Hello CIQ'ers,
This seems like a very interesting thread to follow
- however I do have the following remarks, and potential pitfalls I see
along the way:
- These are *real* standardization institutes, thus
not very fast. We may find their work not fitting our
timelines.
- Only the UPU is a truly worldwide organization,
the others are European or US only.
- We do not yet have clear insight in their
goals and charter - in our CIQ kickoff meeting we have established that
database development is different from development of a communications
protocol, which we focus on (by agreeing on a multi-level standard, which
trading partners can agree to use in a way to suit their needs).
- I agree with this gentleman that address
structures are non-trivial, otherwise we not not emphasize it this much in
CIQ. But recently Ram and I have compared our XML Address definitions, which
had been developed in isolation from each other, and they are very
compatible in many respects. I believe we can safely assume we are on the
right track here.
Having said this, these organizations represent a
wealth of knowledge that we would be wise not to ignore. I suggest I have a
talk with this gentleman (after all, Arnhem is only 80 kilometers from
here!). If you have any issues other than the above you would like me to
take with me, please let me know.
Cheers,
Vincent
-----Original
Message-----
From: Holger
Wandt [mailto:h.wandt@HumanInference.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 4:18
AM
To:
'scott.mcgrath@oasis-open.org'
Cc: Martijn Kriens; Paul
Drenth
Subject: AND makes
address XML definition available to OASIS
Dear Mr
McGrath,
having read the
AND press release (1 December 2000) on their XML definition for the
worldwide presentation of adresses, I thought it a good idea to inform you
about other developments in international standardization of addresses.
I am the chairman
of the working group address databases within CEN/TC331/WG3. CEN is the
European Standardization body. The task of my group is to develop a
multi-part standard, covering the definition of of address components and
address structures, the representation of addresses, the electronic
exchange, the validation and interpretation of address data. Currently, we
have completed the first part of the standard, which provides a dictionary
of all possible components of postal addresses, togeteher with examples of
and constraints on their use. The standard (which is in the enquiry phase of
CEN at the moment) also contains a model of the specification of an address,
which the working group wishes to represent in a formal language (possibly
XML).
Furthermore, the
United States Postal Service has made a proposal to the United Postal Union
(UPU - a UN organization) to assemble a development group with a vested
interest in the development of an international name and address standard.
For this effort they seek the cooperation of CEN (the working group address
databases), the UN/Edifact group, the Graphic Communications Association
(GCA), The Direct mail Advisory Board (UPU) and the PostCode group
(UPU).
During the last
plenary meeting of CEN/TC331/WG3 we agreed that we will join in this effort.
It will be my task to coordinate further cooperation.
Since you have
recently set up the Customer Information Quality (GIQ) Technical Committee
to work on cross industry XML standards, I think we should have a closer
look at our common efforts.
Harmonization is
very important for future implementation and having had a look at the XLM
schema provided by AND, I fear that their definition is somewhat engrafted
on the PAF (postal address file) data provided by Royal Mail. Mind you, I'm
not an XML expert, but I'm familiar with the specific terms used in PAF.
My fear is that
the CIQ technical committee will develop a standard which will eventually
not match with the international address standard being developed by CEN and
UPU. Therefore I would like to get in touch with the chairman of the
CIQ technical committee. Would it be possible for you to arrange an
introduction? If it would be necessary, I would be willing to become an
associate member of OASIS.
Should you have
any further questions, feel free to contact me any time. I thank you very
much for taking my questions into consideration.
Best
regards,
Holger
Wandt
Chairman working
group Address Databases CEN/TC331/WG3
Human Inference
Enterprise B.V.
Holger
Wandt
Velperweg
8
6824 BH
Arnhem
The
Netherlands
Tel. +31 (0)26
355 06 55
Fax +31 (0)26 355
06 66
E-mail: Holger.Wandt@HumanInference.com
http://www.HumanInference.com