3.2 Brainstorming Session

The Standards Policy Board reviewed the group's program of work (in030159).  It was agreed to start the brainstorming session with a review of the program of work and to follow up with discussion on the following topics:

• L2 contribution on the Chinese character set issue (identified in agenda item 3.1)
• JTC 1 MTPT results (identified in agenda item 4.2.1)
• creation of a strategy for coexistence (identified in agenda item 5)
• results of MIT conference survey - speeding up the standards process (identified in agenda item 3.3)
  

The Standards Policy Board discussion was highlighted by the following items:

• Direct and timely access to ISO Council and IEC Council Board resolutions is needed to ensure that INCITS is able to provide recommendations to assist in the development of coordinated US positions on international matters.
• It would be beneficial to have the Executive Board and Standards Policy Board chairmen represent INCITS on the ITI Standardization Policy Committee.
• Clarification on the relationship between ITI and INCITS is needed.
• Clarification is needed on how the US TAG function is addressed in the new INCITS organization and differentiated from the development of US policy issues.
• The Standards Policy Board will provide recommendations that position INCITS to best influence JTC 1's future.
• The Standards Policy Board should closely strategize with the JTC 1 Technology Watch function as a way to influence JTC 1's future and use the long term monitoring intelligence gathered by the activity.
• Interest in establishing liaison from the Standards Policy Board to identified consortia should be investigated.
• The formation of a group to investigate usability of IT (hardware and software) should be investigated as a possible area of future growth.
• Invitations should be extended to topical experts that deal with specific issues of interest to the Standards Policy Board membership:
  
• ISO copyright usage - codes for location and languages
• Munitions and export laws
• Force of the European Union acting as a single force for coordinating positions
• Influence of EICTA - European trade association
• Accessibility issues (Section 508)
  
• The Standards Policy Board should define and implement methods for INCITS to collaborate with other organizations on technology policy issues such as:
• Establishment of  formal and informal methodologies to address risks
• Increasing our effectiveness when we can influence sectors outside IT
• Leverage the breadth of our membership base and identify when/how to use this ability
• The Standards Policy Board should identify and determine how to form international alliances, partnerships, joint projects, etc.
• Collaboration with international standards bodies 
• Methodology for US TAG to JTC 1 to initiate discussions with other National Bodies 
• The Standards Policy Board should investigate the creation of a coexistence strategy with consortia and other SDOs:
• Hold one on one meetings between two organizations
• Develop a hit list of target organizations
• Recognize the value of a variety of SSOs (standards setting organizations) and determine a way to co-exist
• Hire an Executive Director for recruitment and collaboration efforts
• Investigate other revenue streams - conferences, technology forecasts, etc.  
• Use foundation standards for leveraging application specification work 
• Review the business model - is the value in INCITS management committees or in the specific TCs where technical work is being done? 
• Identify our technical objectives and directions 
• Review operational directions and additional development paradigms
• The Standards Policy Board should investigate the expansion of INCITS' scope to include all of ICT
• Existing TCs and their lifecycles
• IT vs ICT integrator
• Digital communications

Action Item:  The INCITS Secretariat will issue a call for contributions on the brainstorming topics for consideration at the April 2003 Standards Policy Board meeting. In addition, the following topics will be included in the call for contributions:   Chinese character set issue, MTPT results and speeding up the standards process.

The Standards Policy Board agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board will post discussion of the Transition Timeline for the New Organization for consideration at the April 2003 Executive Board meeting.  A call for contributions or questions related to these topics will be issued by the INCITS Secretariat:  reaccreditation, relationship between INCITS and ITI, and the actual functioning of the new INCITS organization with respect to the TAG function.

Action Item:  The Standards Policy Board recommendation concerning the Transition Timeline for the new INCITS organization will be submitted for consideration by the INCITS Executive Board.

During the meeting, Ms. Rajchel provided the clarification from ANSI on the accreditation of the new INCITS organization. Accreditation is held jointly between INCITS and ITI.  Since both INCITS and the JTC 1 TAG approved the transition to a new organization and ITI agreed to the plan, the accreditations are in effect until INCITS has been reaccredited under new procedures.

The Standards Policy Board agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board will post discussion on the nature of the new INCITS organization for consideration at the April 2003 Executive Board meeting.  A call for questions related to the following topics will be issued by the INCITS Secretariat: reaccreditation, relationship between INCITS and ITI, and the actual functioning of the new INCITS organization with respect to the TAG function.