Library Review

The purpose of this project is to ensure the long-term sustainability of UN/CEFACT’s libraries of business process and information models and associated technical artefacts (EDIFACT and XML). 

The four principles of sustainability are governance, resourcing, operations and architecture. The project will review these dimensions covering the specification, documentation, development, validation, maintenance, publications and application of UN/CEFACT Core Components and element directories.

The project will first identify the as-is process with respect to:

- Library maintenance activities

- Identification of the specifications, techniques and guidelines that provide the “rules” for executing an activity

- Identification of the roles carrying out each activity and the required skills to execute each activity. 

- Identification of the tools currently used in each activity.

In a subsequent step the issues and challenges to the long term sustainability of the libraries should be identified and a proposals for their resolution should be developed.

Identification of bottlenecks with respect to process activities as well as their human and technical resources. Possible alternative scenarios should be developed and evaluated against the current one.

For each (currently manual) step it should be identified whether or not it can be (semi-) automatized. The required technical guidelines/specs and necessary tools should be outlined.

Alternative tools that may be used in an activity should be identified. The pros and cons of each tool should be elaborated.

Specification of management procedures supporting the library maintenance process in order to ensure an accurate timing and quality of the artefacts.

A plan to appropriately staff all activities has to be developed. This plan also has to identify training activities to gain the necessary skill sets and the potential trainers.

An Informative Note for the UN/CEFACT Bureau describing the issues and challenges to the long term sustainability of the libraries and proposals for their resolution.

Acceptance of the deliverable by the Bureau.

Project team membership is by invitation of the Bureau.

A deep understanding of the current library maintenance procedures, the involved actors and tools is required in order to identify possible bottlenecks, improvements, enhanced tool support and additional resources.

Furthermore, a dedicated review team with representatives from each affected groups must be nominated. This team must review the draft not only to meet quality standards, but also acceptance by these groups. Of course, any other CEFACT expert may comment on the draft.

List at least three Country heads of delegation who support this project, and include their written expression of support using the template in annex IV...
Not required as this is an internal project and not a proposal for a UN/CEFACT instrument.

The geographical focus is global.

Procedures for maintenance of UN/EDIFACT standardized messages and directories
Library Maintenance Process (draft from Chris Hassler)

Participants in the project shall provide resources for their own participation. The functioning of the project shall require additional input from the UNECE secretariat.
Note to user: Participants in the project shall provide resources for their own participation. If no additional resources are required, then a short statement indicating this should be included. However, if specialized resources are required to complete the project, and such resources are not available within the project team, then those requirements should be clearly identified. It is preferred that the existence and functioning of the project shall not require any additional resources from the UNECE secretariat.

Project Leader: Christian Huemer
Editors: Christian Huemer