Standard Document - OASIS



11 November 2005

Notes of ISO TMB ad hoc group “Standards as databases”

Geneva, 10-11 November 2005

TC10/SC10 secretary

TC23/SC19 secretary

TC29 secretary

TC37 chairman

TC61 chairman

TC145/SC3 chairman

TC172 secretary

TC184/SC4 chairman

TC199 MT leader

TC211 secretary

TC215 representatives

ISO/IEC JWG1 secretary

IEC TC3 secretary

IEC CO IT strategy and operations

ISO CS

BSI

AFNOR

JISC

Apologies from JTC1, no contact with TC68

Introduction

TMB had decided to set up the ad hoc group following an informal survey of databases in April and further discussion at the meeting in June. Many database initiatives are emerging on TCs, and a standard procedure for databases has been approved in IEC.

The group has been created to investigate harmonisation of approaches to databases, and the commercial and technical implications.

The list of available documents - updated at the meeting - was presented.

Presentations

JTC1

The Canadian Government has offered a hosting service for terms and definitions in the JTC1 2382 terminology standard. This will include support for harmonisation. A pilot is being undertaken in conjunction with SC22 to include their terms.

TC10/SC10

ISO 14617 standardises the symbols and flow diagrams in oil and gas, and the group would like to have a standardised database. IEC TC3 has been discussing the provision of the database for some time, but progress is awaiting completion of the paper form. TC10 has a NWI to develop a standardised set of properties for the chemical industries, and is interested in using the same procedure.

TC23/SC19 Agricultural electronics

The scope of the group covers mobile devices, such as the interface (ISO 11783) between tractors, equipment and management systems. The data elements in part 11 need to be delivered as a database, with a mechanism for rapid updates. A PDF version will be extracted regularly.

TC29 Cutting tools

TC29 outlined the status of 13399 for cutting tools, giving names and numbers to components using a PLIB model. The content will need to be maintained, and a Maintenance Agency approach is being proposed to make these available on the web. The key questions concern the business model, since free-of-charge access is desired.

TC37 Terminology and Methodology

The Committee has its own terminology bank under development by Mexico. TC37 offered its methodology for terminology banks to support the work of the ad hoc group. China, Japan and Korea have offered to develop an ISO terminology bank, with the intent of making a contribution to the ISO process. TC37 also maintains the set of reference codes for languages (ISO 639) which it would like to publish as a database with links to distributed language databases.

TC61 Plastics

The latest version of ISO 472 is a data-driven Access database of the terminology content of the standard, since it was impractical to maintain the paper version, and the users wished to search and display the contents in various ways. End users pay for a service to access a protected site to extract the relevant terms.

The deliverable document consists of a standard ISO template with the Access database included.

TC145 Graphical Symbols

The ISO 7000 symbols have been loaded as a database, covering 3000 symbols, with a considerable backlog due to the extensive quality control. The symbol work needs more fields than the IEC database. Information may be downloaded from the database for a subscription. There was a clear need for the database to be extended to support the development process.

TC172 Optics and Photonics

The ISO 23584 reference dictionary based on PLIB will be developed in an electronic form, with the development process automated within the database. Data may be extracted into a publishable format. Paper-based standardisation is no longer considered to be viable. The approval process for content needs member body involvement. IEC/3/768/INF is seen as an acceptable process.

TC184/SC4 Industrial Data

SC4 presented its range of standards, its current plans for reference data libraries, product databases and catalogues and the key technical, operational and business requirements. The outline of the proposed Maintenance Agency approach was presented, noting the support for IEC/3/768 in principle, with the need for a faster turnaround.

The emphasis on free downloads prompted a broad discussion of the business model, with strong divisions between standards bodies and the Technical Committees. There was considerable demand for free-of-charge terminology to encourage usage.

There was considerable support for a common approach to database maintenance agencies.

TC199 Safety of Machinery

The development of a common standard for machinery has been completed, and it was decided that the core terminology and concepts from ISO 12100 should be made available as a multilingual database to promote consistent use of the terms. Due to copyright restrictions, access to the database is restricted to the members of TC199 and CEN TC224, which is unsatisfactory for dissemination.

TC211 Geographic Information Systems

TC211 has no currently available databases, since original terminology database is no longer operational. It is intended to update this database with all terminology in current and draft standards, with the intention of making it available on the internet.

TC215 Health Informatics

TC215 has developed an indexing database for all artefacts, classified according to the Zachmann framework, and also linked to the responsible working groups. This includes links to other external health standards.

