FW: [chairs] FAQ regarding upcoming TC Process changes

[Joann Hackos <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>]

For your information


------ Forwarded Message
From: Mary McRae <mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org>
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 22:07:02 -0400
To: <chairs@lists.oasis-open.org>
Subject: [chairs] FAQ regarding upcoming TC Process changes

As part of the new TC Process Policy rollout, we have prepared this FAQ. It
will be posted online and linked from the OASIS TC Process Policy page at
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php. More information will be
provided over the next two weeks.


TC PROCESS POLICY FAQ

This document provides a non-normative overview of the OASIS TC Process
Policy as revised by the OASIS Board of Directors in July 2010. It is
offered as a supplemental resource only. For comprehensive information, the
normative OASIS TC Process Policy should be referenced. Additional
information is provided in the TC Handbook. If inconsistencies between any
of these documents are found, the official policies take precedence.

Overview
-------
This is the first major revision to the OASIS TC Process since 2005. In an
effort to help our members become familiar with the new rules, a number of
resources are available. These include live and recorded webinars, our TC
Handbook/help system, and these FAQs which will be updated as questions are
received. As always, please feel free to contact the OASIS TC Administrator
with any questions or if you need further assistance.

1. When does this new TC Process go into effect, and how does it apply to
existing projects?
The new TC Process goes into effect on 15 October 2010 (simultaneous with
the new IPR Policy). Specifications that are either out for Public Review or
have completed a 60-day Public Review as of 15 October 2010 AND are
submitted for OASIS Standard Ballot on or before 15 January 2011 will be
subject to the requirements in Section 3.4 in effect on 1 September 2009.
Any specifications that have not been submitted for Public Review or have
been submitted but the review has not yet been announced on 15 October 2010;
or have completed the Public Review process but are not submitted for OASIS
Standard Ballot by 13 January 2011, will be subject to the requirements in
Section 3.4 in effect on 15 October 2010.

Major Changes
------------
Introduction of Non-Standards Track Work Products
-----------------------------------------
The OASIS Board Process Committee has been working for over 2 years to add a
"non-standards" TC approval track. This provides a means for TCs to approve
as a Committee Note any material that is not intended to become an OASIS
Committee Specification or OASIS Standard. These could be primers,
explanatory material, presentations and white papers that can now be
approved by the TC as representing its views. Non-Standards Track Work
Products do not contain Normative Portions (as defined in the IPR Policy).

1. How does a TC determine which track a Work Product should take?
At the time a Working Draft is brought up for approval, the TC must decide
whether it is to become a Committee Draft Specification (CDS) or a Committee
Draft Note (CDN). The Non-Standards Track is intended to be used for work
products that are explanatory or educational in nature and are not
implementable in and of themselves. Work Products in the Non-Standards Track
are not covered by the patent provisions of the OASIS IPR Policy. Once
making this decision the TC should use the appropriate template for the
document so that it is clear which type of document it is.

2. Are Non-Standards Track Work Products covered by the OASIS IPR Policy?
Non-Standards Track Work Products are covered by the copyright provisions of
the IPR Policy; they are not covered by the patent provisions of the IPR
policy.

3. Can a TC publish an early/draft version of a potential standard as a
Non-Standards Track Deliverable?
No; Non-Standards Track Work Products are not covered by the patent
provisions of the OASIS IPR Policy.

4. Can Non-Standards Track Work Products be submitted for OASIS Standard
vote?
No; the highest level of approval for a Non-Standards Track Work Product is
Committee Note (equivalent to Committee Specification).

5. Can Non-Standards Track Work Products be submitted to a de jure standards
body for further standardization?
No.

6. Is the approval process different for Non-Standards Track Work Products?
No; the process is the same for both tracks (except for the final Standards
Track steps to progress to Candidate OASIS Standard and OASIS Standard).

7. Do Non-Standards Track Work Products use the same template required for
Standards Track Work Products?
No; a different set of templates must be used. Templates are provided at
http://docs.oasis-open.org/templates/

8. Can a Work Product change tracks?
Yes; a TC can choose to switch tracks by conforming to the appropriate
template, approving the work as a committee draft (either a Committee
Specification Draft or Committee Note Draft) and proceeding through the
normal lifecycle progression. If a TC anticipates a deliverable might become
an OASIS Standard they should initially choose the Standards Track so that
IPR obligations are incurred throughout the stages of the process.

9. Are there other differences between Standards Track and Non-Standards
Track Work Products?
Yes; Section 2.18 Specification Quality has been expanded to note the
different requirements, including those for Computer Language Definitions
and Conformance Clauses. Also, a new Restrictions and Disclaimers section
has been added.

10. If a TC is preparing a slide presentation for a public event, the
presentation really have to be classified and approved as a Non-Standards
Work Product, including the requirements to list all contributors, have a
statement about patents on every slide, require public review, etc.?
Yes.

11. Can a TC Member make a presentation on the work of the TC to an external
group without submitting the presentation through the TC approval process?
Yes, provided you do not use the OASIS templates and it is made clear that
you are speaking on your own (or your employer's) behalf rather than on
behalf of the TC.

12. Why do we need this if all the main work of OASIS is standards and
specifications?
A number of TCs need clarity in how they can approve and deliver
non-standards track deliverables. This change is also to anticipate
additional work on adoption and education type activities.

13. What impact does the process change have on collaboration with non-TC
members, in particular for non-standards document?
None, non-TC members will still need to provide feedback via the TC's
comment list which requires acceptance of the OASIS feedback license. Work
on all Work Products must be done within the TC, since ideas may be
transferred between Standards Track and Non-Standards Track Work Products.

