Annex I JTC 1 Policy on
Interoperability
This policy statement specifies the JTC 1 position on interoperability
and clarifies the relationship between interoperability and
conformity. It complements the JTC 1 policy statement on
conformity assessment (see Annex C).
For the purpose of this
policy statement, interoperability is understood to be the ability of
two or more IT systems to exchange information at one or more
standardised interfaces and to make mutual use of the information that
has been exchanged. An IT system is a set of IT resources
providing services at one or more interfaces.
JTC 1 recognises that interoperability is a major user requirement
which can be facilitated by standardisation. Accordingly JTC 1
accepts the responsibility to identify the key interfaces and produce
the key IT standards at those interfaces (including the relevant
content standards, e.g. ODA, SGML, CGM) to facilitate practical, timely
and cost-effective interoperability, consistent with market
requirements and current technologies.
Standards designed to facilitate interoperability need to specify
clearly and unambiguously the conformity requirements that are
essential to achieve the interoperability. Complexity and the
number of options should be kept to a minimum and the implementability
of the standards should be demonstrable. Verification of
conformity to those standards should then give a high degree of
confidence in the interoperability of IT systems using those
standards. However, the confidence in interoperability given by
conformity to one or more standards is not always sufficient and there
may be need to use an interoperability assessment methodology in
demonstrating interoperability between two or more IT systems in
practice.
An assessment methodology for interoperability may include the
specification of some or all of the following: terminology, basic
concepts, requirements and guidance concerning test methods, the
appropriate depth of testing, test specification and means of testing,
and requirements and guidance concerning the operation of assessment
services and the presentation of results. In technical areas
where there is a conformity assessment methodology and an
interoperability assessment methodology, the relationship between them
must be specified.
JTC 1 has the authority and responsibility to clarify whether
interoperability is intended to be facilitated by each JTC 1 standard
and ISP, to what or whom the interoperability applies, how conformity
is related to the provision of interoperability, and how to verify that
interoperability is provided between relevant IT systems.
Each JTC 1 Subcommittee has the responsibility to ensure that standards
produced by that Subcommittee for implementation in IT systems clarify
whether interoperability should be facilitated by use of that standard,
and how conformity to the standard is related to the provision of the
interoperability.
Each JTC 1 Subcommittee has the authority and responsibility to specify
or identify an interoperability assessment methodology, applicable to
any distinct area of IT that is entirely within the scope of that
Subcommittee.
RG- CAI has the authority and responsibility to advise JTC 1 on work
that needs to be done relevant to assessment of interoperability for
JTC 1 standards and ISPs. This may include IT specific
interpretations of general ISO/IEC Guides as well as work specific to
particular areas of IT not covered or inadequately covered by existing
assessment methodologies.