Metadata Working Group

Working Group Projects

ISO/IEC JTC 1 / SC 32 / WG 02

 

Subject: Work items to be considered by SC32 WG2 Opening Plenary (WG2 BNE 029)

Date: 29 June 1998

Source: UK contribution to SC32 WG2

Status: For review by SC32 WG2 Opening Plenary Meeting

References: [BTEC] JTC1 N5296 and SC32 N125. "Work on Electronic Commerce standardization to be initiated"

[JTC1] JTC1 N5448 and SC32 N132 Resolutions from Sendai meeting of JTC1

 

1. Background

1.3 Topic areas

The BTEC report identifies a total of 34 new work items in each of the following three topic areas

A.     User Interfaces

§         Icons

§         Dialogue design principles

§         Customer profiles

B.     Basic functions

§         Trading protocols

§         Payment methods

§         Security mechanisms

§         Identification and authentication

§         Auditing and record keeping

C.     Definition and encoding of data and other objects

§         IT-enablement of existing standards

§         Techniques for defining message semantics

§         Localization

§         Registration authorities

§         Value domains needed in Electronic Commerce.

1.2 Categories of standard

In addition to the key areas, the BTEC report also identifies three broad categories of standard needed to support Electronic Commerce:

a.       sector-specific (S)

b.      cross-sectoral (C)

c.       IT infrastructure (I)

Standards already exist in each of the three key categories and in each of the three categories. Some of these existing standards were developed with the specific aim of supporting Electronic Commerce and some of which were developed (or at least started) before Electronic Commerce became accepted as a meaningful concept.

A sector-specific standard (for the purpose of this paper) is identified as a standard which is spe-ci-fic to a sector such as banking, health care, libraries, travel or tourism. It is important that sec-tors not conventionally thought of as "commerce" are also con-sidered.

A cross-sectoral standard is a standard which is relevant to more than one sector but which is not part of the IT infrastructure.

A standard in the category IT infrastructure is a standard which is relevant to information techno-logy and potentially to any information system which may be designed and implemented to sup-port the activities in any sector (including activities relevant to the design, implementation and operation of information systems ).

For the purposes of this report, an IT infrastructure standard is a standard which may be used to support Electronic Commerce.

It should be noted that certain standards in the IT infrastructure category are needed to define standards in the other two cate-gories and that such standards will typically also be usable outside the broad area of Electronic Commerce.

2. JTC1 Resolution

Resolution 8 [JTC1] requests each of the Sub-Committees in JTC1 to study [BTEC] " with a view to identifying areas where they can support the requested work items. (i.e. submitting an NP proposal or potentially providing experts for such work), also if appropriate, in co-operation with other organizations).

3. SC32 WG2 involvement

It should be clear that SC32 Data Management and Interchange has an important role to play in towards providing the appropriate standards for IT infrastructure which Electronic Commerce needs. SC32 WG2 appears to be the most appropriate working group in SC32 to pursue this furhter.

4. Extract from BTEC report

The text in the Appendix to this document has been extracted from the BTEC report referenced above.

5. Review of candidates

It should be noted that five of the 12 items in topic area "Definition and encoding of data and other objects" are in Category I - IT infrastructure.

These five items are C1, C4, C6, C.7, C.8 and these are considered here in more detail.

5.1

C.1 Standardize an approach for the identification and mapping of encodable value domains.

This standard is needed for use in the definition of other standards which are either cross sectoral or sector specific. Standards already exist for certain domains such as countries and languages. The problem appears to be that many of these standards were prepared without due consideration for the requirements of information technology. Furthermore, another problem which occurs is that these standards , when used together in an IT environment present unfortunate inconsistencies. The BTEC report provides an analysis of this problem.

From the SC32 point of view, there are two extant approaches to the handling of encodable domains, namely those presented in IS 9075 and in IS 11179. A careful analysis is called for of the overlaps and disparities between these two approaches between these two approaches on the basis of which a standardized approach for use in Electronic Commerce can be formulated.

The problem of identification is presumably no more than a problem of naming the domain. The relevance of the word "mapping" in the title is unclear. The concept of mapping is relevant only when it is clear where one is mapping from and where one is mapping to..

This work item is closely related to C.8 considered below.

5.2

C.4 Develop a standard facility for defining the kinds of messages used in Electronic commerce

This work item is probably the most important and at the same time the most politically loaded of those to be considered by SC32. Standard facilities for defining messages have been developed by UN/EDIFACT and are being fast tracked by ISO TC154 as IS 9735 which is a matter of some controversy in [JTC1] (see resolution 45).

The discussion in the attached extract from the [BTEC] report emphasizes the importance of being able to define semantic constraints on the data contained in the message. This is a somewhat complex technical area and it is not clear that it is handled adequately in IS 9735.