14. Can a TC specify in its charter that it will produce only Non-Standards
Track documents, and then put "N/A" for the IPR Mode in the Charter?
A TC can specify that it will only produce Non-Standards Track Work
Products. It must, however, still declare a particular IPR Mode in
accordance with the TC Process and IPR Policies.

15. Do the rules about Contributions (from both the TC Process and IPR
Policy) apply to Non-Standards Track documents as well as Standards Track
documents?
Yes.

16. Why can't non-members participate in non-standards track work?
They can, in the same way they participate in standards track work; that is
by submitting their feedback through the TC's comment list. OASIS is
supported by membership dues. Unlike other organizations we do not charge
for our Standards and other deliverables; they are freely available to
anyone. While transparent, the work of OASIS needs to be driven by members
and the OASIS dues structure is designed to enable potential participants to
join OASIS. OASIS welcomes new members.

New Stage Identifiers
-----------------
With the introduction of the Non-Standards Track come new stage identifiers.
The Standards Track Work Product stages are Committee Specification Draft
(CSD), Committee Specification Public Review Draft (CSPRD), and Committee
Specification (CS). The Non-Standards Track Work Product stages are
Committee Note Draft (CND), Committee Note Public Review Draft (CNPRD), and
Committee Note (CN). Note that committee draft refers to either a CSD or
CND; similarly, public review draft refers to either a CSPRD or CNPRD.

Public Review Requirements
----------------------
The Public Review requirements for TC-level approvals have been simplified
and streamlined, partially to accommodate the addition of the Non-Standards
Track.

1. What is the minimum length of time for an initial Public Review?
The minimum length of time has been reduced to 30 days, with subsequent
reviews staying at a minimum of 15 days.

2. If a TC has a specification currently out for public review, will the
review period be shortened?
No; all public review drafts processed and announced prior to 15 October
will complete the 60-day public review period. If, however, changes are made
to the Work Product following the Public Review, an additional 15-day review
will be required.

3. Is a Work Product exempt from additional review if it has been changed
since the last public review, but where the TC has deemed that no
substantive changes have been introduced?
No; any changes to a Work Product (other than those explicitly allowed in
Section 2.18) will now require an additional review.

OASIS Standard Approval Process
--------------------------
The process for OASIS Standard approval has been modified. There is now a
new stage, Candidate OASIS Standard, which falls between Committee
Specification and OASIS Standard. This new stage requires a minimum 60-day
public review. The process and timeline has also been changed.

1. Why is a minimum 60-day review required at this stage?
The initial public review period has been shortened to a minimum of 30 days,
speeding the process for those work products that are not intended to be
submitted for OASIS Standard ballot. The 60 day review ensures that OASIS
Standards meet the requirements to be submitted to international de jure
standards bodies.

2. Is the 15-day familiarization period still required before an OASIS
Standard ballot begins?
No; there is no longer a familiarization period.

3. Can OASIS Standard submission requests be submitted at any time?
Yes; there is no longer a fixed timeline requiring submissions to be made by
the 15th of the month. Submissions may be made at any time; TC
Administration must complete processing and start the Candidate OASIS
Standard Public Review within 15 days of receipt of a request that meets the
requirements.

4. What happens if comments are received during the Candidate OASIS Standard
review?
The TC Process defines the specific steps to be taken given the possible
outcomes of the public review (no comments, comments but no changes made,
and resulting changes). If there are no changes to be made, the TC Chair
will notify the TC Administrator to begin the ballot.

5. Will OASIS Standard ballots still begin on the 16th of the month?
No; ballots may begin at any time and will run for 14 days.

6. Do these changes extend the amount of time it takes to gain OASIS
Standard status?
The amount of time it takes from working draft to OASIS Standard has always
been dependent on a number of factors; however, the reduction of the first
public review from 60 days to 30 days and the elimination of the fixed
timeline for OASIS Standard submission effectively cancel out the additional
30 days of public review.

7. If a specification has already completed a 60-day Public Review (or
is/will be in progress on 15 October 2010), will another 60-day review be
required?
No; the TC Process defines a 90-day transition period. Any Work Products
that have either completed a 60-day Public Review or are out for Public
Review on 15 October, and are submitted for OASIS Standard ballot on or
before 13 January 2011 will continue to follow the TC Process that went into
effect on 1 September 2009.

Miscellaneous
-----------
1. What is the difference between Approved Errata and Maintenance Activity?
A Maintenance Activity is a Standards Track approval process that produces a
new version of a CS/OS, scoped to maintenance changes, for which specific
IPR rules apply. Maintenance work can be undertaken by either the TC that
originally created the specification or by a new TC if the original TC has
closed. Approved errata is a way to produce/update an existing OASIS
Standard (produced by the same TC) which makes no substantive changes
(changes that could cause a previously conforming implementation to not
conform, or vice versa), i.e. it can fix only minor errors. Errata can only
be undertaken by the TC that originally created the specification.

2. Approved Errata seems to apply only to an OASIS Standard; is there any
quick method for making minor changes to a Committee Note once it's been
published?
Changes to any Work Product other than an OASIS Standard are simply revised,
approved as a new CDS or CDN, submitted for a 15-day Public Review, and
approved as a CS or CN.

3. Can a person file an appeal of a TC action even if he or she is not a TC
Member?
Yes, as long as you are an OASIS Member.

4. What does it mean "must begin with step 1" in Section 3.0?
The steps outline the progression of approvals from the first approval level
(Committee Draft) all the way through OASIS Standard. Any time a Work
Product is changed (as a working draft) it must be approved as a new
Committee Draft before progressing further.


If you have other questions that you would like to see addressed in the FAQ,
please send them to mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org

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