1 Introduction
1.1 Scope
The Directives for the technical work of JTC 1 give instructions
for the procedures to be followed in the preparation of International
Standards (IS), Technical Reports (TR), International Standardized
Profiles (ISP) and International Workshop Agreements (IWA), and for the
working methods to be used by JTC 1 and its subsidiary bodies.
The purpose of this portion of the Directives is to provide, together
with its annexes and any supplements, a complete set of procedures
covering the development, adoption, publication and maintenance of
common ISO/IEC International Standards developed by committee JTC 1 on
Information Technology.
This document replaces the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 - Procedures for
the technical work, but has been developed to be consistent with
them. Any differences between this document and the ISO/IEC
Directives, Part 1 are dictated by the nature of information technology
work and have been authorised by the ISO Secretary-General and IEC
General-Secretary ( Secretaries-General) and Councils of IEC and
ISO. Where differences between this document and the ISO/IEC
Directives exist, the provisions of this document shall govern.
The complete set of procedure documents for use within ISO/IEC JTC 1
comprise
- Procedures for the technical work of ISO/IEC JTC 1 on Information
Technology (this document) and any current Supplements;
- ISO/IEC Directives - Part 1 (2001, 4th edition): Procedures
for the technical work, Annex C, Justification of proposals for the
establishment of standards and Annex G, Maintenance agencies;
- ISO/IEC Directives - Part 2 (2001, 4th edition):
Rules for the structure and drafting of International Standards;
- ISO/IEC Directives (2001, 1st edition) - Supplement: Procedures
specific to ISO (2001, 1st edition)
- Guide for ITU T and ISO/IEC JTC 1 Co-operation (incorporated by
reference in Annex K of this document).
1.2 General Provisions
These Directives shall be complied with in all
respects and no
deviations can be made without the consent of the Secretaries-General.
These Directives are inspired by the principle that the objective in
the development of International Standards should be the achievement of
consensus between those concerned rather than a decision based on
counting votes.
[Note: Consensus is defined as general agreement, characterised
by the absence of sustained opposition to substantial issues by any
important part of the concerned interests and by a process that
involves seeking to take into account the views of all parties
concerned and to reconcile any conflicting arguments. Consensus
need not imply unanimity. (ISO/IEC Guide 2:1996)]
A purpose of IT standardization is to ensure that products available in
the marketplace have characteristics of interoperability, portability
and cultural and linguistic adaptability. Therefore, standards
which are developed shall reflect the requirements of the following
Common Strategic Characteristics:
- Interoperability
- Portability
- Cultural and linguistic adaptability
The working methods pay regard to the principle that the technical
aspects of a committee document for an International Standard should
not be discussed at more than two levels within JTC 1.
In view of the dynamic nature of IT standardisation, as part of the
process of maintenance of its procedures, ISO/IEC JTC 1 develops
Supplements to the Procedures for the technical work of ISO/IEC JTC
1. Formal Supplements may be published between editions to cover
major new or modified procedures agreed by JTC 1 for either normal use
or trial use for a specified period of time. Supplements are
published by ISO/IEC and are available from the ISO/IEC Information
Technology Task Force (ITTF). They may be incorporated into
subsequent editions of the Procedures for the technical work of ISO/IEC
JTC 1 on Information Technology.
These Directives are expected to be published on a nominal three year
cycle to align with three Plenary meetings of JTC 1. The JTC 1
Secretariat is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of these
Directives.