2.2 ISO/TC211
31
have become more abstract base standards that require profiles and implementation
specifications in order to be put to use.
With the establishment of ISO/TC211, a joint worldwide effort to standardise
geomatics began. In particular, ISO/TC2ll integrated the European and the North
American experiences with other regions of the world including Asia, Australia, and
South Africa, having since joined the committee.
Scope
The objective of the work of ISO/TC2ll is to establish a set of standards for
"Geographic information / Geomatics". The standards would specify an infrastructure and the required services for the handling of geographic data including management, acquisition, processing, analysis, access, presentation and transfer. Where
possible, the standards would link to other appropriate standards for Information
Technology and provide a framework for the development of sector-specific applications (IS004 2003).
Structure
An ISO Technical Committee consists of the chairman, the members, the Working Groups, some advisory groups, and eventually some Subcommittees.
The chairman, elected by the members of the ISO/TC211, is Olaf 0stensen from
the Norwegian Mapping Authority.
The members are the national members and liaison members. The national members are represented by the authorized standardisation organizations of the respected
member country, also called the "national body". Normally the national bodies are
participating members (P-members) with full voting rights while others are observing members (O-members) with an ob server (non-voting) status only. The liaison organizations are domain-specific, worldwide or regional organizations that can contribute expertise to the standardisation process. Examples of non-ISO organizations
(referred to as external liaison members) are the Open GIS Consortium and the International Hydrographic Organization. Internal liaison members are other ISO or
IEC committees, such as the ISO/TC204 (Intelligent transport systems), that also
have interests in geographic information.
Representatives from liaison organizations are invited to take part in the discussions and can receive all information on the standardisation project, but are not
granted voting status.
The Working Groups (WGs) form part of the ISO/TC211 hierarchical structure
and as the name implies, they are the place where the standards are actually drafted.
Unti1200l, the ISO/Tc211 had the WGs 1-5 and after finishing the work ofWGs 15 in 2001, the WG 4 remained and WGs 6-9 were created. The WGs combine a
number of individual standardisation projects related to a common topic such as the
WG 4 (Geospatial services).
The Technical committee creates advisory groups for special purposes such as the
Advisory Groups on Strategy and on Outreach. Such groups analyse the current and
future requirements for geomatics standardisation and draft proposals to the Techni-
31
have become more abstract base standards that require profiles and implementation
specifications in order to be put to use.
With the establishment of ISO/TC211, a joint worldwide effort to standardise
geomatics began. In particular, ISO/TC2ll integrated the European and the North
American experiences with other regions of the world including Asia, Australia, and
South Africa, having since joined the committee.
Scope
The objective of the work of ISO/TC2ll is to establish a set of standards for
"Geographic information / Geomatics". The standards would specify an infrastructure and the required services for the handling of geographic data including management, acquisition, processing, analysis, access, presentation and transfer. Where
possible, the standards would link to other appropriate standards for Information
Technology and provide a framework for the development of sector-specific applications (IS004 2003).
Structure
An ISO Technical Committee consists of the chairman, the members, the Working Groups, some advisory groups, and eventually some Subcommittees.
The chairman, elected by the members of the ISO/TC211, is Olaf 0stensen from
the Norwegian Mapping Authority.
The members are the national members and liaison members. The national members are represented by the authorized standardisation organizations of the respected
member country, also called the "national body". Normally the national bodies are
participating members (P-members) with full voting rights while others are observing members (O-members) with an ob server (non-voting) status only. The liaison organizations are domain-specific, worldwide or regional organizations that can contribute expertise to the standardisation process. Examples of non-ISO organizations
(referred to as external liaison members) are the Open GIS Consortium and the International Hydrographic Organization. Internal liaison members are other ISO or
IEC committees, such as the ISO/TC204 (Intelligent transport systems), that also
have interests in geographic information.
Representatives from liaison organizations are invited to take part in the discussions and can receive all information on the standardisation project, but are not
granted voting status.
The Working Groups (WGs) form part of the ISO/TC211 hierarchical structure
and as the name implies, they are the place where the standards are actually drafted.
Unti1200l, the ISO/Tc211 had the WGs 1-5 and after finishing the work ofWGs 15 in 2001, the WG 4 remained and WGs 6-9 were created. The WGs combine a
number of individual standardisation projects related to a common topic such as the
WG 4 (Geospatial services).
The Technical committee creates advisory groups for special purposes such as the
Advisory Groups on Strategy and on Outreach. Such groups analyse the current and
future requirements for geomatics standardisation and draft proposals to the Techni-