Category: SDECom

Standards Development and Education Committee Officers

Guidance for New Workgroup (WG) Officers

Congratulations on your appointment as a officer of an IEEE EMC Society, Standards Development and Education Committee (SDECom) WorkGroup (WG)!  In your new role you are a key leader in the development of IEEE Standards.  By being approved your project has been judged to of high importance to the EMC community and for the development of the discipline of EMC.  The SDECom wishes you every success in this important endeavor and are available to assist you along the way in any way we can.

This page is intended to provide a brief, general overview of how a workgroup is initiated, and conducted.  Much more detail is provided in the documents referenced.

The main IEEE Standards Development webpage can be found at: http://standards.ieee.org/develop/index.html

1. The first step to initiate a standards project within the EMC Society is that some interested party secures a PAR (Project Authorization Request) and submits it to the SDECom.  Any interested party may submit a PAR. A PAR form (and many other useful documents are available on-line.  The IEEE Standards Style Manual will also be helpful and can be obtained on-line at:  https://development.standards.ieee.org/myproject/Public/mytools/draft/styleman.pdf.

2. Once the project has been approved the officers of the WG should each get a copy of the Standards Style Manual and the Policies and Procedures for the SDECom.  These documents will guide you through the standards development process.

3. The WG then begins its work, develops a technical consensus regarding the various issues facing its project and drafts a document.  The SDECom will request periodic reports on the progress of the WG.  Typically a report is requested for each SDECom meeting, approximately 3-4 times per year.

4. To assist the WG’s in there work space is available on the IEEE Standards WEB Site.  An E-MAIL reflector and discussion board can also be established for the WG.  Work with the SDECom liaison to establish these facilities.  You are encouraged to make use of electronic communications as it will both speed your effort and make participation in your group available to a wider group of people.

5. When the WG has a draft it is satisfied with formal balloting begins.  In order to assure consensus and technical accuracy of all IEEE standards balloting is a careful and methodical process.  You will want to discuss the balloting process in detail with the SDECom officers and work closely with them through this process.

6.  Upon successful completion of the balloting process the IEEE office assigns a technical editor to make final preparation of the draft for publication and to guide the publication.  The WG officers may be called upon at this time to advise the editor in order to assure the technical integrity of the final published standard.

Help for Standards Developers

Should you have questions or comments concerning this material, please contact your IEEE Standards Staff Liaison.