Subject: SC22 N2506 - JTC 1 Technical Directions, Organizational Structure , and Modes of Operation

From: "william c. rinehuls" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 12:05:34 -0400 (EDT)

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

ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22
N2506

July 1997

TITLE:
JTC 1 Technical Directions, Organizational Structure and Modes of
Operation

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, WG Conveners and HODs for information.

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]

___________ end of title page; beginning of text _____________________

					         ISO/IEC JTC 1 N4775

Title:      JTC 1 Technical Directions, Organizational Structure and Modes  
            of Operation
Source:     JTC 1 Reengineering ad hoc, 20 June 1997

JTC 1 is committed to successfully providing users and industry with 
information technology standards that meet the marketplace in a timely
manner.  To accomplish our goal, JTC 1 must remain the "vendor of choice"  
for international IT standardization.  The reengineering activity has  
considered both organizational structure and modes of operation.  Now, it  
will require a change in the collective mindset of all participants to 
ensure JTC 1's success.

While pursuing the goal of a responsive, flexible, and engaged  
organization, the ad hoc considered ways in which the SCs could meet the  
new challenges with existing procedures.  The following items constitute
opportunities for SCs to engage others in the standards development
process.  This toolbox demonstrates the many ways SCs can expand their
influence --- from tools as well implemented as formal liaison  
relationships to the yet unfolding comments from interested parties at the
WG level.

	1)   Liaison representatives to have formal relationships
	2)   Joint/colocated meetings to encourage dialogue
	3)   Document exchange to share information 
	4)   Common membership to expand understanding
	5)   Formal collaboration such as ITU-T to stay technically  
             engaged
	6)   Workshops (as per the JTC 1 directives) to gain consensus  
             within JTC 1 
	7)   Joint balloting (among SCs) to ensure cohesive technical  
             solutions
	8)   Designating Rapporteurs to have a one to one relationship for  
             cross SC input
	9)   Joint electronic working environments to engage more people  
             in a timely manner
	10)  Develop opportunities for comments on WG drafts by other JTC
             1 WGs and interested parties to make use of a larger,
             consultative base
	11)  Fast track process
	12)  PAS process

The use of these tools is encouraged.  Three recommendations to socialize  
their use among SCs are offered:

	1)   Discuss and promote at the SC Chairman's meeting
	2)   Have groups document and share their concerns for  
             implementation and the possible roadblocks.  JTC 1 should
             then work toward eliminating them or correcting
             misperceptions.
	3)   Provide a spot on the JTC 1 web page to gather white papers  
             that share the many positive experiences that already exist
             and shorten the learning curve.

As a part of JTC 1's reengineering process, we have identified Technical
Directions which we believe are of strategic market relevance.  These
Directions identify a synergistic grouping of work, and are based on the
situation today.  The list of Directions will be re-aligned as external
circumstances demand.  By focusing on these technology directions, 
JTC 1's standards will be more efficient, effective and market oriented.   
We expect that these Technical Directions will provide a focus for new
technologies as they arise.  For example, if market requirements dictate
the a new distributed application service standard needs to be developed,
our Technical Direction in this area would give JTC 1 a ready home for the
standard to be developed.

Technical Directions are viewed by JTC 1 as an opportunity to better  
convey to "the world" the work in which we are engaged.  The Technical
Directions will encourage cross SC collaboration and enable a more
flexible organizational structure.  In some cases, identifying a lead
organization for an activity may be required and should be designated.  
Technical Directions should offer greater cooperation between JTC 1 and  
other standards development bodies (ISO, IEC, ITU) without delaying the
development process. Optimization of resources for travel and
administration will also be realized.

The chart which follows depicts the general consensus regarding the  
Technical Directions.  Transition from today's structure toward Technical
Directions will be applied via three 
methods.

	Method A)   members of a Technical Direction will:
			operate as a single SC
			incorporate use of the toolbox both between JTC 1  
                        Technical Directions 		
			and externally to other organizations
	Method A+) members of a Technical Direction will:
			operate as a single SC
			incorporate use of the toolbox both between JTC 1  
                        Technical Directions 		
			and externally to other organizations
			take note of special considerations (as defined in  
                        the table)
	Method B)	members of a Technical Direction will:  
			operate as separate SCs within a common Technical  
                        Direction
			encourage dialogue between the grouped SCs 
		 	use the existing tools for collaboration
			feel free to meet independently
			action the SC chairs to provide joint reports  
                        (such as business plans, plenary reports, etc.)
			Note:  SCs within a Technical Direction operating  
                        under Method B are encouraged to move towards  
                        operations under Method A

The organizational structure of the Technical Directions and their  
recommended mode of operation are:

Data Capture and Identification 
Systems
SC 17, SC 31

Method:  B

Data Management Services
SC 30, SC 14, SC 21/WG 3 (pertinent projects)

Method:  A

Distributed Application Services
SC 21/ WG 7, SC 18/WG 4, ASN.1

Method:  A

Information Interchange Media
SC 11, SC 23

Method:  B

IT Terminology
SC 1

Method:  A+
especially make use of Rapporteur function
increase links to ITU-T and others
(consideration of French comments as in N4738)

Multimedia and Representation
SC 24, SC 29

Method:  B

Networking & Interconnects
SC 6, SC 25, SC 26

Method:  B

Office Equipment
SC 28

Method:  A

Programming Languages & Software 
Interfaces
SC 22

Method:  A

Security
SC 27

Method:  A+
expanded role as lead organization                                
for JTC 1 security issues
(consideration of French comments as in N4746)

Software Engineering
SC 7

Method:  A

User Interfaces
SC 18/WG 9

Method:  Undecided.  Operate as WG reporting to 
JTC 1 until 1998 plenary pending results of cultural 
adaptability workshop.