The problem of message definition is also complicated by the recent move to use XML as a definition formalism for EDI messages. It is clear that this will assist in the handling of messages which are sent across the WWW but it is not clear that it will go any further than IS 9735 in handling the problem of semantic constraints.

SC32 should study the problem more carefully in its own meetings and propose a tripartite workshop on this problem involving SC32, SC35 and TC154.

5.3

C.6 Define an approach for defining localization factors for the local use of Electronic Commerce

The problem which this work item is addressing is the problem of terms and names which are used in electronic commerce which are not "linguistically neutral". As the discussion in the attached extract indicates, at the same time, there is a need to be able to handle specific local requirements. [BTEC] points out (section 6.3) the concept of "local" is not merely not merely geographic (and hence linguistic) but also includes factors such as jurisdictional and industry sector.

It is not clear that SC32 should get involved in this work item, important though it may be. It should probably have been placed in category C for cross sectoral , although the problem of defining linguistically neutral concepts is a challenging one and more input is needed.

5.4

C.7 Define how to register and maintain various aspects of the value domains defined in the customer profile standards and in standards for localization factors

The reference in the title of this work item to "customer profile standards" is a reference to standards needed in Category A ­ User Interface. The work item has a close relationship with C.6 because C.6 is about "defining an approach" and C.7 is about registration of that which has been defined using the said approach.

5.5

C.8 Standardize an approach to defining sets of values for unbounded domains and for defining the format of the sets of values for unbounded domains.

This work item is closely related to C.1 discussed above in section 5.1. The difference between the two is that C.1 refers to "encodable domains" and C.8 refers to "unbounded domains".

One interpretation is that C.1 refers to domains for which a finite set of values need to be defined and that set standardized (for examples languages) and C.8 refers to a set of values for which the set of values which need to be defined is potentially infinite (for example latitude and longitude and complex numbers) .

Using this interpretation, it is clear that some work along these lines applicable to C.8 is in IS 13249 (SQL/Multi-Media and Application Packages) and other work of relevance may be in IS 11179. Certainly, the IS 9075 ability to specify User Defined Data Types as used in IS13429 must be of relevance.

6. Conclusion

SC32 WG2 is requested to review these potential work items and to propose recommendations.

 

Appendix: Extract from BT-EC report (JTC1 N5296)

1. Category C: Definition and encoding of data and other objects

Some of the following requirements primarily result from Electronic Commerce in the Busi-ness-to-Business or Administration domain.

·         identification of all value domains involved in Electronic Commerce;

·         IT-enablement of existing standards for widely used value domains (such as countries, cur-ren-cies, languages) for use in Electronic Commerce;

·         widely used value domains for which no standards exist such as jurisdictional domains affecting Electronic Commerce;

·         complete semantics of data types and message types used in

Electronic Commerce;

·         localization for a specific point of use (for example a mix of jurisdictions, languages, ) of the terms available for referring to all information used in Electronic Commerce;

·         arrangements for registering the results of work developed in e) and f) above.

1.1 IT-enablement of existing standards for encodable value domains

Many of the value domains needed for use in Electronic Commerce are bounded sets in the sense that the value domain and the set of permitted values in that domain are pre-defined and enumerated in the standard. Most of these are of the nature of "codes representing X". From a global Electronic Commerce perspective, standardization work is required for the identification and referencing of such objects in an unambiguous, linguistically neutral, and an IT-processable manner. Which is suitable for Electronic Commerce.

These standards need to be re-cast in a computer processable form in order to support more fully the objective of computational integrity, a key part of IT-enablement and in a manner which supports localization and multi-lingual requirements.

Other value domains are unbounded in the sense that the set of possible values cannot be pre-scribed. A standard may be defined for the format of the values in such a domain.

Work item C.1: Standardize an approach for the identification and mapping of encodable value domains.

Work item C.1 is a part of the IT infrastructure for Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.2: Develop standards for IT-enablement of existing standards using the ap-proach defined in the standard for Work Item C.1.

Work Item C.2 represents the application and use by ISO Technical Committees of JTC 1 stand-ard(s), i.e., tools. When the above noted examples are IT-enablement, the JTC 1 tool set of stand-ards will be improved.

1.2 Identification and Mapping of Jurisdictional Domains

Electronic commerce, like present-day commerce, has to comply with the requirements of the juris-dictions which impact the way in which Electronic Commerce is carried out. In addition to jurisdictions which have a physical, i.e., geographic, dimension, there are jurisdictions bounded by type of goods or services dimensions.

Examples of jurisdictions with (1) a physical dimension are the European Union, NAFTA, California, Punjab, etc., (2) those with a goods dimension is the Multi-Fibre Textile Agreement (MFTA); and, (3) those of services dimension are found in the trans-portation, banking, environment, etc., sectors.

