Global Product Working Group Meeting Notes - Award Announcement, Google.org GenAI Accelerator & Escalations

Introduction

• Review of the Technology Steering Committee Roadmap for our upcoming Sprint 132 (Dec 6-Dec 19).
• Objective: Sharing the steering committee roadmap for negotiation and suggestions, along with general process improvement updates. 
• Ideas: To improve the way we run future Global Product Working Group meetings, we would love to hear your feedback on how we can make these better and ensure your time is used productively. Share your feedback with us here. Deadline date for Friday, December 2023. 
• Recorded meeting: Sharepoint Link

Meeting Highlights

• Announcement: Signpost was nominated for an Anthem Award, a Technology and Human Rights Award, and we were nominated in three categories. Thank you to every one of you as this is a reflection of all of our hard work!!
• Selection for Google.org AI Accelerator: Signpost was accepted into Google's Generative Artificial Intelligence Program to begin the creation of a Signpost AI Prototyping Lab that will de-risk and evaluate the effectiveness of generative AI and build products that deepen the impact of Signpost information programs. This Accelerator will offer dedicated support and access to best-in-class experts on artificial intelligence, data protection, AI ethics, and development from Google for 6 months. We will begin with work on improving quality analysis and with human-in-the-loop two way chat communication. We will speak in more detail about the Accelerator, and Signpost’s Prototyping Lab at the next product working group session on December 20th.
• Tech Team Project Trend: The Tech team has improved significantly in the last 2 sprints with completing tickets more than they have committed. It's been mostly successful but not without their hiccups. Slowly enhancing Zendesk support queue and providing updates to Developers from Support is becoming more specific and better than before, and more, but of course, there's still lots of room for improvement. 
• WhatsApp Escalation: This has been a battle for the Product Team, especially for RI Greece as their account has been banned multiple times a day without real reason or explanation. Brian has done a brilliant job at hounding them and has been escalated to the VP of the Global Affairs, and we hope to hear some good news soon. 

Open Discussion Topics

• Transparency: Release notes, Feature Requests and Roadmap is accessible in the Zendesk Community Space for you to access any time - you can see what we're working on and what projects we have on the horizon and future plans. 
• Ticket Direction: We're now in a position where we're getting less bug reports, and have bandwidth to be able to take on one Innovation/Feature Request at a minimum per Developer in an active sprint. We can commit to focusing on aesthetics and functionality of the websites and implementation of more sites. 
• Identified Blockers: The Technology Team still have their blockers and limitations with platforms such as WhatsApper and Transifex where we're dependent on them to support us with our issues which results in delayed response and resolution. Things to consider as a suggestion that it should not fall under the Product Team, and to have a dedicated relationship with the vendor/company to help with liaison such as with Andre, Olivia, etc.  
• Tech Team Roles and Responsibilities: With the Directory shared with the GPWG, you would like to know more about us and a document was shared with you by Liam in the call which has been deemed outdated. We discussed that this will be reviewed, updated and added to the directory.