numbers, with the resulting order creating a longer number?

A “provably fair” random number would be a complex process. I am simply considering an alternative to one person generating a random number. Perhaps the solution is as simple as having a member of each WG submit a random number and then combining them.

@Andrew Escobar (Andres)

This feels like it might be overkill for what we're doing, but if it's not too complicated, it seems reasonable.

I don't think we should overload people with Loomio polls, though. Like, I think people understand that voting is important on questions that matter to them, but even in decision polls, turnout can be quite low. A poll just to generate randomness feels like it might be too esoteric for people to care about...

@Dynamic I agree.

I think the odds of someone trying to skew the random number generation are negligible, it's not like people are vying to get these spots! ;-) Still, it would be cool if Loomio had a sortition function you could run for a particular group and its members. Any objection to going ahead and exporting the Loomio membership list?