Re: [egov] chair e-gov TC and next steps

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

   Needless to say, I agree entirely with Peter Brown and John 
Borras, on the two points that each of them raised.

   First, we've very grateful to Harm Jan van Burg for assisting in 
trying to frame the right approach.  Cooperation, and 
standardization, are experiments by nature.  Not all experiments 
result as originally planned.

   Second, as they both said, it's difficult to define a proper 
strategy for this important but amorphous topic.  Several other 
panels known to some of you have given this thought, and reached 
similar conclusions.
   Viz., (a) there's something very important here; and (b) it's 
very hard to encapsulate it in a project with a timeline, and bring 
the right people to the table.

   Of course it is the opportunity for cooperation and good 
communication that is paramount.  Committees (and OASIS, and any 
other organization) only are useful to the degree that they 
facilitate that cooperation.
   Based on some chats in the last few weeks, it seems that some 
kind of continuing conversation is thought to be useful and 
desirable.  But this would only be true if there are relatively low 
barriers to engaging in it.
   There may be scoping problems, as John suggested, that require 
examination.  Harm Jan raised the issue of whether one can 
profitably  have such discussions with, or without, some of the 
vendors to which he alluded.
   In addition to those questions, it's also been suggested that the 
creation of a nontechnical discussion community may be a sensible 
alternative approach.  As has been pointed out, OASIS recently has 
done so in several cases.

   I suggest that we consider taking the following steps:
   (1) I will post a short description of such a facility, and 
possible scoping issues, to this list.
   (2) At the request of 3 members, which I imagine is not an 
obstacle,  we can initiate an open discussion list, to discuss a 
possible plan forward, that is not limited to current OASIS members. 
  That conversation may continue here as well.
   (3) In three weeks, let us see if the better course for this TC 
(as a technical committee) is to declare it completed, and pursue a 
different course.  As opposed to maintaining this committee as a TC 
via election of a new chairperson.

   Views on the advisability of these suggestions would be most 
welcome.

   Kind regards   Jamie Clark

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

> Subject: [egov] chair e-gov TC and next steps
> From: peter@justbrown.net Date: Fri, September 22, 2006 12:46 pm 
> To: h.j.m.burg@minfin.nl Cc: egov@lists.oasis-open.org,
> jamie.clark@oasis-open.org
> 
> Dear Harm Jan:
> 
> Firstly, thank you for the frank comments: nobody likes hanging
> on to something that isn't working but at the same time it takes
> some guts to take the step you have.
> 
> Secondly, thanks for trying to get it going again. I think you
> have probably done all that could realistically be expected in
> the circumstances and it really is up to public sector agencies
> that are OASIS members to take the lead here: if they don't, I
> don't think it would be healthy for only the "industry" members
> to bail them out of their responsibilities.
> 
> I think one of the major problems is simply that eGovernment has
> become a victim of its own success: we are all so involved in
> some many areas of work, the eGov TC on its own no longer
> provides the foucs for any specific piece of work.
> 
> I wonder whether the next steps are: - to officially wind up the
> TC; - to propose to OASIS the activation of an eGovernment Forum
> (Wiki based maybe?) that could provide a lightweigth information
> exchange and discussion forum without the formality of a TC and
> the TC process.
> 
> Jamie: any comments regarding formal procedure and possibilities?
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Peter
> 
>     -------------
>     Peter F Brown
>     Chair, CEN eGovernment Focus Group
>     Founder, Pensive.eu
>     Co-Editor, OASIS SOA Reference Model
>     Lecturer at XML Summer School
>     ---
>     Personal:
>     +43 676 610 0250
>     http://public.xdi.org/=Peter.Brown
>     www.XMLbyStealth.net
>     www.xmlsummerschool.com