Subject: SC22 N2135

From: "william c. rinehuls" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 18:04:47 -0400 (EDT)

ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22
Programming languages, their environments and system software interfaces
Secretariat:  U.S.A. (ANSI)

ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22

N2135

May 1996

TITLE:                    The User/Consumer Manifesto

SOURCE:                   Secretariat, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22

WORK ITEM:                N/A

STATUS:                   N/A

CROSS REFERENCE:          N/A

DOCUMENT TYPE:            N/A

ACTION:                   To SC22 Member Bodies and Working Group Con-
                          veners for action or information as applicable.

                          SC22 Member Bodies and Working Group Conveners
                          with comments specifically related to the work
                          of SC22 are encouraged to submit these comments
                          to Mr. Robert Follett, SC22 Chairman, NOT
                          LATER THAN APRIL 30, 1996 for forwarding.  SC22
                          Member Bodies comments not specifically related
                          to the work of SC22 should be submitted through
                          their respective National Body.

Address reply to:
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22 Secretariat
William C. Rinehuls
8457 Rushing Creek Court
Springfield, VA 22153  USA
Tel:  +1 (703) 912-9680
Fax:  +1 (703) 912-2973
email:  [email-masked]

_____________________________________________________________________________

Date: Thu, 02 May 96 11:24:00 edt
From: LISA RAJCHEL <[email-masked]>

Subject: Australia's Homework Assignment, JTC 1 N 4094

Attached please find document JTC 1 N 4094, Australian Contribution on JTC 1 
Reengineering addressing the THE USER/CONSUMER MANIFESTO.
National Body and SC contributions are requested on this document by 7 June 
1996.  PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS VIS EMAIL OR DISK SO THAT THEY MAY BE 
DISTRIBUTED VIA EMAIL.

This document is also being sent via facsimile in order to ensure that it 
reaches everyone
__________________________________________________________________

ISO/IEC JTC 1 N 4094

Title:    THE USER/CONSUMER MANIFESTO
Source:   National Body of Australia
Action:   National Body and SC contributions are requested on this document 
by 7 June 1996

PREAMBLE

This document has arisen from a perceived need identified at the ISO/IEC/ITU 
GII Seminar in January 1996 and is being developed to provide a voice for 
users and consumers wherever standards activity takes place.

1.   OBJECTIVE

This manisfesto has a number of objectives which are aimed at assisting the 
creators of standards where user/consumer input to the process is limited or 
non-existent.  Basically, it is a check list of aspects which are likely to 
be of concern to a user/consumer and against which standards documents 
should be checked and tested as standards are produced.  Where the standards 
writing process is fortunate enough to have direct user consumer input, this 
document should still provide useful guidance to ensure all appropriate 
aspects are considered.

2.   DEFINITIONS

Up till this stage the terms user and consumer have been used as though they 
are synonymous.  There is need to discriminate and throughout this document, 
the terms will be used as follows:

User:          A person or organisation which uses a standard for the 
creation of products or services.  It also includes consumers with 
sufficient technical expertise to understand the full technical details of 
the standard.

(This would include manufacturers, product developers and regulators.  It 
also appears that it should include consumers from organisations with 
in-depth technical expertise.)

Consumer  A consumer is a person or organisation which uses the products 
which are created in accordance with a standard or group of standards.

(In the GII context this was read to cover end consumers as well as service 
and content providers.)

The above definitions also allow for a continuum of consumers, from those 
with a full understanding of the ramifications of the standards through to 
those product users who have no understanding of the operation of the 
underlying equipment or services

3.   THE STANDARDS PROCESS

Briefly, the consensus standards process requires the participation of all 
stakeholders if it is to have credibility and validity in the eyes of any 
group which might be excluded from the process.  In the present time, the 
standards process is very demanding and expensive in terms of people as well 
as cash.

Accordingly, many groups are excluded from the standards process by resource 
constraints, not only economic, but more importantly, a lack of skilled 
people who can attend meetings, understand the often complex and abstruse 
concepts involved and ensure the user and consumer points of view are 
properly presented and defended.

While standards bodies have sought for ways in which to resolve this 
dilemma, it appears that it has had limited success.  Thus this document, 
while containing many user/consumer concerns only in a generic format may 
help standards development groups to test that their considerations do 
comply with the points raised.

It is hoped this document becomes a check list which will provide timely 
reminders to groups without direct user/consumer input.  It is envisaged 
that in certain cases, points which are listed here may not be considered 
applicable.  However, the review to ensure that this is indeed true will 
ensure that vital points elsewhere in the list are not overlooked.