The EN/ISO/IEEE 11073 series of standards address connection of medical devices to the medical infrastructure. This needs to cover extremely rapid connection, and accurate links for the entire range of simple to complex equipment. The team require the terms and codes to be readily available on a database, providing an ontology service for the equipment and downstream users.

IEC TC3

TC3 has subscription standards on graphical symbols for 60617 (design) and 60417 (equipment) where the database is the formal standard. The IEC 61360 database is not yet the base standard, but is available free-of-charge. The databases are designed to support flexible and rapid development, and it is essential that the workflow is not bound into the database system. Status levels are effectively reference data, and timings can be adjusted to fit the needs of the maintenance organisation.

The result is a set of consolidated procedures which have been included in the IEC supplement to the Directives. Changes to the database can be approved rapidly via a Validation Team, or the changed content of the database can be approved via traditional voting.

The IEV database contains all the terms in IEC standards, and the IEC glossary contains all the terms and definitions in IEC publications since 2002. A new database of product datasheets is also being created.

JISC

JISC emphasised the need for multilingual databases, and for avoiding duplication of effort on terminology databases.

ISO CS

ISO CS has a terminology group which is collaborating with the East Asian team to develop a terminology bank to be shared among TCs and member bodies. It will allow TCs to review the terminology in current standards. There is a possibility that this could be extended to cover terms under development. Certified translations into other languages from other bodies may also be added.

Conclusions of first day - key areas for consideration

1. Content

Terms and definitions

Graphical symbols

Product data definitions / Product properties

Reference data (codes, reference values for tests, signals etc.)

2. Structure

Individual items (lists) without internal structure

Structured data (hierarchies, inheritance relationships, links)

3. Procedures

Traditional development process - storage of items in database afterwards

Support for development process using DBs (status of entries, approval processes)

4. Accessibility

Public

Restricted to authorized users

By applications

5. Final product

Document (paper or electronic)

Database itself

Both

6. Business model

Availability without payment

Payment (various models, e.g. subscription)

Review packaging/granularity of offering

Action planning

Procedures

There was general support for the IEC procedure with the requirement for a quicker turnaround, and the flexibility to have multiple maintenance and validation teams.

It was suggested that there be modular procedures for standards converted to databases, standards as databases and prenormative databases maintained by registration authorities.

There was agreement that the common ISO/IEC stage codes be used to define the status of elements in the database.

It was agreed to form an expert Task Forcce to review the IEC Annex J documentation to accommodate ISO requirements, and to exploit the stage code systems, and to review the relationship with national processes.

It was agreed that a federated structure would need to be supported.

Terminology standards

IEC presented a prototype application (see stdiec.ch) which will allow national bodies to enter their own language equivalent the to terms in the IEV. Individual and bulk updates are possible. ISO CS is also planning to deliver tools for the standards development process which will consolidate all ISO terminology and make it available to committees to promote further harmonisation across TCs, as well as forming part of the production process. It was noted that ISO 22745 was also planning to collect ISO and IEC terminology among other sources and make it available publicly.

There was agreement that a common information model be established for terminology standards to allow future integration - perhaps through federated XML databases. The IEC terminology database was seen as being useful also for ISO applications. The Open Technical Dictionary was also promoted as an application.

Information models will also be needed for the other major classes of content. JWG1 is already on track to provide structures for PLIB, SC4 will develop proposals for reference data, and TC145 for graphical symbols. It was recognised that there were common elements across the structures, such as effectivity, multilingualism, source. It was agreed that the existing teams should take the lead on development for each of the classes, with access to be arranged to the relevant sites for other interested parties. ISO will provide an environment for each of the four major areas of content.

Other groups should be informed of the developments, to ensure inclusion.

Longer term, ISO would plan to offer supporting eServices. Development should be supported as well as production.

Hosting

ISO proposed that the eService environment be used to support the development and review processes for standards as databases, and potentially to support the ISO databases. It would also be necessary to allow national bodies to run the databases in their own national environment.

Committees were invited to participate in a pilot, and the proposed 15926 reference data pilot was suggested among others (ISO14050, 472). The first pilot would be a terminology database.

It was agreed that a standard ISO URN scheme was essential.

Key considerations were guarantees of service and open access, using non-proprietary environments.

Next meeting

For future work, it was decided to collaborate electronically and focus on the topics identified for the task force - review of the procedure and the stage code system. Accordingly, no date was set for a further meeting.

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