How National Standards are Shaping the Digital Economy

25-August | Written by Matthew MacNeil

Some industry leaders of the Canadian information and communications technology ecosystem understand how standards are shaping our digital economy and the critical role they play in developing them as technology experts.

Here is an insider’s look at how National Standards of Canada are developed by the CIO Strategy Council as a Standards Council of Canada accredited standards development organization, and how digital standards will help shape Canada’s digital and technological transformation.

As the old adage says: “Necessity is the mother of invention” so starts the standard development process. The CIO Strategy Council’s standards development activities involve the formation of technical committees established by its Standards Policy Committee, led by a committee chair, supported by a secretariat, and comprised of subject matter experts. Any stakeholder may propose new technical work and participate in any of the CIO Strategy Council’s standards development activities.

A proposal to develop a new standard, revise or withdraw an existing standard is directed to the CIO Strategy Council’s Standards Policy Committee for approval. The Standards Policy Committee considers the need and interests prior to approval including considerations for language requirements, and other similar standards work by other standard setting organizations. Upon its approval, the Standards Policy Committee establishes or directs the technical work to a technical committee.

The CIO Strategy Council technical committees operate by consensus and provide an open forum offering:

• Equal access and participation by any interested party. Technical committees are not restricted in size and there is no fee to participate;

• Respect for diverse interests and identification of those who should be provided access to provide the needed balance of interests; and

• A mechanism for dispute resolution.

Its technical committees are responsible for:

• Developing and approving a standard or standards assigned to it, including requests to revise or to amend them;

• Interpreting the standard; and

• Reviewing standard(s) to ensure they are kept current.

Typically, the process takes about a year for a proposed national standard to be developed, then approved by the Standards Council of Canada, and published as a National Standard of Canada.

Since last year, the CIO Strategy Council’s Technical Committees have published three (3) National Standards of Canada and is working on several others to help inform the responsible design of digital technologies and accelerate their adoption across all industries, resulting in a safer, more prosperous ICT ecosystem for Canada.

The CIO Strategy Council currently has seven (7) technical committees comprised of experts and thought leaders cutting across industry, government, academia and civil society that help shape the development of the national standards.

Here’s some of our published standards and current projects:

• Technical Committee on Data Governance published two (2) national standards (CAN/CIOSC 100-1, Data governance – Part 1: Protection of Digital Assets and CAN/CIOSC 100-2, Data governance – Part 2: Third Party Access to Data).

• Technical Committee on Ethical Design and Use of Automated Decision Systems published the CAN/CIOSC 101:2019; an excellent tool for anyone who has or is looking to design and deploy AI that uses machine learning for automated decision.

• Technical Committee on the Qualification of Big Data and Machine Learning Personnel is currently working on the development of a national standard for the qualification and certification of big data and machine learning personnel.

• Technical Committee on Digital Trust and Identity currently has two projects on the go, CAN/CIOSC 103-1, Digital trust and identity – Part 1: Fundamentals and CAN/CIOSC 103-2, Digital identity and trust – Part 2: Delivery of health care services.

• Technical Committee on Cybersecurity is working on developing a national standard for the CyberSecure Canada certification program.

• Technical Committee on Connected Cities is a newly created technical committee, with initial work focused on developing a series of standards for the discovery and management of digital twins for built environments.

• Technical Committee on Autonomous and Connected Vehicles is another recent established technical committee with a focus on the digital and security aspects of testing and proving grounds.

Why standards are needed in the digital space

In this digital age, innovation is the engine that drives our economy. While policymakers and the public at large understand the rising importance of innovation, the need for public and private sector collaboration in the digital space has never been greater. Having the proper safeguards in place will not only help bring about responsible technological innovation but will also help improve productivity in operations to delivery seamless digital services to Canadians.

How to use standards and adapt them to your organization

There are several reasons as to why organizations adopt standards. Innovative organizations often use standards to demonstrate their first-in-class performance and leadership in their space. Certain organizations are mandated by their customers or stakeholders to use standards as a means to protect and secure the supply chain. Nations and various levels of government also refer to standards as a best-practice or guidance to assist organizations or even incorporate standards by reference in regulation making them mandatory. The abundance of standards in the digital and technology space is growing, so too is the importance in understanding how standards are set as the development process may be significantly different from one organization to the next, whether national, regional or international. The way in which a standard is developed influences its credibility and relevance in the marketplace.

How individuals and organizations can get involved in this important process

The CIO Strategy Council brings together a wide range of industry experts, CIOs and leading organizations across the country cutting across different sectors of the economy to garner the collective strength needed for standards development.

The most critical success factor in developing effective standards, however, is from the input and participation made by stakeholders, experts and interested parties in their development. Get involved. We strongly encourage all organizations regardless of size, industry or IT knowledge to join the CIO Strategy Council’s standards setting activities to help ensure a safer and more secure Canada.

To learn more about our technical committees, visit us online.