1999-09-21
I appreciate the contribution of the National Body of Japan
in N2993. Japan experts have been
involved in the working group from its very beginning and have been successful
editors for two completed projects.
WG20’s goals are consensus standards without unnecessarily
losing time.
Therefore WG20 submits potentially mature drafts for FCD
ballots rather than CD ballots. This
method, while saving the time for a “final” FCD ballot if successful, does not
adversely effect the processing of ballot results, generation of a disposition
of comments and of a new draft between scheduled meetings, if the ballot
fails. The DoCs can be discussed and
text for the new draft can be developed in the meetings with the
representatives of National Bodies.
The process contains the following steps:
·
Development of a draft disposition of comments by the editor
before the meeting
·
Discussion of the proposed disposition of comments during
the meeting
·
Technical and editorial changes are agreed upon, mostly by
consensus
·
Text is changed and new text is developed; sometimes the
editor or a contributor may be authorized
to create text after the meeting by an agreed target date.
·
When all comments are dealt with, the scheduled progress is
approved by resolution.
·
The editor develops the text for the disposition of comments
and the text for the new draft, based on the discussions in the meeting and on
agreed upon input from contributors.
·
The new texts are placed on the web site (as agreed in the
resolution) for final check by NBs for an agreed upon time (3 – 4 weeks).
·
NBs comment to the WG20 discussion list about proposed
changes to the draft texts. These
contributions can be seen, commented, and discussed by all members of WG20.
·
Proposed improvement: The new text introduced as the result of the disposition of technical
comments shall be provided in the meeting as far as possible. In case that the text
can not be provided within the meeting, the new text shall be provided by the
joint work between the project editor and the submitter of the comment.
·
Proposed improvement: A rationale shall be given for each rejected technical comment. The submitter of the comment shall be
explicitly informed.
·
Proposed improvement: All members present at the meeting will be
more explicitly invited to comment, if they don’t agree with the submitted
text.
·
By the agreed upon date:
The editor submits the final text for the DoC and the new draft to the
convenor who submits them to the SC22 secretariat for the next ballot.
·
Proposed improvement: The new document will be posted in 2
versions – one for use by the National Bodies with change marks for deleted and
added text, and one version for the general
public without the change indicators.
This allows the experts to see how their proposed changes have been
implemented by the editor.
·
Proposed improvement: The
disposition of comments shall have the indication which part of document will
be modified as the result of the disposition, and the names of NBs who disagreed with the disposition of comment with its
rationale,
·
Each national body which provides a negative comment shall
propose specific text changes. Any comment not accompanied by specific text
changes will not necessarily be accommodated adequately.
I believe that the improved process allows ample
possibilities for input and control, that comments and contributions are
properly applied to the draft documents (Standards and Technical Reports).
Arnold F.
Winkler