[CMC] Clarification of term "Expert Group"

[Shames, Peter M (312B)]

Dear CMC and CESG members,

The CMC placed an action to:
- [Decribe what is meant by the] Use of term Expert Groups in Areas and Project Development

The following has been discussed during the CESG telecon on 13 Mar 2015 and consensus was reached to forward this to the CMC.  The proposal under consideration is to refine and further clarify this concept and then add it to the CCSDS Organization and Processes Yellow Book, CCSDS A02x1y4, probably as a corriegendum.

The term "expert group" was specifically introduced in the XML Namespace Policy document (CCSSDS 315x1y0), but it has broader potential applicability:

"This document defines a CCSDS XML Expert Group to review the requests. This group is composed of XML experts nominated by the CESG with no pre-determined terms. CESG may choose to change the group as it see fits."

The SANA YB (CCSDS 313x0y1) also introduced the term of a "designated expert" for a registry:

"designated expert. The expert for that registry is assigned by the CESG based on the WG recommendation"

The intent, in both of these instances, was to identify an expert, or group of experts, who would have continuing cognizance over the management of some CCSDS resource (XML namespace, SANA registry) in the absence of the WG that created it.  Since not all Working Groups persist for long periods of time identifying a mechanism for continuing management of certain registries seemed essential.  Furthermore, some registries are likely to be cross-cutting, such as the XML registry or a "contributing organization" registry that both MOIMS Nav and CSS SM have identified, and these need to be curated above the WG or even Area level.  In both of these current cases the origin of the Expert Group was a WG or SIG, but the role of assigning and managing responsibility for it was assigned to the CESG.

The CESG is the CCSDS technical engineering steering organization and it is a persistent entity, as such it will exist even if individual WGs, or even Areas, cease to exist and it has cross cutting oversight of all CCSDS work.

SEA recommends definition of an new CCSDS entity called an "Expert Group", with the following characteristics:

  *   Created at request of a WG, SIG, Area, or the CESG itself
  *   Creation is approved by the CESG
  *   Role is to provide long term curation or management for one or more registries
  *   Registries are managed in the SANA, the Expert Group supports SANA operations of the registry as stated in CCSSDS 315x1y0
  *   Membership and chair proposed by the creating group and approved by the CESG
  *   Membership is required to have expertise in the technical topic that is the subject of the registry
  *   Expert Group may be disbanded by the CESG

There are not expected to be a lot of these Expert Groups and they will be regulated by the CESG.  It is expected that any Expert Group will operate using electronic communications such as email or the occasional telecons, as needed.  These Expert Groups are not intended to require significant resources nor meeting rooms at bi-annual meetings.  The creation and operation of any Expert Group may be described in a charter, but this is TBD.

Regards, Peter (for the CESG)

________________________________________________________

Peter Shames
CCSDS System Engineering Area Director

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 301-490
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA 91109 USA

Telephone: +1 818 354-5740,  Fax: +1 818 393-6871

Internet:  Peter.M.Shames at jpl.nasa.gov
________________________________________________________

We must recognize the strong and undeniable influence that our language exerts on our ways of thinking and, in fact, delimits the abstract space in which we can formulate - give form to - our thoughts.

Niklaus Wirth




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