Structured Documentation Management (Smart Documents) An Open Governance Initiative

Table of content Background Current workflow Increasing global demand for open data The project (objectives, outputs, challenges and benefits) The way forward…

Background Every biennium 1 Session of the Conference, 5 Sessions of the Council 150 other meetings 30,000 delegates in attendance Several hundred documents are authored, transcribed, edited, translated

Big workload in processing documents due to the following constraints: Very rigid Word template A lot of manual work to pre-process and finalize documents in six languages Lack of interoperability with other systems Amendments are collected in TC or s and compiled by the Secretariat Current workflow

Increasing global demand for open data 43% Parliaments declared to use XML for acts September Open Data Charter by the G8Open Data Charter by the G8 June 2013

The project: Smart Documents for Open Data Establish a framework to support a more effective, reliable, organized authoring process by adopting an XML based internationally-recognized document schema

Objective of the project Improve the accessibility, accurate retrieval and reusability of FAO’s governance and normative information, codes of conduct and technical standards developed by FAO Members at present “locked” in static documentation.

Move from: Objective of the project

to: XML based document standard and document management system

XML characteristics Document oriented – document is the focus Technology Neutral – independent of technology Descriptive – document is well described, even in odd structures Prescriptive – document is checked for quality Separation of layers- content, metadata, presentation are separated Persistent over time – long term preservation for archival Workflow-oriented – document is part of a process

Outputs of the projects 1.Analysis of the requirements to structure FAO documentation 2.Definition of an XML schema 3.Deliver a solid proof of concept that would include normative and governance documents.

Benefits of the project Greater accessibility, visibility and interoperability of FAO governance and normative information Reduced document production times Long term preservation of FAO governance/normative work, independent of software updates Creation of new information products with data generated by FAO Pioneering the implementation of open governance initiatives

Challenges 1.Open governance policies 2.Technical guidelines and recommendations 3.Increased workload 4.Conversion of legacy documents 5.Funding

Project Implementation Introduction of an XML schema for FAO normative and governance documents supporting the normative work developed by the Organization: Codex Alimentarius, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources Rotterdam Convention and the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures. The way forward…

Web-based document management system Support and control over the entire documentation process (drafting, revision, translation and publication) Instant access to all language versions, cross- linked references and previous versions of documents Possibility to include and authenticate amendments Interface with CAT tools, corporate content repositories and workflows systems

Thank you!