ISO/TC 211 N 1531

Replaces N 1513 (and 1404)

2009-2-17

Number of pages: 9

OGC Document: 09-057

ISO/TC 211
Geographic information/Geomatics

Title: Terms of Reference: Joint Advisory Group between ISO/TC 211 and
the OGC

Source: OGC TC Chair and ISO/TC 211 Chair

Expected action: For information.

Type of document: Terms of Reference

Hyperlink: <tbd>

ISO/TC 211 Secretariat Telephone: + 47 67 83 86 71

Telefax: + 47 67 83 86 01
Standards Norway
Strandveien 18 E-mail: bjs@standard.no
P.O. Box 242
NO-1326 Lysaker, Norway URL: http://www.isotc211.org/
 Terms of Reference for a
Joint Advisory Group (JAG)
between ISO/TC 211 and the OGC

Table of contents

Contents
Preface.............................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction and background............................................................................................................. 2
Scope................................................................................................................................................ 2
Key document flows - introduction..................................................................................................... 3
ISO TC 211 documents as OGC Abstract Spec Topic Volumes.....................................................3
OGC standards submitted to ISO to become International Standards...........................................3
Role and Responsibility of the JAG................................................................................................... 3
JAG Meetings.................................................................................................................................... 4
Face to Face Meetings.................................................................................................................. 4
E-Mail correspondence.................................................................................................................. 4
Membership in the Joint Advisory Group........................................................................................... 4
The JAG processes........................................................................................................................... 4
Document exchange Use Cases................................................................................................... 5

Preface
This document is a major revision of the existing Terms of Reference (ToR). The revision is based
on lessons learned and experience gained during the 5 years the current ToR has been effect. The
primary issue that needs to be resolved is the proper coordination, editing, and harmonization of
OGC documents that are have been or will be submitted into the ISO TC 211 process.

Introduction and background

This document provides guidance on the policies and procedures that shall govern the coordination
and development of joint documents. The OGC uses a number of ISO documents as topic volumes
in the OGC Abstract Specification. A number of OGC standards have been and are being process
to be become ISO Standards. Therefore, proper communication, coordination, and decision making
are required to insure and effective and positive relationship between the OGC and ISO.

These Terms of Reference (ToR) define the working relationship between the two organizations.
OGC holds Class A Liaison status with ISO/TC 211 and ISO/TC 211 is similarly recognized in the
OGC as an ex-officio membership on the Planning Committee.

Scope
This document defines the relationship between ISO/TC 211 and OGC and defines the Terms of
Reference (ToR), or operating rules, for the Joint Advisory Group (JAG). The JAG provides for the
ability to have day-to-day communications and coordination interface between the two
organisations required to facilitate the flow of information and documents between the two
organizations. The JAG can also be the forum for discussing and resolving coordination issues..
The JAG operates under the co-operative agreement between ISO/TC 211 and OGC, and thereby
under the ISO Directives and OGC Policies and Procedures.

2
The organizations recognize that coordination between the TC 211 and the OGC is not just a
matter of developing and approving single versions of OGC standards and ISO Standards. Instead,
timely and complete communications between the two organisations is required to insure that:
1. There is not duplication of effort;
2. Actions are completed in a timely manner, and;
3. Jointly developed geospatial standards products are of the highest quality.
These ToR provide the guidelines for this coordination.

Key document flows - introduction.

The following is a brief description of the types of document flows that need to be coordinated.

ISO TC 211 documents as OGC Abstract Spec Topic Volumes

From time to time, the OGC Members will recommend that an ISO Geo Standard become a formal
Abstract Specification topic volume. The recommendation typically happens as a result of a motion
from an OGC member resulting in discussion followed by a formal electronic adoption vote. The
ToR must provide guidance on how to coordinate requested changes and updates to these
documents. For example, the development of an OGC standard or implementation experience in
the geospatial community may result in change requests to the Abstract Specification.

OGC standards submitted to ISO to become International

Standards
From time to time, the OGC Members will recommend that an OGC standard be submitted to ISO
TC 211 for consideration for approval as an International Standard 1. In order for this document
process to occur, the OGC document must first be formally approved as an OGC standard. An
OGC Member must then make a motion to the OGC membership to initiate the submission of the
document into the ISO process. After discussion, a formal OGC Technical Committee vote is taken
to submit the document to ISO TC 211. The motion is typically in the form that the OGC Staff
develop and submit a New Work Item Proposal2 to the ISO TC 211 directorate.