Work Item C.3: Standardize the identification and mapping of the various categories of juris-dictional domains (with priority on those impacting several sectors of Electronic Commerce).

Work Item C.3 is part of the IT infrastructure. It is a standard tool to be utilized by bodies with sectoral and cross-sectoral responsibilities as well as bodies wishing to start the process of IT-enablement for electronic commerce of their jurisdictional domain".

1.3 Definition techniques for defining data and message semantics

Standardized techniques are needed for defining the semantic constraints to be imposed on the data elements comprising the contents of message types used in Electronic Commerce. These techniques need to be compatible and consistent with the techniques used to define the data as used in the computer information systems which need to be able to inter-operate in Electronic Commerce.

Standards exist for defining message formats but these do not enable the complete message se-mantics which may be quite complex and indeed open to interpretation.

Examples of the kind of semantic constraints which need to be expressed as part of message definition are the following.

a.       A data element in a message must take one of the values which are prescribed in a standard for the value domain to which the data element corresponds;

b.      A data element in one part of a message must take the same value as that for a matchable data element in an-other part of the message;

c.       The values in two or more data elements in a message must collectively satisfy a potentially complex valida-tion criterion based on a predefined Boolean condition expressed on these fields.

Work item C.4: Develop a standard facility for use in defining the kinds of mes-sages used in Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.4 is part of the IT infrastructure which is needed to support Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.5: Develop a set of message definition standards using the facility defined in work item C.4.

Work item C.5 should be for cross-sectoral messages.

1.4 Localization

Terms and names found in standards are not linguistically neutral, nor are they IT-processable. In Electronic Commerce, there are specific local requirements which need to be identified. Collectively these requirements and other aspects are referenced here as localization factors.

There is a need to be able to cast international standards in a manner which on the one hand supports unique, unambiguous and linguistically neutral identification and referencing of objects; and, on the other hand, supports the development of designation of such objects by terms and names in support of localization and multi-lingual requirements, i.e., in addition to the ISO official languages.

Work item C.6: Define an approach for defining localization factors for the local use of Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.6 is part of the IT infrastructure which is needed to support Electronic Commerce and should be developed in an appropriate JTC 1 committee.

Specific individual standards can only be developed locally and when a specific need is identified. The approach developed in C.6 should be used.

1.5 Registration authorities

Both customer profile standards and localization factor standards are likely to proliferate and it is necessary to define a process of registering such standards so that they may be available to other users.

Work item C.7: Define how to register and maintain various aspects of the value do-mains defined in the customer profile standards and in standards for loca-li-zation factors.

1.6 Identification of value domains needed for use in Electronic Commerce

Work item C.8: Standardize an approach to defining sets of values for unbounded domains and for defining the format of the sets of values for unbounded value domains.

Work item C.8 is a part of the IT infrastructure for Electronic Commerce

Work item C.9: Define bounded value domains used in two or more sectors of Electronic Com-merce.

Work item C.10: Identify requirements for the handling of unbounded value domains used in two or more sectors of Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.11: Define bounded value domains for use in a specific sector of Electronic Commerce.

Work item C.12: Identify requirements for the handling of unbounded domains for use in a spe-ci-fic sector of Electronic Commerce.

Work items C.9 and C.11 are cross-sectoral. These should make use of the approach standardized in work item C.8.

2. Tabular presentation

The remaining page of this extract contains the 12 work items in tabular form with each item categorized in terms of whether it is seen as part of the IT infrastructure, cross sectoral, or sector specific.

Work items associated with definition and encoding of data and other objects

#

Work item description

Category

C.1

Standardize an approach for the identification and mapping of encodable value domains.

I

C.2

Develop standards for IT-enablement of existing standards using the approach defined in the standard for Work Item C.1.

C

C.3

Standardize the identification and mapping of the various categories of jurisdictional domains (With priority on those impacting several sectors of Electronic Commerce)

C

C.4

Develop a standard facility for use in defining the kinds of messages used in Electronic Commerce

I

C.5

Develop a set of message definition standards using the facility defined in work item C.4

C

C.6

Define an approach for defining localization factors for the local use of Electronic Commerce

I

C.7

Define how to register and maintain various aspects of the value domains defined in the customer profile standards and in standards for loca-li-zation factors .

I

C.8

Standardize an approach to defining sets of values for unbounded domains and for defining the format of the sets of values for unbounded value domains

I

C.9

Define bounded value domains used in two or more sectors of Electronic Commerce

C

C.10

Identify requirements for the handling of unbounded value domains used in two or more sectors of Electronic Commerce

C

C.11

Define bounded value domains for use in a specific sector of Electronic Commerce

S

C.12

Identify requirements for the handling of unbounded domains for use in a specific sector of Electronic Commerce

S