JTC1/SC22
N1236
Title: Procedures for handling of Defect Reports in SC22
Date: 1992-08-28
Status: Approved by SC22 plenary in Ellivuori, Finland
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to set forth the procedures by which Defect
Reports, including requests for interpretations, are handled by ISO/IEC
JTC1/SC22 (SC22).
1.2 Scope
These procedures conform to and amplify the requirements and definitions
specified in the ISO/IEC JTC1 Directives (6.13 in Edition 2;
14.4 in Edition 3). They span the full range of
documents originated by SC22, including standards and technical reports,
The procedures cover all aspects of SC22 processing including:
a) flow of documents
b) development and approval
c) publication
d) synchronization with member body activity
1.3 Guiding Principles
Several principles have given rise to these procedures. They have been derived
from comments made to documents distributed within SC22 and from the
JTC1 Directives. These principles are:
a) Identification - All requests for interpretation identify some lack of
clarity in the document, and as such these can be viewed as one form
of Defect Report, and can be addressed under the defect resolution
procedures in accordance with the JTC1 Directives and this document.
b) Technical Content - The SC22 working group (SC22/WG) that is
responsible for the document for which a Defect Report has been
received is responsible for the development of the response.
c) Responsiveness - The process should be sufficiently rapid as to allow
as little time as possible to pass between the time of receipt of a Defect
Report and the time the requestor receives an interim response.
d) Visibility - The procedures should provide for appropriate visibility of
the response to the reported defect among all users of the document.
e) Stability - Substantive changes should be made to a document only
when demonstrably necessary to correct a significant defect. Frequent
or gratuitous changes may complicate compliance and synchronization
with other documents.
f) Limitation of Scope - These procedures do not grant SC22/WGs license
to make substantial alterations to the functionality described by a
document.
2 Submitter Procedures
This section identifies sources for Defect Requests, and the actions to be taken by the
submitter.
2.1 Sources of Requests
Defect Reports may be submitted only by:
a) a National Body of ISO or IEC
b) an SC22/WG
c) the project editor for the document
d) an organization in liaison with ISO/IEC
2.2 Submission Procedures
The submitter of a Defect Report shall prepare and submit ISO/IEC Form 14
(see attachment 1) in accordance with the instructions on the form.
3 Processing
This section details the processing of a Defect Report, and assigns specific respon-
sibilities to SC22/WGs and to SC22.
The SC22 working group (SC22/WG) that is responsible for the document for which
a Defect Report has been received is responsible for the development of the response.
3.1 Overview
The responsible SC22/WG shall develop the response to a Defect Report. It
shall maintain a log of all Defect Reports and their responses. The response to
the Defect Report shall result in a contribution either to a Technical Corrigen-
dum (TC) or to a Record of Response.
a) Handling Requests Without a Responsible WG
Where no SC22/WG exists with responsibility for a document that is
the subject of a Defect Report, SC22 shall establish an ad hoc group
to act as a WG for the purpose of developing a response. This group
shall perform all of the actions required by a SC22/WG according to
these procedures. Results shall be recorded by the SC22 Secretariat
which shall maintain a Defect Report Log for each document for that
purpose.
3.2 SC22/WG Actions
The SC22/WG Convener is responsible for ensuring that all SC22/WG actions
specified by these procedures are performed by the SC22/WG.
a) Tracking
Each SC22/WG shall maintain a log of Defect Reports for each of its
documents as required by the JTC1 Directives (6.13.3.7). Each entry in
this log shall include:
i) the unique Defect Report number assigned by the SC22/WG,
ii) full identification of document numbers (including CCITT
references in joint projects)
iii) status of the Defect Report,
iv) date when submittal occurred,
v) date when response is required,
vi) date when ballot terminates,
vii) date of publication of response to the Defect Report.
The interim response to the submitter, and all other correspondence on
this Defect Report, shall include the unique Defect Report number.
Maintaining the following additional information may prove useful to
the SC22/WGs:
i) description of reported defect
ii) response
iii) references within the document, and references to other relevant
documents
iv) classification (per internal SC22/WG classification scheme)
The Convener shall submit the up-to-date Defect Report index to the
SC22 Secretariat immediately before each SC22 meeting.
b) Developing
The responsible SC22/WG shall develop a response to the Defect
Report, in accordance with these procedures.
Once the SC22/WG has approved the response to the Defect Report,
the SC22/WG shall forward an interim response to the submitter. This
response should refer to the original submitter's correspondence,
include the SC22/WG identification number, and the response to the
Defect Report. This response should also make clear that this is an
interim response, and a final response must be approved by SC22.
c) Publishing
For each document, the responsible SC22/WG shall construct responses
to Defect Reports as follows:
i) Responses requiring normative changes to a document shall
specify the textual amendments to be applied.
ii) Responses not requiring normative changes may specify textual
amendments to an informative annex.
Responses requiring textual amendments, as deemed necessary by the
responsible SC22/WG, shall be incorporated into a Technical Corri-
gendum, for publication by SC22.
Where the response to a Defect Report is not incorporated into a TC,
it shall be incorporated into a Record of Response, for publication by
SC22.
d) Batching
A Technical Corrigendum or a Record of Response may include
responses to several Defect Reports. The content and timing of
publication is the responsibility of the SC22/WG. Any batching shall
take into account the number and significance of the responses and the
SC22/WG's plans for revision of the document.
e) Distribution
Once the resolution has been approved by SC22, the SC22/WG shall
send to the submitter of each Defect Report, under cover of a final re-
ply letter, a copy of the approved response to that Defect Report.
3.3 SC22 Actions
The SC22/WG shall forward draft Technical Corrigenda to the SC22 Secre-
tariat, requesting a letter ballot by SC22 and simultaneous distribution to JTC1
for review and comment on the draft Technical Corrigenda by those P-
Members of JTC1 that are not P-members of SC22.
The SC22/WG shall forward draft Records of Response to the SC22
secretariat, requesting a default letter ballot with a seventy-five day response
time.
Distribution of the TC or Records of Response shall be accomplished by the
SC22 Secretariat consistent with ISO/IEC JTC1 Directives and SC22
procedures.
4 Synchronization
This section ensures that Defect Report resolutions to SC22 Standards and Technical
Reports are handled the same in the national bodies. This is of particular importance
for those SC22 documents that were developed by SC22 member bodies.
4.1 Member Body Development
For those SC22/WGs that use national body development, the SC22/WG shall
recommend to SC22 those changes to its synchronization plan which
accommodate the handling of Defect Reports. SC22 shall review and approve
those changes. The same changes are required to be approved by the appropri-
ate National Body organization.