Role and Responsibility of the JAG

The JAG will:

1. Facilitate the smooth running of the co-operative agreement

2. Guarantee the flow of information between the two organizations
3. Identify issues and opportunities in the two work programs
4. Recommend co-operative work on issues that come under the agreement,
5. Facilitate the exchange and participation of experts between the two organizations

The JAG will not:

 Dispose comments arising on the technical work of either party

 Determine any technical result(s)
 Overrule management decisions taken by OGC and ISO/TC 211

The JAG will perform its stated duties via face-to-face meetings, email, and teleconference calls as
required.
1
In this context, OGC standards are international voluntary consensus standards. ISO Standards
are de-jure (by-law) standards.
2
The first step in the development of an International Standard is to confirm that a particular
International Standard is needed. A new work item proposal (NP) is submitted for vote by the
members of the relevant TC or SC to determine the inclusion of the work item in the programme of
work.
JAG Meetings
Face to Face Meetings
The JAG shall meet a minimum of two times a year; once in conjunction with a ISO/TC 211 Plenary
Meeting and once in conjunction with OGC Technical Committee meetings. Under OGC and ISO
face-to-face meeting policies, these meetings shall be announced at a minimum of <n> months
before the actual meeting. The actual announcement for a face-to-face meeting shall be
coordinated between the TC 211 Directorate and key OGC staff. Once a date has been agreed to,
the meeting announcement shall be made to the entire respective memberships. F2F meetings are
open to all members of the OGC and ISO TC-211. Any Member may participate in discussions.
However, only the official Members of the JAG may make motions and vote on those motions.

E-Mail correspondence
The OGC shall maintain an email list for the JAG membership. Email can be used for all
coordination activities, preparation for meetings, discussions on items and issues, and document
discussions.

Motions may be brought forward, discussed, and approved via email. Any JAG member may make
a motion via email. These email motions shall require a <n> week review period prior to a vote. The
vote on the motion may happen via email, teleconference, or at a face-to-face meeting.

The email list archives shall accessible for viewing by all TC 211 representatives and OGC
Members.

Membership in the Joint Advisory Group

The JAG membership shall be comprised of:

 Secretariat provided by OGC

 Co-chairman provided by OGC
 Co-chairman provided by ISO/TC 211
 All ISO/TC 211 Working Group Conveners, the chair of the Harmonized Model
Maintenance Group (HMMG), and the chair of the Terminology Maintenance Group (TMG)
 OGC Existing Working Group and Standards Working Group Chairs for standards that
have been or are being jointly developed
 Two ISO/TC 211 members appointed and approved by ISO/TC 211
 Two OGC members appointed and approved by the OGC

Attendance at JAG meetings by persons not identified above will be governed by the policies of the
hosting group, i.e. ISO rules at a TC211 meeting and OGC Policies and Procedures at an OGC TC
meeting.

The Voting Membership of the JAG shall be comprised of individuals as defined above. In other
words, all members of the JAG are by definition voting members.

The JAG processes

The JAG operates using consensus. For voting on all items, issues, and motions, each member of
the JAG is accorded one vote, regardless of status as a member of both ISO/TC 211 and the OGC
and without regard for nationality. Decisions on motions will be taken by simple majority of those
present.
The JAG will report status of actions and motions and concerns at any OGC TC and ISO/TC 211
Plenary meeting where the JAG has a meeting.

Document Exchange Use Cases

This section describes document exchange use cases that can occur between the OGC and ISO
TC 211.

The following cases are for ISO documents that are also OGC Abstract Specification Topic
Volumes.

1. An ISO TC 211 19xxx series document not developed by the OGC is evaluated by the
OGC membership and a determination is made that this ISO document should be an OGC
Abstract Specification topic volume. This is an ISO document.
2. An ISO TC 211 19xxx series document not developed by the OGC is already an OGC
Abstract Specification Topic Volume and a new version of the ISO 19xxx document is
available. This is an ISO document.
3. An ISO19xxx document was jointly developed by the TC 211 and OGC Membership. This
is a jointly developed document. There are two sub-cases: the OGC membership has
defined and documented a number of changes to be recommended to TC 211 or TC 211
has developed a revision and the OGC wishes to accept this revision and replace the
current Topic Volume

The following cases are for an OGC Standard that the OGC Members vote to submit to ISO TC
211.