Document Description Languages
SC 18/WG 8  

Method:  Undecided.  Operate as WG reporting to 
JTC 1 until 1998 plenary.

Coded Character Sets

Note:  this is a tentative technical 
direction
           Final decision to be made at 
1998 plenary                    
SC 2

Method:  Undecided.  Maintain current operation 
until 1998 plenary pending results of cultural 
adaptability workshop.

Descriptions of Technical Directions

Data Capture and Identification Systems
Coding (data formats, syntax, and structure), interchange and manipulation  
of stored digital data, using on demand techniques (optical, magnetic,
electrical and/or RF) for individually and uniquely identifying items and
entities.

Data Management Services
Enabling technologies for use in all information systems environments  
(both local and distributed) covering:

Data Management Services for the definition of data structures and  
semantics for a complete range of data types, together with services for
storage, access and update of such data and meta-data.

Specification of data content and semantics of messages used in electronic 
commerce.

Distributed Application Services
Enabling technologies for use in a distributed environment in order to  
achieve concrete distributed application services, covering:

Specification of application functions independently of the details of  
their distribution (through the use of object technology); configuration
and management of those functions across entire enterprises.  

Distributed system services functions such as transaction processing,  
electronic messaging, directory and systems management; support for
distribution of data management services; and specification of techniques
for messaging in electronic commerce.

Information Interchange Media
Physical characteristics of storage media using optical, magnetic or  
other technologies and structure of data for storage and interchange,
including algorithms for the loss-less compression of data.

IT Terminology
Terminology for Information Technology and related fields, intended to  
achieve consistency throughout worldwide markets and users.

Multimedia & Representation
Presentation of, interchange of, and interaction with information,  
including:
- computer graphics;
- multimedia, including coding of hypermedia and multimedia and coded  
representation of picture and audio information;
- image processing; and
- interactive techniques.
Networking and Interconnects
Functions necessary for establishment and control of information exchange  
via networks and physical interfaces. They comprise, for communications,
interfaces and protocols, for transport, network management and selected
application services and the physical infrastructure.

Office Equipment
Basic characteristics, performance, test methods and other related  
aspects of office equipment and products such as:

 	Printers
 	Copying equipment
 	Digital scanners
 	Facsimile equipment

Programming Languages and Software Interfaces
Programming languages, their environments and systems software interfaces,  
including
		- specification techniques,
		- common facilities, and
		- language bindings.

Security
Generic frameworks, methods, techniques and mechanisms for Information and 
Communication
Technology Security, including :
- open security architecture,
- semantic rules for interchange of various security information,
- interfaces for invoking security functionalities in related API's and  
protocols.

Software Engineering
Processes, supporting tools and supporting technologies for the  
engineering of software products and systems.

User Interfaces
User-system interfaces for input devices such as  keyboards, mice,  
pointers and pens; rules for systems control by voice recognition,
presentation techniques, dialogues, graphic symbols and icons including
those for people with special needs.

Document Description Languages
Document description languages for system-independent and
application-independent modeling and accessing of abstract
information, including:
-- Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)
-- SGML profiles and applications (e.g. HTML)
-- Related processing, software interfaces, and resources.

Coded Character Sets
Graphic character sets and their characteristics, associated control  
functions, their coded representation for information interchange, and
code extension techniques.

JTC 1 has identified several technical considerations which span multiple  
organizations and act as core requirements.  These Common Strategic
Characteristics of interoperability, portability, and cultural
adaptability must be considered and promoted within every Technical
Direction.  While interoperability and portability have been well  
considered within JTC 1 (TSG1, SWG-CA, etc.), cultural adaptability has
not been as thoroughly pursued.  JTC 1 recommends a Workshop be held with
the following considerations:
	-  engage multiple Technical Direction JTC 1 participation
	-  develop policies to guide activities (in a like manner to that  
           of interoperability and portability)
	-  develop a process to ensure cultural adaptability
	-  elaborate or amend the definition of cultural adaptability as  
           contained in N4627
	-  recommended placement for Coded Character Sets and the  
           relationship with User Interface
	-  increase the responsiveness of JTC 1 to cultural adaptability  
           issues and increase the visibility of JTC 1 in this endeavor

It is of paramount importance that the JTC 1 organization remain flexible.  In addition to 
greater use of the procedures contained in the Toolbox, new TDs can be  
initialized using the recently readdressed NP process.

The responsiveness and success of JTC 1 is not dependent on the number of  
Technical Directions.  Nor is it dependent on the processes in place.
Rather, JTC 1's successes will result from its ability to implement those
processes, using them in creative and flexible ways.  The new Technical
Directions, the increased collaboration through aggressive use of the
Toolbox, and the implementation of electronic means for realtime standards 
development will combine to enhance the mindset of the JTC 1 organization  
and the successes we achieve.

______________________end of SC22 N2506 _____________________________