TC Process changes at OASIS

[James Bryce Clark <jamie.clark@oasis-open.org>]

To: OASIS Members

    Please be advised that the OASIS TC Process, our principal
rules for standards development in our technical committees, have
been amended by our Board of Directors.  The changes are effective
immediately.  They make several significant process improvements
suggested by our members, and a few other clarifications.
    The newly revised rules are posted to the usual location [1].
The prior version has been moved to an archival location [2]. A
summary of principal changes follows below.
    We continue to review and consider revisions to these rules
periodically, to facilitate smoother operation of OASIS TCs.  This
set of changes was built on the member comments we received during
our last revision cycle [3], and input from TC leaders.  Other
feedback that we have received is under continuing review by the
Board's Process Committee, in conjunction with our staff, Technical
Advisory Board and membership.

    The two most significant changes made to the TC Process rules
relate to errata and starting a TC.

    1.  We have improved the rules for starting a new OASIS
technical committee in Section 2.2.  The review period for a new TC
proposal is now 30 days, to permit wider review.  We will post each
compliant proposal within 5 days of receipt, and invite member
comment for 2 weeks, as a part of the preparations for launch.
While the proposers still will define the committee's scope, this
increased transparency should assist in optimizing new projects and
driving re-use and convergence.
    2.  We have added an official method for adopting "Approved
Errata" for existing approved standards, primarily in new Section
3.5.  This will allow committees to give official sanction to errata
lists, when they wish, short of issuing a new version of a spec.

    Additional changes include the following:

    3.  The definition of "minimum membership" in Section 1(m) has
been clarified.
    4.  The nomination method for TC chairs of new committees in
sections 2.2 and 2.3 have been changed.
    5.  The 60-day rule for acquiring voting rights in a TC in section
2.4 has been clarified.
    6.  The voting requirement for TC chair elections in Section
2.7 has been clarified.
    7.  A requirement has been added to distinctly note normative
(versus non-normative) references in specifications, primarily in
Section 2.18.
    8.  The specification quality requirements in Section 2.18 now
specify XHTML rather than HTML file format.

Regards  JBC

~   James Bryce Clark
~   Director, Standards Development, OASIS
~   jamie.clark@oasis-open.org

[1] http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php.
[2] http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process_2005.08.09.php.
[3] http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/members/200410/msg00004.html.