1. The OGC Members approve the submission of an existing OGC standard to ISO to be
considered for approval as an ISO Standard. This would require the development of a New
Work Item Proposal
2. The OGC Members approve the submission of a revision of an existing OGC standard to
be considered by ISO as a revision to an existing joint OGC and ISO standard.

The following cases are for an OGC standard that has been submitted to ISO TC 211 and
approved by ISO as an International Standard:

1. The OGC Members wish to evaluate and consider the ISO instance of the OGC standard
as approved by ISO as a new version of the OGC standard.

In all cases, the JAG shall be the coordination and communication channel for any of these
document actions.

In all cases, the OGC Membership initiates the discussion and decision process to begin any of
these document exchanges.

ISO 19xxx Standards that are to become an OGC Abstract

Specification Document
The following are the steps that SHALL be followed for the case of an ISO 19xxx standard
becoming an OGC Abstract Specification Topic Volume.

1. An OGC Domain Working Group makes a formal recommendation that an ISO 19xxx
Standard should become an OGC Abstract Specification topic volume or a replacement to
an existing Topic Volume.
 2. The OGC Technical Committee members discuss DWG recommendation is and the motion
is approved or not approved.
3. The JAG is informed of the decision to adopt an ISO Standard as an OGC Abstract
Specification Topic Volume.
4. If the motion is approved, the OGC SHALL initiate a 30 day electronic vote to approve the
adoption of an ISO 19xxx Standard as a new Abstract Specification or replacement to an
existing OGC Abstract Specification topic volume.
5. If the vote is positive, the ISO document is approved and a reference is made on the OGC
website.

An Adopted OGC standard is recommended to be an ISO

standard
The following are the steps that SHALL be followed for the case of an OGC standard becoming an
ISO International Standard.

1. After discussion, OGC Working Group (WG) may recommend that an OGC adopted
standard be submitted to ISO TC 211 for consideration as an International Standard.
2. After discussion in the OGC Technical Committee, a formal motion SHALL be made
recommending that the OGC document be submitted to ISO.
3. If approved by the WG, the recommendation is carried to the OGC Technical Committee for
discussion and possible approval as a formal OGC recommendation and action.
4. OGC Staff, on behalf of the OGC Members, shall contact the ISO CEO, JAG and the TC
211 secretariate concerning the intent to submit an OGC standard using the TC 211 Fast
Track process3. The OGC, CEO and the TC 211 Secretariate SHALL resolve any issues,
such as copyright, related to the Fast Track submission.
5. The candidate standard is submitted by the OGC to ISO for formal comment. TC 211
Members shall have the standard period of time to read the OGC document submission
and provide comments.
6. A project leader/editor is identified and approved by the OGC membership
7. The OGC forms a new Standards Working Group (if one does not exist) for the OGC
standard submitted to ISO. All OGC policies and procedures SHALL apply to the work of
the SWG.
8. Comments are received from ISO and submitted to the SWG
9. All comments are processed by the SWG and a new draft of the document is created and
once approved by the SWG members is submitted to ISO. Please note that TC 211 P1
members may participate in the SWG. SWG activities are often done in teleconferences
and email exchanges with the occasional face to face meeting.
10. ISO Balloting and voting process starts.

Whether the Fast-Track process can be used or not, the key aspect of this recommended approach
to processing an OGC standard in TC 211 is that all edit and maintenance activities remain in the
OGC using OGC Policies and Procedures. There are several reasons for this approach:
1. Prevent the potential creation of two distinct edit activities (one in the OGC and one in ISO)
2. Prevent the overhead and financial/labor costs required for a Joint Project Team.
3. Allow work to be done on the draft to occur on a very timely basis due to the ability to do
teleconferences and email discussions on the comments and edits.

3
Any P-member or category A liaison organization of a concerned technical committee may
propose that an existing standard from any source be submitted for vote as an enquiry draft.
The proposer shall obtain the agreement of the originating organization before making a proposal.
The criteria for proposing an existing standard for the fast-track procedure are a matter for each
proposer to decide.