DRAFT - SSWG Notes - 2010-07-28

SSWG Agenda - 2010-07-28

Participants

SSWG Standards Process

• The scope of standards that would use this process was discussed.
  • The process establishes the SSWG as the administrators of standards at UCD, whether the standards originate from the SSWG or not.
  • Our focus will be on UCD-wide specifications that have medium-to-long-term viability.  For example, the application standards for browser support are structured in such a way that they require revision only when new standards become available, not when new browsers are released, so they fit the bill.  Strategic sourcing standards for PCs purchased over the next 3-6 months probably do not fit the bill, but principles used to select those PCs probably would.
• It was agreed to forward the current draft of Standards Process and Repository  to the IT Roadmap Coordinating Council for their acceptance.

Application Standards for Browser Support

• The ITAG's Web Standards and Browser Recommendations for UC Content Providers was discussed. David Walker will create a UCD version of the compliance statement itself for discussion at the next SSWG meeting.

Principles for a Framework for Data Interchange

• General principles for data interchange were discussed.  Thanks to Chris Derr for recording the issues raised:
  • Map of data repositories and access techniques would be useful
  • Spoke of the delegation of access from IT to Management (Why do sys admins have the keys to everything?).  A proper workflow engine would help here.
  • Spoke of use-based access vs data-based access (Find common cases of data use and deliver data specifically for those cases, rather than giving large datasets to users and having them tailor the data themselves.  This would reduce data misunderstandings.  A good example was salary ranges on campus: why does Programmer V George make $10,000 more than Programmer V Robert?  Taken with just titles and salaries, one might think it justification for an equity review.  But knowing that George is in Engineering doing high level research programming compared to Robert who is the 12-year sole IT veteran in the department of History means their jobs are not equitable.  Sorta.)
  • Objects: Data access depending on class of data -- easier to obtain Name, Number, Address than it is to obtain GPA, than it is to obtain SSN, than it is to obtain Health Information.  Group data access accordingly, even over disparate systems.* David Walker promised a strawman framework very soon.

The August 26 SSWG Meeting

It was decided to cancel the August 26 meeting, as attendance is expected to be light.  We will schedule a special meeting to discuss the framework for data interchange, if it seems warranted.