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Appendix to item 28.2
Report for the 24th General Assembly
FIG Working Week in Seoul, 6-11 May 2001
TASK FORCE ON STANDARDS
In the first two years of its life, the Task Force on Standards has made some
notable progress on a number of fronts, in an area where FIG has traditionally
not been represented. In general terms, the very existence of the Task Force has
raised the profile of standards and standardisation in the minds of FIG's active
members. This element of the Task Force's work has included writing articles for
the FIG Bulletin and other publications, and presenting papers to FIG
gatherings.
To help move the process along from education into action, the Task Force is
currently finalising a draft Guide on Standardisation, with the aim of providing
FIG officials and member associations with a greater degree of information on
the processes of standardisation, and how professionals can influence them.
Within the Guide is a proposed statement of FIG's policy with regards to
standardisation. In summary, this states that FIG's aim is to assist in the
process of developing workable and timely official and legal standards, seeking
to ensure that de facto standards are converted into official standards as
technology matures. There are, in essence, two elements:
- Proposing material which can be transformed into international standards
(rather than relying on work done by others) and participating in the process of
developing standards; and
- Disseminating information and creating explanatory material and guidance notes
to ensure that all members of FIG are aware of the more recent standardisation
activities, standards and regulations, and their implications for surveyors.
Under the first heading, the Task Force, with the assistance of Commission 7
(particularly in the person of Dr Winfried Hawerk), has proposed the FIG
Statement on the Cadastre for fast tracking to become an international standard.
This has been a tortuous learning process to date, with the protocols of ISO
taking a good deal of understanding. It appears that we have not been successful
with this particular document, but we have learned a good deal about the process
and need now to consider what other documents might be appropriate for fast
tracking.
We continue to work closely with the relevant ISO Technical Committees (in
particular TC59/ TC172, where Professor Jean-Marie Becker is FIG's lead
representative, and TC211 where I have this position). The work of TC211 on
Geographic Information/ Geomatics will result in a significant number of
international standards being published in 2001, and the Task Force is currently
doing its best to ascertain how FIG can help in the communication and
implementation process.
We have also been working with other bodies, including the International
Valuation Standards Committee (where Professor Brian Waldy's work has been
invaluable), and the International Cost Economics Council (ICEC), which has
recently set up a Standards Working Group. The focus for ICEC is currently on
spreading best practice throughout the industry.
The Task Force also coordinates within FIG, including with the Task Force on
Mutual Recognition (there is a particular crossover with regard to ISO TC211's
work on the qualification and certification of personnel) and with the
Commissions and Permanent Institutions. Examples of this collaboration include
reviewing, with the Multi-Lingual Dictionary team and ISO TC211, how the FIG
Multi-Lingual Dictionary and ISO work on terminology can be interfaced to best
effect. We have had less success to date with determining what work of the
Commissions might be appropriate for fast tracking to become official standards,
or can be coordinated with the publication of standards.
In the run-up to the 2002 Congress, the Task Force will concentrate on
building on its current links, completing the Guide, raising the profile of
standards within the survey community still further, ensuring that the 2002-2006
work plans of the Commissions take in the issue of standards and standardisation
from their inception, and ensuring that the important issue of standardisation
is suitably catered for in the new internal organisation of FIG.
In all of this work, I would like to recognise publicly the ongoing support
of all members of the Task Force and of the FIG Office.
Iain Greenway
Chair of FIG Task Force on Standards
Email: iain.greenway@btinternet.com
27 December 2000
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