12
1 Basics of standards
A Technical Committee is subdivided into Working Groups (WGs) that are usually
responsible for the development of an individual standard or similar deliverable of
the ISO. If the subject is very broad, the WG may be subdivided into two or more
project teams that then become responsible for a single standard. For example, the
standard ISO 19115 (Metadata) has been deve10ped by a project team within the
ISO/TC211 WG 3 (Geospatial Data Administration).
If a TC becomes very large it has been found to be advisable to put the work of
chairing the committee on more than one pair of shoulders. It is for this reason the
ISO has established Subcommittees (SCs). A TC may have many, one, or no SCs. It
is a matter of power and politics whether a SC is established or not, because the
chairman has essentially the same influence as the chairman of a TC.
The TCs and the SCs are standing committees which enables them to provide the
maintenance that a standard requires in a long-term perspective. In contrast, the project teams and Working Groups are dissolved once a standardisation project has matured. The TC and the SC initiate a review of each standard after at most, a five year
interval. The outcome of this review may be confirmation, revision, or withdrawal of
the standard.
The long-term cooperation of the TC-members fosters personal contacts and often
leads to new technical ideas. A TC is always open to new members and expertise and
can be compared to a large family. At present, ISO has 186 Technical Committees
and less than 50 Subcommittees.
I
WG
i
PT
i
Sp
i
WG
I
PT
I
TC
I
I
...
ISO
I
I
.J.
WG
I
I
PT PT
I
PT
TC211
I
I
WG
I I
I
PT •••
Fig. 1.1. Structure ofISO-committees: TC, SC, WG, Project Team (PT)
I
WG
i
I
I
PT PT
The ISO/TC211 has no Subcommittees (SC). Other Technical Committees such as ISO/TC20
(Aircraft and space vehicles) have some Subcommittees that function as another structural
level.
1.3.1.3 Standardisation procedure in ISO
The idea for a new standard is always born outside ISO and the ISO's role is to
formalise a method to forward the idea to an internationally approved standard. The
steward of the work is a Technical Committee or a Subcommittee. The development
process for a standard is subdivided into six consecutive stages.
1 Basics of standards
A Technical Committee is subdivided into Working Groups (WGs) that are usually
responsible for the development of an individual standard or similar deliverable of
the ISO. If the subject is very broad, the WG may be subdivided into two or more
project teams that then become responsible for a single standard. For example, the
standard ISO 19115 (Metadata) has been deve10ped by a project team within the
ISO/TC211 WG 3 (Geospatial Data Administration).
If a TC becomes very large it has been found to be advisable to put the work of
chairing the committee on more than one pair of shoulders. It is for this reason the
ISO has established Subcommittees (SCs). A TC may have many, one, or no SCs. It
is a matter of power and politics whether a SC is established or not, because the
chairman has essentially the same influence as the chairman of a TC.
The TCs and the SCs are standing committees which enables them to provide the
maintenance that a standard requires in a long-term perspective. In contrast, the project teams and Working Groups are dissolved once a standardisation project has matured. The TC and the SC initiate a review of each standard after at most, a five year
interval. The outcome of this review may be confirmation, revision, or withdrawal of
the standard.
The long-term cooperation of the TC-members fosters personal contacts and often
leads to new technical ideas. A TC is always open to new members and expertise and
can be compared to a large family. At present, ISO has 186 Technical Committees
and less than 50 Subcommittees.
I
WG
i
PT
i
Sp
i
WG
I
PT
I
TC
I
I
...
ISO
I
I
.J.
WG
I
I
PT PT
I
PT
TC211
I
I
WG
I I
I
PT •••
Fig. 1.1. Structure ofISO-committees: TC, SC, WG, Project Team (PT)
I
WG
i
I
I
PT PT
The ISO/TC211 has no Subcommittees (SC). Other Technical Committees such as ISO/TC20
(Aircraft and space vehicles) have some Subcommittees that function as another structural
level.
1.3.1.3 Standardisation procedure in ISO
The idea for a new standard is always born outside ISO and the ISO's role is to
formalise a method to forward the idea to an internationally approved standard. The
steward of the work is a Technical Committee or a Subcommittee. The development
process for a standard is subdivided into six consecutive stages.