4.   USER REQUIREMENTS

Users have in recent times raised a number of concerns about the standards 
process and these are contained in the following points.

4.1  Global standards, not just international, regional, national or set by 
a small consortium

Standards need to be developed in a truly global sense.  There is a strong 
feeling that they should be developed in an environment which encompasses 
all industry sectors and consortia as well as regional, national and 
narrowly focussed international interests.

4.2  Use a systems approach, Standardise building blocks not solutions

Too many standards appear to set out to solve a specific problem rather than 
being part of  the necessary elements of a generally applicable solution.

4.3  Develop standards for key interfaces

In many instances, the development of standards for interfaces which permit 
a range of options on either side is a solution which provides maximum 
commercial flexibility and an ability to accommodate developments

4.4  Maximum use of existing standards

There are many standards in existence and solutions based on their use or 
enhancement reduce the costs and delays of standards development as well as 
permitting a shortening of product development times.

4.5  Commercial objectivity and relevance.

There is need to ensure that standards under development are for potentially 
commercially viable products or services.  There are pressures for rapid 
delivery of the necessary standards as well as a need for occasional review 
to confirm that the project is still relevant.  Standards developers should 
not be afraid to suspend work on projects which are no longer required.

4.6  Need to coordinate industry sectors requiring similar products

It has happened that a number of sectors have developed independent and 
incompatible solutions to similar problems.  This adds to the ultimate 
difficulties of merging the various problems as well as dissipating scarce 
resources on two solutions to the same problem.  Again this indicates why 
global standards are necessary.

4.7  Continual demonstration of feasibility

This point is raised to promote the development of test beds and prototypes 
so that the ultimate standard provides a practical solution which will allow 
for realistic products.

4.8  Availability of details of work in progress

In order to avoid duplication of effort and to maximise the use of standards 
development resources, a global database of work in progress should be 
available.  This does not need to be centralised as an X.500 or WWW solution 
could provide for a distributed solution.  There would be need to 
standardise the details which should be available to allow for search 
consistency.

4.9  Simple access to finished standards

While expressed as a desire for free access to finished standards it is 
likely that simple, low cost  access to the standards on some form of 
electronic server is likely to be quite acceptable.  Such a compromise would 
provide the information without destroying the income base of the standards 
development organisations.

4.10  Limited choices

In many instances, for many reasons, standards have contained too many 
choices.  In future, where such a situation occurs there may be need to have 
a rethink about the direction of the project or to work more intently to 
reduce the number of standardised options.

This is particularly important if we are to move to global standards. 
 Often, the compromise of multiple choices has been adopted to accommodate 
divergent points of view from different sectors.

4.11  IPR considerations settled

A number of standards involve the use of copyrighted or patented techniques 
and technologies.  It is to be hoped that the owners of this intellectual 
property can assist in the standards process by allowing the use of such 
property either freely or at low costs so its use is not an inhibitor to 
progress either of standards or product development.

4.12  Preference for interoperability testing

While both conformance and interoperability testing will be necessary, it is 
proposed that a supplier should only have to demonstrate interoperability. 
 The requirements for conformance will be inherent in this and conformance 
testing will be an essential component of the product development process. 
 However, it may be a less formal process and, as such, would not be 
suitable for a formal demonstration of conformance with the standard..

4.13  Identify demonstrable conformance requirements for key elements.

During the development of a standard it is likely that certain 
characteristics can be identified as essential elements for which products 
must demonstrate conformity.  In line with the point above, these could be 
tested in an interoperability test.

4.14  Mutual recognition of test results.

Considering the similarities of power systems and communications networks in 
the different countries comprising the world community, it is incredible 
that testing certification for more than one country needs to be obtained. 
 There is an urgent need for world regulators to recognise that a single 
test regimen in a single country provides adequate evidence that the product 
will be safe in most other countries.  Considering the consensus which has 
been achieved in standardization, it is incredible that the progress of 
mutual recognition of test results has been so slow.

4.15  Options for suppliers self declaration

Many suppliers have a well documented and audited quality systems and 
properly certified laboratories meaning that their test results are credible 
and their records can be checked if necessary.  If appropriate provisions 
are made in the international trade arena, it should be possible to accept a 
declaration from such a supplier that the products comply with the 
requirements of a particular standard or suite of standards and have such 
declaration accepted in all countries subscribing to international 
standards.

4.16  Timeliness

While the difficulties of developing standards using volunteer labour are 
recognised, there is need to try and eliminate the unnecessary delays and to 
deliver the standards in a timely manner.

5.   CONSUMER REQUIREMENTS

5.1  Functionality of solution

This actually covers two aspects of standardization.

i.   The first is the need to ensure the standard addresses the problems 
actually faced by consumers.  One suggested method of determining how this 
aspect might be satisfied could be to capture the way in which the user will 
specify and use the products made to the standard.

ii.  The second aspect is whether the standard is addressing a problem which 
consumers actually  have.  While this may be difficult to determine in new 
areas of technology and delays caused in     ensuring that it is actually 
required may conflict with the need to effect a timely delivery, it is 
     nonetheless important that this aspect should be checked.  The 
standards organisations need to    have the fortitude to discontinue work 
which appears to be no longer needed by consumers.

5.2  Ease of use

Again impossible to mandate but to urge standards writers to bear in mind. 
 Mindful of the fact that most of the clocks in the world s VCRs flash 
because the are not easy to set, it would appear that there should be a 
standard which makes the setting of such devices uniform and potentially 
intuitive.

5.3  Security

Many users of electronic services are concerned about the security of any 
information they might send or receive and security about the details of 
their activities on electronic networks.  Standards should address this 
issue and endeavour to provide means whereby security can be protected

5.4  Privacy

Media attention has ensured that most consumers are aware of the 
possibilities of invasions of privacy from connections to the wider 
electronic networks.  Recognising such concerns, standards should be written 
to recognise that there is need for privacy safeguards.

5.5  Reliability and quality of service

While it is impossible to mandate reliability and quality of service, it may 
be possible to include indications of levels of reliability and QOS which 
might satisfy various situations.  It may be possible to define several 
levels which would allow consumers to select the one which satisfies their 
needs or commercial requirements.

5.6  Advice of information on aspects such as costs

While most services on the Internet are currently free, a stage will arise 
where charges for services will be made.  Concern was expressed that such 
charging should not commence until the consumer has received notice of the 
charge and has acted to indicate that this charge is accepted.

5.7  Protection of rights of ownership in IP.

There is urgent need to provide mechanisms for protecting the rights of 
owners of creative material.  It appears that this will have to involve 
technical mechanisms, since it is unlikely that legal deterrents will have 
any effect.

5.8  Need to consider multi-cultural and multi-lingual aspects

Much of the work on standards is based on the requirements of western style 
consumers whose background is based on European culture.  Wider 
consideration needs to be given to the needs of other consumers.

5.9  Requirements of other groups with special needs eg physically disabled, 
hearing and sight   impaired, economically disadvantaged

Standards tend to be written for able bodied consumers with generally little 
consideration for the physically, geographically, economically and 
intellectually handicapped consumers.

5.10  Need for consumer education about standards

While there are many things to learn about in elementary education, an 
appreciation of the value of standards in society would assist in providing 
a pool of educated consumers who, in time, would become significant 
contributors to the development of standards.

5.11  Availability of standards and information about them.

One of the first benefits of the GII should be its ability to deliver 
standards and information about their development to anyone who wants the 
information.  Distributed database technologies represented by the World 
Wide Web or X.500, would mean that information only needs to be stored once 
and can then be made available to all enquirers simply.  Thus information 
about work in progress, who is doing it and its progress can be provided 
relatively simply.

As to whether the final product will be available free in its electronic 
form is a question causing considerable angst amongst standards writing 
bodies.  As a considerable portion of their funding comes from the sale of 
these documents, they will need to be assured of alternative sources of 
income in order that they can continue to carry out their duties.

6.   SUCCESS FACTORS

By developing a check list of items which are of concern to them, users and 
consumers can keep standards development committees informed of their 
requirements in a generic manner.  If the information requirements stated in 
the manifesto are met, they would then have the information to assist them 
to decide which projects might need further attention.

The check list, while remaining fairly generic, could be made more specific 
for any project where a need was seen.  Further, like any standards 
document, it is subject to review for enhancement as necessary.

By this means, a user and consumer  presence  could be maintained in all 
standards committees.  Even where user and consumer representatives are 
involved, it can still serve a useful purpose to ensure that all concerns 
have been addressed.

Finally, it should be borne in mind that for the majority of standards, most 
members of the  standards committee will themselves be end consumers of the 
products for which they are developing standards.